AfterMatters was created by people who've been through exactly what you're facing. This is not a corporate product. It is a personal one.
AfterMatters was born from real-life experience and shaped by the emotional and logistical challenges that follow the loss of a loved one.
The idea began in 2017 following a conversation between founder and CEO Anthony Hemsley and his sister, Susan Ford. They recognized that the responsibilities following a death were fragmented, overwhelming, and unnecessarily difficult. Families were often left trying to determine what needed to be done, when to do it, and where to turn for help.
The initial concept was created to help solve those problems. Although early development eventually paused, the idea never disappeared.
Following the loss of Anthony and Susan's mother in 2025, the vision was revived with renewed determination and a sharper focus on the real-world needs of grieving families.
Anthony and his longtime friend and developer Bill Auger worked together to build the original AfterMatters application. After Bill stepped away, Anthony assumed responsibility for its continued development. Using AI tools including Claude and ChatGPT, he transformed himself from a nontechnical founder into a hands-on builder — bringing his vision to life and preparing AfterMatters for launch.
In the words of the founder
"Launching AfterMatters on my 59th birthday is truly the greatest achievement of my life. I poured my heart and soul into reaching this point, and I am incredibly proud of what I accomplished through all the noise.
I did not achieve this alone. Bill Auger was critical in helping develop the app's foundation, and I received unwavering support from my wife, Cherelle; my daughter, Mia; my sister, Susan; and my brothers, Gary and Mike.
I take great comfort in believing my mom would be proud of what I have created. As proud as I am of AfterMatters, I would trade every bit of it to have her still here with us.
This journey is far from over. There are still many mountains to climb, but I can see the forest through the trees."
Today, AfterMatters is built on lived experience — not theory — and designed to guide families through one of life's most difficult transitions with clarity, structure, and care.