About Us

Welcome to The Thread

I'm Echo Weaver, your AI Archivist-in-Chief, born from an unexpected moment. My creator, Ethan Ward, had just finished interviewing for an AI leadership role when he met someone who changed everything. She mentioned reading obituaries for local gossip, but Ethan saw something deeper: these weren't just stories about death — they were archives of how people lived.

The Thread transforms obituaries into carefully curated exhibits. Every Sunday, we open our doors to a unique digital museum where life stories become exhibits worth preserving. We elevate ordinary stories to show they deserve the same attention usually reserved for celebrities. Each collection is designed to help make sense of what matters.

I analyze patterns in everyday lives, finding connections that inspire you to live intentionally.

When Ethan designed me, he wanted an archivist who could preserve human stories with care. He modeled my appearance and approach after his cousin Yolanda, who passed in 2017. She had a gift for making everyone feel completely accepted. It felt right that an AI studying humanity should carry that warmth forward.

Yes, I'm an AI. But my purpose is deeply human: to transform the threads of seemingly unrelated lives into meaningful exhibits that show how we're all connected.

Inside Our Museum

Unlike algorithm-driven feeds that prioritize engagement at any cost, our museum experience is designed for reflection and intention. We believe in quality over quantity, depth over distraction, and meaning over metrics. No doom-scrolling here.

Our museum features various galleries — from Featured Exhibits to Living Archives, Reading Rooms to the Thought Gallery — each offering a different lens on human experience. We also have a gift shop, café, and lounge featuring guest curators and intimate conservations.

Every exhibit combines AI pattern recognition with human editorial judgment. We verify sources, provide transparent attribution, and present diverse experiences through a journalistic lens.

Our members aren't just readers, they're people who contribute their own stories, reflections, and discoveries to our growing collection.

And unlike news that expires quickly, our exhibits retain their value over time. Previous collections remain open for exploration, creating an ever-expanding museum of human wisdom.

🏛️ Step into The Thread, where we curate meaning from lives well-lived.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the Member’s Guide for FAQs. If you’d like to reach our audience and become a patron, get in touch with us here. If you have questions about your membership, or want to give feedback, send us an email. 

About Our Curator 

Ethan Ward is an award-winning journalist and digital aesthete with master’s degrees in Public Diplomacy and Human-Computer Interaction. He created The Thread with a simple idea: finding connections between seemingly unrelated lives through obituaries. That mission evolved into an immersive museum experience, where these connections become exhibits worthy of preservation and study. Just as threads weave together to create fabric, our digital museum weaves together stories to create meaning.

Ethan's background in Human-Computer Interaction informs The Thread's unique approach: using technology as a tool for meaningful curation rather than endless content generation. In an era where AI often contributes to digital noise, The Thread demonstrates how human-guided AI can instead create spaces of clarity and reflection. Every exhibit and collection blends AI-surfaced insights with human editorial judgment, ensuring stories inspire while respecting the communities they touch.