A Puerto Rican man has been granted his wish to remain standing _ even in death.
Carlos Medina, right, kisses the cheek of his deceased brother Angel Pantoja Medina who stands erect, leaning against a wall during Pantoja's wake in their mother's home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday,... (Associated Press)
The body of deceased Angel Pantoja Medina, left, stands leaning against a wall during his wake as unidentified people attend his wake in his mother's home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 18, 2008.... (Associated Press)
The body of deceased Angel Pantoja Medina stands erect and leans against a wall by his coffin during his own wake in his mother's home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 18, 2008. The last wish of... (Associated Press) (1 of 3)« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
A funeral home used a special embalming treatment to keep the corpse of 24-year-old Angel Pantoja Medina standing upright for his three-day wake.
Dressed in a Yankees baseball cap and sunglasses, Pantoja was mourned by relatives while propped upright in his mother's living room.
His brother Carlos told the El Nuevo Dia newspaper the victim had long said he wanted to be upright for his own wake: "He wanted to be happy, standing."
The owner of the Marin Funeral Home, Damaris Marin, told The Associated Press the mother asked him to fulfill her dead son's last wish.
Pantoja was found dead Friday underneath a bridge in San Juan and buried Monday. Police are investigating.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Carlos Medina, right, kisses the cheek of his deceased brother Angel Pantoja Medina who stands erect, leaning against a wall during Pantoja's wake in their mother's home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 18, 2008. Medina, who was killed on Aug. 15, 2008, had wished to be standing at his own wake, and was embalmed for the occasion
http://www.newser.com/article/d92l5svo0/puerto-rico-man-gets-last-wish-his-corpse-kept-upright-for-3-day-wake.html
Carlos Medina, right, kisses the cheek of his deceased brother Angel Pantoja Medina who stands erect, leaning against a wall during Pantoja's wake in their mother's home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday,... (Associated Press)
The body of deceased Angel Pantoja Medina, left, stands leaning against a wall during his wake as unidentified people attend his wake in his mother's home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 18, 2008.... (Associated Press)
The body of deceased Angel Pantoja Medina stands erect and leans against a wall by his coffin during his own wake in his mother's home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 18, 2008. The last wish of... (Associated Press) (1 of 3)« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
A funeral home used a special embalming treatment to keep the corpse of 24-year-old Angel Pantoja Medina standing upright for his three-day wake.
Dressed in a Yankees baseball cap and sunglasses, Pantoja was mourned by relatives while propped upright in his mother's living room.
His brother Carlos told the El Nuevo Dia newspaper the victim had long said he wanted to be upright for his own wake: "He wanted to be happy, standing."
The owner of the Marin Funeral Home, Damaris Marin, told The Associated Press the mother asked him to fulfill her dead son's last wish.
Pantoja was found dead Friday underneath a bridge in San Juan and buried Monday. Police are investigating.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Carlos Medina, right, kisses the cheek of his deceased brother Angel Pantoja Medina who stands erect, leaning against a wall during Pantoja's wake in their mother's home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 18, 2008. Medina, who was killed on Aug. 15, 2008, had wished to be standing at his own wake, and was embalmed for the occasion
http://www.newser.com/article/d92l5svo0/puerto-rico-man-gets-last-wish-his-corpse-kept-upright-for-3-day-wake.html
