Bendigo Community Honors Stranger's Funeral

0:00It's March 27, Sydney news today starts now, AI-powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story. A touching story out of Bendigo, north of Melbourne, where locals packed a funeral chapel for 88-year-old Michael Purcell, a man most of. They've never knew. Purcell, originally from Ireland, had made his home in Central Victoria, but passed away late last year with his family unable to travel from. Overseas. My fuel costs and tensions from the conflict in Iran kept his relatives grounded, making the long trip impossible for his goodbyeservice on Friday. So the local funeral home made a simple call last Sunday, inviting anyone in the community who wanted to pay respects. The response was huge, with crowds filling the chapel to capacity, and the director having to turn folks away for lack of room. It's a beautiful reminder of how neighbors step up in tough times, turning a stranger's farewell into a shared moment of kindness.