One final journey: Mother sends son’s ashes into space

Facebook has helped a grieving mother from Maine, US to organize a truly ethereal send-off for her late son as his ashes were delivered to space in a rocket.

The remains of CJ Twonmey and 23 other people were launched into space from the New Mexico desert on Thursday.

The rocket spent several minutes outside the atmosphere of Earth before landing in the nearby White Sands Missile Range.

“I am happy to report the successful launch of your loved one into space! Liftoff occurred at 7:33 am MDT (9:33 am EDT, 1:33 pm GMT) today from Spaceport America. The spacecraft flew to space, experienced the weightlessness of zero-g, and gently parachuted back to Earth,” Charles M. Chafer, Space Services Holdings CEO, wrote to CJ’s mother in an e-mail.

Chafer added that the spaceflight capsule, with her son’s “cremated remains still inside” will soon be returned to the mother.

Hallie Twonmey said that it was a perfect way to commemorate CJ, who has always been a true daredevil, who loved mountaineering and diving.

The sum of 1,000 US dollars required for the mission launch was paid by Celestis Company, which has already performed over a dozen memorial spaceflights.

Twonmey has launched a Facebook campaign entitled ‘Scattering CJ’ after her 20-year-old son committed suicide four years ago.

The young man shot himself after an argument with his parents and the woman said that she was never able to get over her guilt.

A lot of people have joined “a heartbroken mom's mission to send her beloved son on one final journey,”with CJ’s ashes already being scattered in most of America’s 50 states and abroad in such countries as Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Denmark, Greece and others.

In all, around 900 packets with the young man’s remains were sent to different parts of the world.

"I have never experienced such a collective sort of hug. I feel less alone, and for me that has been huge," the mother said about the campaign.