Gabriel Santos serves as cemetery worker in Boca del Río

Gabriel Santos, known as “Gaby,” has worked as a gravedigger at the municipal cemetery in Boca del Río for over two decades. His career at the cemetery began in 2002, followed by a brief hiatus due to administrative changes between 2005 and 2018, before he returned to the role.

His responsibilities include constructing vaults, performing inhumations and exhumations, and conducting maintenance such as cleaning and painting graves. Santos noted the emotional difficulty of his profession, as he frequently witnesses the grief of families. He has personally experienced loss within his own family while performing his duties, which he says has deepened his understanding of the pain felt by those he assists.