Jupiter Yambem remembered
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 11 2011:
With traditional rituals, Manipur today joined the world in observing 9/11 anniversary.
The Yambem family in Uripok who lost their son Jupiter Yambem in the 9/11 World Trade Centre attack a decade ago observed his 10th death anniversary with relatives, local elders and near and dear ones on Sunday.
Jupiter, a native of Imphal's Uripok Yambem Leikai, was among 38 Indians out of 3,000 people killed in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, leaving behind his American wife Nancy Mc Cardle Yambem and five year-old Shanti (now 15 years old) .
The observation of death anniversary has become an annual affair for the family.
"However the 10th anniversary is more important to us because of the death of the Osama Bin Laden.
Now justice has been done after 10 years, my brother's soul can rest in peace in his heavenly abode", says Yambem Laba, Jupiter's elder brother, said.
With his American wife and son taking time out every two years to attempt to fill in the void left by his absence in their own small ways.
Both of them came down here to keep their roots alive in December last year.
"But this time they (Nancy and Shanti) couldn't join us as they'll attending the observation at the Ground zero", Laba added.
"They sent us an email informed about this.
They said they misses all of us" .
Born to the Yambem family of Uripok, Jupiter left India when he was selected as a coordinator at Camp America, a youth exchange programme in 1981.With the expiry of the project, Jupiter found himself a job in the US and settled down, going on to marry a music therapist American girl Nancy.
The 42-year-old was a banquet manager with Windows of the World, a restaurant spread across 40,000 sq ft on the 107th floor of the World Trade Centre.