ROYAL OAK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — One Royal Oak family member has a message for the owners of Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak: “Just fix it.”
The manicured lawn of the cemetery gives the impression of a peaceful and pristine final resting place. The inside of the mausoleum is a different story.
“They keep the outside nice, but they treat the inside like it’s secondary, it’s a basement, it’s a garage,” John Sdao said.
Sdao says every time it rains, water enters the building.
“Water comes down from the roof and behind the wall and then seeps out,” Sdao said.
Sdao, a plumber, says cemetery bathrooms are often infested with pests that keep coming back no matter how often the bathroom is cleaned.
“We’ve been having sewer flies all over our faces. They’re attacking us. It’s caused by the sewage not being treated properly,” he said.
He has several relatives there, including his parents, an aunt, an uncle, a cousin and his beloved son.
‘I used to come here five days a week; I hardly ever come here, maybe once a week if that,” Sdao said.
One day, Sdao and his wife Dawn will lie next to their son.
“To be honest, I always say if I win the lottery, I’ll get everyone out of here,” he said.
The carpet is now dry, but there are signs of water damage and rot everywhere.
“We all signed a contract when we bought these lots, and they have to keep their end of the bargain. Keep the heat on, keep the air on and maintain the building, and they’re not doing that,” Sdao said. .
Sdao says he’s spoken to managers on the ground and their response is, “We’re looking into it.”
“For me, it doesn’t need to be looked at much, it just needs to be resolved,” Sdao said.
He says if the problems continue much longer, he will consider legal action.
‘I’d like to see what’s behind this wall. Whether his coffin is damaged,” Sdao said. “I am absolutely disgusted with the way they are treating this building.”
CBS News Detroit reached out to cemetery administrators for comment. They referred us to the company owners, Everstory Partners, who did not respond.
