A Quebec family faces distress as they receive a stranger’s remains instead of their father’s body after his sudden death on a Cuban vacation.

In a distressing turn of events, a Canadian family from Laval, Quebec, is grappling with the shock of receiving the wrong body after their father, Faraj Allah Jarjour, passed away during a family vacation in Cuba. The family’s grief was compounded by confusion and bureaucratic nightmares as they attempted to repatriate his remains to Canada.

Faraj Allah Jarjour, 68, suffered a fatal heart attack while swimming with his daughter Miriam Jarjour near Varadero, Cuba, on March 22. In the absence of immediate medical facilities, his body was left under the sun for over eight hours before being transported to Havana. The family followed all protocols advised by the Canadian consulate and paid $10,000 CAD (approximately $7,300 USD) expecting the safe return of their loved one. However, the casket that arrived contained not Jarjour but a much younger Russian man, complete with tattoos and a full head of hair—distinctly different from Jarjour.

The mix-up has plunged the Jarjour family into deeper agony. Miriam Jarjour has reached out to multiple officials, including her Member of Parliament, seeking assistance to correct the error and find her father’s body. Despite the engagement of Canadian consular officials who are liaising with Cuban authorities, the family feels left in the dark, with no clear answers or accountability from any involved parties.

The situation highlights potential issues in international repatriation processes, especially from countries with different administrative frameworks like Cuba. The Jarjour family, having now spent over $25,000 CAD (around $18,248 USD) including costs for now-postponed funeral services, is still without closure. The physical and emotional toll on the family is immense, with Miriam Jarjour expressing her devastation and the strain it has placed on her family, describing her father as an active, ever-smiling family man who led a healthy lifestyle.

As the family continues their quest for answers, they urge Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to intervene personally. Their plight underscores the need for more robust procedures and international cooperation to handle such sensitive matters, ensuring that no other family has to endure similar hardships