Dr. Kate Spradley

It's interesting.

I think to do this kind of work, to look at all of these dead bodies, basically, and all of these human remains in the lab, I see a skeleton.

I see a task at hand.

I see a job that I have to do, particularly with the forensic cases that come in.

we have a job to help identify those.

So going in there, analyzing the skeleton, that's what we do.

For me, it's different when I walk out to this, the forensic anthropology research facility where people donate their bodies.

Because here, when I see remains, I see people who donate their bodies.

This was their last wish.

This is what they wanted to do.

So for me, it's very nice coming out here, seeing them in their final resting place.

And it's very natural.

They just return to the earth.

Are you a donor?

I am a donor.

Are other members of your family?

No.

Nobody else wants to do this but me.

My husband is pretty uneasy about it, but I've looked at so many skeletons.

I've built my career on looking at skeletons, so I think it's only right that I give back.