Jupiter Yambem remembered
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 11, 2012:
The portrait of 9/11 victim Jupiter Yambem stood still before a burning candle and a basket of flowers.
Jupiter's old friends, relatives, religious leaders, family members and well wishers gathered at 'Jupiter Yambem Centre', at Paona Bazar in Imphal city to once again pay respect to the departed soul.
The bereaved family set up the centre on his first death anniversary in 2002 with the primary objective to link Manipuri culture and society with that of other Nations including the US.
As the memorial observation began, Jupiter's elder brother Yambem Laba, who runs the centre, recalled the fond memories of his younger brother.
Jupiter was among the 3000 or so people killed in AlQaeda's suicide attacks on the World Trade Centre (WTC) in New York and other strategic areas in the US on this day eleven years ago.
He was on the 107th floor of the north WTC tower where he worked as banquet manager in "Windows on the World", the world's tallest restaurant when the plane crashed onto the building.
Jupiter (then 42) was arranging a corporate deal in the restaurant, when attack came, Laba said adding that minutes before Jupiter passed away, he carried out a short rescue operation to save other victims' lives.
Jupiter, at his young age of 20, led an Indian team as a consellor of visually impaired for a a trip to the US christened Camp America program.
He then stayed in the US for some years during which he worked hard to carve out a career there by self-financing and later he became the founding president of the North American Manipuri Association, (Nama).
"Jupiter was not only my brother but also a good friend of mine.
He struggled hard to make a respectable life in the US," said an emotional Laba, a senior journalist and a former member of Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC), Jupiter is survived by his American wife Nancy McCardle Yambem and 16-year-old son Santi McCardle aka Chinglailakpa meaning 'dragon-tamer' and the small family is living in New York.
Besides observing a two-minute silence for his heavenly abide, father PX Francis of Don Bosco Imphal prayed for his soul in the memorial service.
Jupiter's old friend and renowned journalist Pradip Phanjoubam and other eminent personalities and relatives also spoke at the occasion after which the gathering paid floral tributes to the portrait one after another amid a tearful scene.