Donnell Beverly Jr. decided to launch the end-of-life planning startup Eazewell after the loss of both of his parents. He knew exactly who to call to help launch the business: his longtime friend and nine-time NBA All-Star, Russell Westbrook. Beverly Jr. explained that the main focus for Westbrook in any business is how to impact people. He stated that they took personal pain and created a platform to help people. Westbrook agreed to join the venture. Former four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker also joined, and the trio launched Eazewell.
Eazewell is an AI-driven platform that helps families navigate and automate the administrative aspects of end-of-life and funeral planning. The startup’s AI agent provides a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week resource. It assists users with everything from finding and booking a funeral home to cancelling credit card accounts for a deceased person. The company partners with different service providers, such as hospice care, funeral homes, and insurance companies. These partnerships allow the platform to be free to use, with the option to pay for more premium features.
Russell Westbrook said he had the opportunity to be close with Beverly Jr.’s family and go through the process with him. He noted that Beverly Jr. did an amazing job of idealizing this idea and bringing it to life, and he is excited to be a partner alongside him.
Beverly Jr. got the idea for Eazewell after losing both of his parents in a short period. Navigating what came after their deaths made him realize how large of a burden the end-of-life process can be and how fragmented the market for these services is. Seeing recent advancements in AI made him realize the technology could help reduce the number of administrative tasks grieving families need to tackle. He said we have seen how AI impacts our lives while we are here, and now it is entering a space where it impacts our lives after death.
Eazewell was founded in 2024. The company said it has already helped more than 100,000 families since launching its platform earlier this year. The startup is now rolling out a new enterprise platform for hospice companies, senior living facilities, and life insurers. This allows companies to integrate Eazewell’s automated features into their own management software.
In the future, Eazewell hopes to help people manage a loved one’s digital assets after they pass. This task has become more significant as people’s lives are increasingly online. Beverly Jr. mentioned that the average person has between 70 and 100 active digital accounts at any time. He explained that families inherit all those digital accounts and assets, which is not a typical situation from the past. He sees a grand opportunity to help people and make the process more seamless.
For Westbrook, Eazewell offers the perfect opportunity to go into business with a decades-long friend. It also allows him to use his platform to amplify a business that can help people, especially those from underserved and under-resourced communities, navigate this painful and costly experience. He stated that anytime he puts his name on anything, he tries to find ways to open doors, build trust, and be present. He said this is not about him or being technical, but more importantly about helping families through a loss. Using his platform to do that is a no-brainer.