Russell Westbrook Is Now Co-Founder Of An AI-Powered Platform For Funeral Planning Inspired By The Loss Of A Friend
Russell Westbrook has launched an AI startup inspired by the loss of a dear friend.
Eazewell
According to a news release shared with AFROTECH™, the Denver Nuggets guard joins Donnell Beverly Jr., a former NCAA National Champion at the University of Connecticut, and Kemba Walker, an NBA All-Star, as co-founders of Eazewell, an AI-enabled funeral planning platform. Westbrook’s inspiration for the company was the loss of Khelcey Barrs III, his best friend who died at 16.
Beverly Jr., who had also been a friend of Barrs as well as experienced the loss of both parents, shared that through these difficult times he gained insight into the challenges families face with funeral planning and accessing resources. Eazewell is now working to close this gap through its platform, which leverages 24/7 autonomous AI agents and offers users personalized funeral home-matching based on quotes, location, and individual needs. The platform also automates paperwork for filing death certificates and outreach to financial institutions, offers payment solutions for financing funerals — whether that be an installment plan or small loan — and manages consent forms, social media accounts, bank notifications, memorial pages, fundraising, and more.
“Years ago, Donnell and I connected through the loss of a close friend. Witnessing the profound impact it had on the family left a lasting impression on me,” Westbrook commented in the news release. “Eazewell is the solution we wished they had then. We’re turning that pain into service for those experiencing loss, providing families with someone in their corner when they need it most. I’m incredibly proud to be part of something that will truly make a difference in people’s lives.”
Beverly Jr., CEO of Eazewell, commented:
“Eazewell is our way of reaching anyone facing loss. When I lost my parents, phone calls and paperwork took up time that I would rather have spent mourning and consoling my extended family. We built Eazewell so people don’t have to go through that alone.”
Investors
The company’s mission has already been backed by some notable names, which include Boost Mobile CEO Stephen Stokols and former NBA player Metta World Peace, both from Tru Skye Ventures.
“The funeral industry hasn’t changed in decades,” mentioned Stokols in a news release. “Using AI to minimize red tape and simplify the toughest parts of funeral planning puts families first and modernizes a process that’s stuck in old methods.”
