Mother-daughter relationships can be as sacred as they are complex. In some cases, they might even be detrimental to our mental health and well-being. However, boundaries are important and will minimize the damage. In one woman’s case, the semi-sarcastic, semi-serious obit she wrote for her mom has gone viral, as some can’t believe she would write something like that.

“Flo” Passed Away

When Florence “Flo” Harrelson passed away, her daughter, Christina Mills Novak, wrote an obit that was so unconventional that people questioned whether it was a joke.

A “PSA” Obit

However, Novak explains that she, and most others, had a complicated relationship with her late mother, resulting in the unusual obit. She also notes that she didn’t expect anyone outside of her local community in Maine and her relatives to see the obit. “Let’s be clear. It’s a PSA and it’s no joke. It was written with sarcasm and relief, but it’s real,” Novak, 47, said in an interview. “It was done in four sentences because I refused to spend another dollar on that woman.”