Missing the Sound of Your Deceased Loved One’s Voice?

Each human being has a voice that is unique and distinct from everyone else.

No other human can match the expressive nature, tone, and resonance of your loved one’s voice. It is something quite unique to each of us; a personal calling card. So, when someone dies, we often say, “I miss the sound of their voice.” Thanks to the wonders of technology, there are a few innovative ways in which we might hearken back to hear their melodic timbres once again.

Photo Credit: Holiday Voices

Holiday Voices are keepsake ornaments that play a 20-second recording of your loved one’s voice. Entrepreneur Savannah Kelly was inspired to create and sell them after receiving a similar gift years ago. In 2012, Kelly’s parents presented her and her brother with ornaments that played recordings of their deceased grandparents. Kelly had not heard their voices in over a decade by then. She thought it was the sweetest gift she had ever received. Kelly told USA Today, “You don’t realize how much you’re going to miss someone’s voice until you can’t hear it anymore.”

The ornament is a lovely holiday sentiment. But some people may have the privilege of listening to the sweet sounds of their loved one’s voice without it. Although voicemails are not as prevalent as text or emails today, some folks may be lucky enough to have saved a loving rambling message from someone they now miss. Others might choose to spend a few bucks a month to keep the deceased relative’s cell service active. This way, they can call that number to hear their loved one’s voice on the outgoing message again and again.

There are many ways to save messages recorded by a loved one to treasure forever.

But there is always a danger of deleting or losing those irreplaceable recordings. The Washington Post breaks down exactly how to send a copy of the recording from a smartphone, so you can safely save it somewhere else. For a small fee, Voicemails Forever offers an easy alternative to save voicemails, outgoing messages, and greetings for playback and download, even from a flip phone.

What if you were not lucky enough to capture or save such treasured recordings in the first place? Artificial Intelligence, or AI, may soon be a new avenue to fill that void. Hollywood has already taken a lead in this endeavor. CNN reports that actor Val Kilmer, who lost his voice to throat cancer, was heard in the newly released “Top Gun: Maverick” film thanks to AI technology.

AI technology simulates the sound of our loved one’s voice to treasure when they are gone.

Earlier this year, Amazon unveiled a similar feature for its virtual assistant Alexa at a conference in Las Vegas. Instead of commanding Alexa to read a book, consumers can ask the device to do so in the sound of a deceased loved one’s voice. The program is said to be able to replicate someone’s voice using only a minute of audio.

Although considered creepy or morbid by some, the company is moving forward to further develop this technology. Rohit Prasad, senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa told attenders, “While AI can’t eliminate that pain of loss, it can definitely make their memories last.”

So don’t hit that delete button too fast on your phone. Or, perhaps open up a voice memo app to capture a few words from someone near and dear while the getting is good. You can also purchase and prerecord a festive message on a Holiday Voices ornament, so families can cherish the sound of a loved one’s voice at holiday gatherings for generations to come.