Indian parents in UAE watch son's funeral in Kerala on FB

Dubai: An Indian family in the UAE had to watch the funeral of their son, who died due to cancer, on Facebook as they could not fly back to their native state of Kerala due to the COVID-19-related travel restrictions, a media report said.

Born on Easter in 2004, Jeuel G. Jomay lost his seven-year-long battle with cancer this Good Friday, a day before he turned 16 on April 11, the Gulf News report said on mondat.

A class 10 student of GEMS Millennium School in Sharjah, Jeuel died in American Hospital in Dubai, where he was admitted two weeks earlier.

His family comprising his parents and two younger brothers wished to lay him to rest in their hometown Kerala, and after days of struggle, they got the approval for sending Jeuel's mortal remains on a cargo plane on Wednesday.

However, none of the four members could fly along.

"None of the flights was getting sanctioned soon. His father wanted to fly with him. But that was not possible. Finally, we managed to send him yesterday. We are grateful to everyone who supported us," Jeuel's cousin told Gulf News on Thursday.

Due to the movement restrictions and social distancing rules, she said only the family members could attend a prayer held at the embalming centre in Muhaisnah before the body was flown to Kerala on the cargo flight, the family member said. The cousin said her and Jeuel's families watched the funeral ceremonies on Facebook while the St. Mary's Church in Sharjah provided a link to the YouTube livestreaming on its website.

Tens of thousands of people watched the five-hour-long service that began with a prayer at the family's home in Pathanamthitta followed by the ceremonies at a local church.

Jeuel's cousin said the family also had to obtain special permission for holding the funeral service amid the nationwide lockdown in India.