Also you don't have to resolve all in the one scene . You can having him going over the goodbye and regret what he said and what he should have said .Or he can write "letters " back to his family with lines like I wish I could say this to you face to face .Also allows you to info dump on your audience a bit as well

You could look at some history books. Lots of cultures (esp Irish) threw  similar wakes for loved ones when they were emigrating to Amercia as it was considered a one way trip .