'We can have a decent Christian burial now'

‘We can have a decent Christian burial now’

Herald Review November 9, 2014

Almost three years after Russel Rebello went missing post the Costa Concordia tragedy, his family will finally have a body to mourn over.

LISA ANN MONTEIRO

Last week the remains of Russel Rebello, the last passenger on board the ill fated Costa Concordia were finally recovered in a cabin on deck eight.

In January 2012 the cruise liner with 4200 passengers on board ran aground off the Tuscan coast after it hit a reef when its captain steered the ship dangerously close to the island of Giglio to allegedly impress passengers with a close up view of the island. Russel was among the 32 people who died in the Italian cruise liner tragedy and while the bodies of all the victims were found Russel’s family had no body to mourn over.

His parents back home in Naigaon, Mumbai wait anxiously for procedures to be complete before Russel’s brother Kevin brings remains back home. Russel’s father is paralysed and his mother tries to maintain a positive attitude but it isn’t easy. She never expected to lose her son, she says. “He was always laughing and very joyful. He kept his own feelings aside and was always helping people around. This is miracle for us. We’ve waited for almost three years and are thankful to God that they found him. At least we can have a decent Christian burial now,” Gladys Rebello told Herald Review.

Russel married Vilma his childhood sweetheart in 2005. His son Rhys is six years old now and constantly asks about his father. His mother and grandparents don’t have the heart to break the news to him. “We told him Uncle Kevin will be bringing him to Bombay. He asks us why it is taking so long. We will eventually have to break the news to him and make him understand,” Gladys says.

For his elder brother Kevin Rebello working in Italy, who made repeated trips to the island to assist in search operations, it has been a long and painful wait, 1025 days precisely. He will finally be able to fulfill the promise he made to his family that he would bring Russel home some day. Kevin wrote on his facebook page that he didn’t have the words to express his feelings. “ Just my pain, my tears, my heart pounding harder and my body trembling when I broke the news to my parents..” It was Russel’s dream to work on a cruise liner and travel the world and he fulfilled this. Passengers told Kevin that Russel died a hero, helping other terrified passengers. He gave his life jacket to another passenger and helped lower four life boats and a few inflatable life rafts.

He was supposed to enter the last life boat when the ship titled further, Kevin told Herald Review last year. Kevin last met his brother in 2009 in Genoa. Gladys says she is proud of her son having saved people on board. “He did what the captain was supposed to do.” Captain Francesco Schettino is facing trial for manslaughter and abandoning the ship, charges he denies. The family says they have no hard feelings towards the captain and have forgiven him. Kevin says he is nobody to judge him and is waiting for law to take its due course. Gladys says there’s no room in her life for anger as she has already lost her son and it won’t help bring him back. Review Bureau

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