NFL Player A.J. Francis Slams TSA for Spilling Mom's Ashes During Bag Check: 'You Pieces of Garbage'
NFL player A.J. Francis spoke out against the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for allegedly spilling his mother’s ashes while agents inspected his bag.
Francis, a defensive tackle for the New York Giants, was traveling to Arkansas and California with his mother Carrie’s remains to celebrate her life, he wrote on Twitter.
After flying from Los Angeles to Orlando, Francis was incensed to find his mother’s urn had been disturbed and her ashes were strewn across his suitcase.
“Hey you pieces of s*** at @TSA next time you a**holes feel the need to go thru my mother’s ashes for no reason, make sure you close it back so her remains aren’t spilled on all my clothes … the least you pieces of garbage can do is your f****** job,” he tweeted Monday.
He shared a photo of his luggage, where a TSA “notice of bag inspection” was placed above his ash-covered clothes.
Francis said he was not upset that TSA had checked the contents of his mother’s urn, but that they had not closed it properly after.
“They were just being cautious, and I can understand that," he wrote. "But to not ensure that it won’t spill back into my bag after you put it back in is the most asinine and irresponsible s*** I have ever seen."
Francis said he checked his mother’s ashes instead of storing them in his carry-on because protocol requires a death certificate to do so, and he has not yet received one for his mother, who passed away last month.
A Twitter account for the TSA apologized to Francis following the ordeal.
“We're very sorry to hear about this,” the AskTSA Twitter account posted. “We understand the emotional stress travelers are under when transporting the remains of a loved one. Our policies and procedures focus on ensuring that all passengers are treated with dignity, respect and courtesy.
“Our officers are trained to handle your carry-on and checked property with care,” it continued. “Out of respect for the deceased, under no circumstances should the container be opened. Please accept our apologies and our condolences.”
Francis responded to TSA’s tweets, writing, “Under all circumstances f*** yourself.”
Francis’s mother, Carrie Leanne Francis, passed away on June 26.
"I pray that you found your peace," her son wrote on Instagram at the time. "I hope you and Pop are laughing it up, and I can’t wait to see you again!"
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