A woman and her beloved cat have scattered their ashes into space, in a farewell that is literally out of this world.
Elizabeth Garcia, born in St Albans but living in Barnsley, died of heart disease in 2022 at the age of 70, but made sure to organize an extraordinary final trip to the stars after her death.
Elizabeth had initially been given two years to live, but less than two months after her birthday, she sadly passed away.
Along with her husband John, Elizabeth was an avid explorer, and the couple frequently traveled around the world, visiting new countries and people.
After having seen and explored many places on Earth, there was only one destination left to mark: outer space.
St Albans-born Elizabeth Garcia (pictured) passed away aged 70 from heart disease in 2022, but made sure to organize an extraordinary final trip to the stars.
In the photo: Elizabeth García as a child.
In the photo: Elizabeth García certificate issued by Aura Flights.
Before passing away, Elizabeth had arranged for her ashes to be scattered into the stratosphere in an attempt to fulfill her final wish, creating a unique and unforgettable tribute to her life.
But the business owner wasn’t sent alone: she was accompanied by a traveling companion: her beloved feline, Chloe, who had also passed away.
His sister, Jean, said of her brother’s wish to be sent to space in a final farewell: ‘They (Elizabeth and Mark) enjoyed traveling and socializing.
‘He was a very generous person who helped family and friends without a doubt. His wish was for his ashes to be sent into space.’
Elizabeth had come across Aura Flights, a Sheffield-based provider of space monuments.
The company’s website lists a price of £2,950 for its “spatial memory” service. Includes a personalized video and commemorative page on the website.
Elle Lilley, the company’s customer service and liaison officer, said: “It’s very special to do the launch for someone you’ve talked to so much – to know how much she wanted to be spread out in space and to be able to actually deliver on it.” “It was a gratifying and comforting feeling.”
Elizabeth and Chloe’s ashes traveled more than 100,000 feet above Earth on a dispersal craft in October 2023, which was lifted by a specialized stratospheric balloon.
With a black and white photograph attached to the ship, the ashes were released and scattered into the cosmos, all captured on film for a moving memorial video.
Having seen most of the world, Elizabeth had only one destination left to mark: outer space.
Elizabeth and Chloe’s ashes traveled more than 100,000 feet above Earth in a dispersal container in January 2023, which was lifted by a specialized stratospheric balloon.
With a black and white photograph attached to the ship, the ashes were released and scattered throughout the cosmos, all captured on film for a moving memorial video.
Along with her husband John, Elizabeth (pictured) was an avid explorer, and the couple frequently traveled around the world, visiting new countries and people.
Emotions ran high among family members, who watched Elizabeth’s final adventure through images reproduced thousands of feet below the surface.
Jean added: “It was emotional, but special, knowing that this was exactly what Elizabeth wanted. She would have been elated with the result, as would all of us.
Since its notable and unconventional farewell, demand for the service has grown significantly over the past year – there was more than one launch per week last year and the company believes this will only increase.
An Aura Flights spokesperson said: “When we launched the service, there was already a cultural shift with people opting for cremations over burial and moving away from traditional funeral services towards more personalized celebratory events.
“That change was massively accepted in the early days of the pandemic, when people couldn’t attend funerals in person and we saw a massive increase in inquiries that has only strengthened since then.”