My Story

GraveLink exists because every headstone has a name, and every name had a life.

I'm Ryan. I grew up in Sacramento, California, earned my bachelor's degree, and spent years working in law enforcement before moving to Washington and the Pacific Northwest. For as long as I can remember, I've been drawn to cemeteries. Not in a morbid way, but because of the quiet truth they hold: behind every carved name is a full human story, humor, love, habits, struggles, and the ordinary moments that made someone who they were.

Most of those stories disappear. The stone remains, but the person fades. I started GraveLink because I believe that doesn't have to happen. A simple, durable QR code marker on a memorial can open a living page where family and friends can preserve the real person: the photos, the memories, the voice, the things that made them unique. It turns a static marker into something that still speaks.

Ryan and a family member kneeling in the grass, pressing a QR code marker onto the Lee family headstone — Placing the first QR code on a headstone in Sacramento, CA, 2025.

I also think about this for myself. If I died today, who would tell my story years from now? Would anyone still know what made me laugh, what I cared about, or the life I actually lived? Most of us won't be famous. That doesn't mean we weren't memorable to the people who loved us. Every life is worth remembering in its own way.

Ryan standing beside a blue and white Cessna Skyhawk on the ramp on a clear day — Working toward my private pilot's license, one lesson at a time.

Outside of this work, I'm an avid distance runner, currently working toward my private pilot's license, and happiest when I'm outdoors, cooking good food, or watching the Sacramento Kings. I have a cat and grew up around dogs. These are the ordinary details that make a life feel real, the same kinds of details I hope families will keep alive through GraveLink.

If you're here because someone you love deserves more than a name on stone, I'm glad you found us.

Ryan Freitas

Founder, GraveLink

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We read every message. Email support@gravelink.co for support, or ryan@gravelink.co for partnerships.

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