Matthew is a high school senior living in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. He struggles with profound isolation following his mother's death and his father's hospitalization. Seeking a distraction from an empty house, he takes an afternoon job at a local funeral home. He possesses a quiet maturity and finds unexpected comfort observing the honest grief of strangers.

Daisy is Matthew's late mother who recently passed away from breast cancer. She was a cheerful woman who moved to Harlem to attend acting school before marrying Jackson. She leaves behind a personalized recipe booklet for Matthew containing loving advice and cooking instructions.

Jackson is Matthew's father. Devastated by Daisy's death, he relapses into heavy drinking. This behavior leads to a severe traffic accident that leaves him hospitalized in a physical rehabilitation unit with broken legs and a wired jaw for months.

Mr. Ray is the director of the local funeral home and a highly respected community leader. Having survived cancer twice and endured personal losses, he steps into a mentoring role for Matthew. He offers the grieving teenager employment and vital supervision while Jackson is hospitalized.

Love is a confident high school senior who handles her grandmother's passing with incredible grace. Having lost her own mother at a young age, she lives alone and volunteers at a local homeless shelter. Her ability to find beauty in life despite profound tragedy makes her a major inspiration to Matthew.

Chris is Matthew's best friend and closest confidant. Unlike other students who awkwardly avoid Matthew, Chris treats him with a comforting sense of normalcy. He lives in a strict household in a rougher apartment building and frequently offers Matthew dating advice.

Cork is Mr. Ray's youngest brother. He is known in the neighborhood as a frequent drinker and occasionally works manual jobs at the family funeral home. His irresponsible behavior directly contributes to a dangerous situation involving Matthew's father.

Robbie is one of Mr. Ray's brothers. He helps run the local funeral home operations, stepping in to support grieving families during services and managing the logistical details of the business alongside Matthew.

Gwendolyn is Love's late grandmother. She raised Love after a tragic family loss, teaching her to find enduring beauty in life through frequent visits to the Botanic Garden. She previously ran a local homeless shelter.

Candy Man is a lonely but highly skilled chess player residing at the homeless shelter where Love volunteers. He occasionally shares stories about his past and enjoys recounting childhood memories of Love.

Martin is a former opposing basketball player whose actions on the court permanently injured Mr. Ray's knee, ending Mr. Ray's chances at a professional career.

Ella is Mr. Ray's late wife, who tragically passed away at age 29 after slipping on ice. Mr. Ray preserves her memory through carefully kept photographs in his private sanctuary.

Jimmy is a rough but kind-hearted Pakistani bodega owner in his forties. He is well-known in the community for his protective nature and is generous enough to extend credit to Matthew's family during hard financial times.

Renee is Love's late mother, who died under tragic circumstances when Love was seven years old. Love honors her memory by wearing a personalized jewelry piece.

Nancy is a recently deceased 19-year-old girl who died of an asthma attack. Remembered as a good student and strong track star, her funeral profoundly affects Matthew as he observes her family's open grief.

Mrs. McKnight is a grieving mother who spared no expense on a beautiful casket for her young daughter. Her visible emotional pain connects strongly with Matthew's own feelings of loss.

Alicia is Nancy McKnight's younger sister. She shares touching memories of growing up together before placing her folded poem inside the casket.

Dr. Winston is the physician overseeing Jackson Miller's recovery after his severe traffic accident. He provides honest updates on Jackson's surgeries and lengthy rehabilitation process.

Andre is a young man from the neighborhood whose untimely death due to violence brings a brief gathering to the funeral home. He briefly crossed paths with Matthew and Love at the local fast-food restaurant.

Clara is a cook at the Cluck Bucket fast-food restaurant. She maintains a rough, no-nonsense demeanor while working in the busy kitchen.

James is a high school senior who feels deeply awkward around Matthew following the death of Matthew's mother. He avoids speaking to him entirely despite having chatted easily over the summer.

Mr. Jameson is the deceased subject of the first funeral Matthew attends. Friends and acquaintances share fond stories about his life during the service.

Ms. Jameson is a grieving daughter whose emotional breakdown over her father's death provides Matthew with an unexpected sense of comfort and shared communal pain.

Mike works behind the counter at Jimmy's bodega, preparing fast meals for neighborhood customers like Matthew and Chris.

Danielle is a young girl residing at the homeless shelter. She is playful and clearly adores the attention she gets from regular volunteers.

Brownie is a neighborhood boy who casually entertains Mr. Ray by singing classic songs on the sidewalk.