A South Florida woman is turning the loss of her mother into a celestial tribute by launching her ashes into space. Jennifer Trautman Levin, whose mother Eileen Trautman suffered from the rare Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, has decided to posthumously grant her Star Trek-loving mom's wish to explore the stars. According to Local10, Eileen, who passed away in 2021, was diagnosed with the debilitating disease in 2016, which eventually robbed her of her ability to speak and walk.
During her struggle, she didn't want to be constrained to an urn. Still fully aware, Eileen once told her daughter, she would "torture" her if she didn't let her be free. Levin, honoring those wishes, found a company that could launch Eileen into the cosmos. “She is like my everything,” Levin told Local10,
Celestis Memorial Spaceflights will be facilitating the journey, offering various types of space memorials. According to Colby Youngblood, the company's president, as told to CBS News Miami, they send a person's DNA or ashes into space, with several destinations based on the family's preferences. While some remains will return to Earth or orbit the planet, Eileen will embark on a perpetual solar orbit, symbolizing lasting freedom.
Eileen's final ride to the stars won't just include her DNA. The DNA from the founder of 'Star Trek', along with original cast members, is also set to board the flight – a fitting tribute for the tax attorney whose office was graced with model characters from the beloved series. “My mom was a tax attorney, and in her office, she had all the little characters,” Jennifer said in a statement obtained by CBS News Miami. Launching from Cape Canaveral on January 8th, the mission aligns financially with traditional funeral services, costing between $3,000 and $13,000.
Eileen also contributed to the fight against her disease beyond her passing.