In a tragic incident that shook the world, an Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed on June 12, claiming the lives of over 270 people. Among the deceased were Ashok Bhai and Shobhanaben Patel, a couple whose love story transcended even death. They had been together for their entire lives, and their bond remained unbroken until the very end. The Gujarat government, in collaboration with Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, set up DNA testing for the identification of the bodies.
Miten Patel, the couple’s son, was called from London to identify his father. He arrived with his brother Hemen and provided DNA samples. The hospital indicated that results would take about 72 hours. However, on Father’s Day, Miten learned that the DNA matched his father, Ashok Bhai. This moment was filled with mixed emotions—sorrow for the loss and relief in confirming his father’s identity.
As they prepared to return to London with their father’s body, a question lingered in their minds: “When will we find out about Mum?” Normally, DNA matches take time, so they initially decided to proceed with their father’s remains. However, fate had another plan in store. The control room of the hospital recorded a total of 98 DNA matches, with Ashok Bhai’s sample being the last one.
Just as the brothers were about to leave, they received a call from the hospital. They were informed that the 99th sample that matched was their mother, Shobhanaben’s. They rushed back to the control room and were overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing their mother’s name on the bulletin board. It was a remarkable coincidence that the 98th and 99th matched samples belonged to the same husband and wife, who had been together in life and remained so in death.
This experience deeply affected Miten and Hemen, yet they felt a sense of natural wonder. Their parents, who had lived together, were now side by side even in the identification process. Miten expressed, “Our parents were always together. Neither death nor the processes of science could separate them. When Dad’s DNA matched and we were preparing to leave, Mum’s spirit must have told Dad, ‘Ashok, don’t go home alone. Whether in life or death, I will always be with you.’ This is the hardest moment of our lives. We never thought we would see this day. Our lives are turned upside down, but we tell our family to cry if they need to, but Mum and Dad will always live in our memories.”
With the support of the Gujarat government, the Civil Hospital, and the Forensic Science Laboratory, the brothers prepared to take their parents’ remains back to London. The process was swift and well-organised, for which they expressed heartfelt gratitude. Miten and Hemen are now returning to London, where family members await their parents’ last rites. This story is not just about loss; it is about an unbreakable bond that even death could not sever.
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