Father Dies While on Vacation in Cuba; Canadian Family Receives Wrong Body

After learning that their father died in Cuba and that his mortal remains did not make it to Canada, a family in Quebec is asking the government for explanations. The family is in disbelief at the horrific tragedy. The family was even more upset to learn that the man’s corpse had been given to them instead of their father. Even with the burial expenses that have been postponed, the family has already paid $25,000 Canadian (about Rs 15.2 lakh) so far.

Faraj Allah Jarjour was on vacation in Cuba with his family. On March 22, Miriam Jarjour was swimming in the water close to Varadero, Cuba, with the 68-year-old. The father had a heart attack out of the blue and passed away. The family covered his corpse with a beach chair in the scorching heat for nearly eight hours until a vehicle came to transport them to Havana since there were no medical services in the area. The family says they don’t know what occurred after that.

Instead of attending the planned burial, the daughter was left contacting authorities via phone calls and emails in an attempt to locate her father’s remains. To have the corpse returned to them, the family had already spent $10,000 Canadian (about Rs 6 lakh). However, the bereaved family was at a loss for words when the coffin came and revealed a Russian guy who was 20 years younger than Faraj Allah Jarjour inside, rather than the bones of their beloved father. Unlike their father, the body was also fully tattooed and had a full head of hair. The Jarjour family transported the stranger’s corpse back to his nation, but they are unsure of the whereabouts of their father’s remains.

When Miriam got in touch with the Canadian diplomatic staff in Cuba, they blamed the firm in charge of returning the remains. Following a series of exchange emails with several government representatives, the MP finally consented to get in touch with Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly. The family is worn out and feels “destroyed” as a result of the experience. They are still looking for some answers and do not currently have any.

According to sources, the family has paid $25,000 Canadian (about Rs 15.2 lakh), of which $15,000 was used for burial rituals, which have been postponed for the time being. The family is still looking for information on the whereabouts of their father’s mortal remains as they struggle with their sorrow and loss.