About 28 years ago John Merrick received an unexpected call to work at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Office of the State Coroner in Glebe.
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The hospice care worker was not unfamiliar to the calm and lulling presence of death in the hospital and decided to join the 12 week placement.
Twenty years later the forensic counsellor witnessed brutal, unusual and high profile cases such as the Bali Nine Bombings.
On Tuesday Mr Merrick held a well attended talk at the Goulburn Mulwaree Library about his profession and his most recent book, True Stories from the Morgue.
He spoke of how he dealt with his job over the years, the autopsy procedure and specific trends to the deaths he assessed.
“I was used to peaceful deaths,” he said. “But nothing can prepare you for traumatised bodies.”
A few weeks into the role a young Merrick was locked in the body storage freezer with hundreds of dead bodies as a joke by his colleagues. On his second day he saw the dead body of a person who was hit by a train with only half a head.
Divided into 14 chapters the book explores the many cases he was involved including the highlights and low times of his profession.
During his talk he spoke bluntly but honestly about what one would easily categorise as an uncomfortable subject.
“If you be honest with people and you speak to people about things that are unpalatable in an open and honest way it helps people open up and sets the tone for it as well,” he said after his talk.
“People had a number of bereavement stories themselves and had come to make sense of their own experiences.
“Some things I said made sense to them, and it’s wonderful for that reason alone.”
Mr Merrick decided to write the book after he was interviewed by a freelance journalist who suggested he publish his stories.
“Some stories to me had to be written and other stories I thought would be of benefit for others as well,” he said.
“I’ve met some extraordinary people and incidents like the Bali Bombings had a profound effect on me, but I’m very lucky.”
Today was one of the few talks Mr Merrick has held for his book, he said he was flattered to be asked by the library to speak.
A copy of True Stories from the Morgue is available at the library or can be purchased online.