11/06/2025
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Unsaid goodbyes? Why people in Ontario are making calls on disconnected phones to cope with grief
If you didn’t get to say everything you wanted before a loved one’s death, a unique concept is offering an opportunity to connect and grieve. Wind phones are becoming a thing throughout Ontario as a way to connect and converse with the departed. Many are tucked away on wooded trails, providing a serene spot to say a few words while enjoying the views of nature.
What is a wind phone?
The story of the wind phone originates in Japan. A man named Itaru Sasaki was grieving his cousin, who died of cancer. Sasaki had bought an old phone booth in 2010 and set it up in his garden. It wasn’t connected to any wires, just “an earth connection.” Having the one-way phone as a way to still talk to his cousin provided comfort to Sasaki as he processed his grief. Today, many organizations around the world are taking old rotary dial phones and using the out-of-use landline machines for wind phones.
In Canada, many hospices are starting to embrace the idea of a wind phone to help residents with their grief. “The wind phone is a powerful new addition to our grounds, and I’m so proud of the compassionate collaboration that made it possible. It reflects the heart of our mission to offer comfort, connection and care when it’s needed most,” said Debbie Kesheshian, Hospice Huronia’s executive director.
According to the Town of Newmarket, the wind phone is a “symbol of remembrance and respect for those who have passed away. “It helps promote a sense of community bonding and encourages open dialogue about grief and loss,” the town said on its website.
“Grief often silences us, or makes us feel like there’s nowhere to put all the love we still carry. The Wind Phone gives that love somewhere to go,” author and poet Athena Kostas wrote in a Facebook post.
Across the country, National Grief and Bereavement Day is marked on the third Tuesday in November, which this year falls on Nov. 18.
“Grief is a common experience we will all share, yet it can often leave us feeling disconnected,” the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association said on its website. “We might feel disconnected from our loved ones, from our friends, or from who we used to be.” The organization recommends friends reach out to a loved one experiencing grief, offer to bring groceries or meals, be an ear to listen to their stories, watch movies together, or plant a memorial garden of their favourite plants.
*See the article link below for a list of the vast number of wind phone locations in Ontario.
