A relative speaks to Darryl Castelino’s son Ethan at his Mumbai home as he waits to lead the pallbearers carrying the casket containing the mortal remains of his father. (AFP)

Mumbai, June 30: Ethan and Angelina had danced away the evening when their parents, Wing Commander Darryl Castelino and wife Jyothi, threw a party on their tenth wedding anniversary just over a month ago.

This afternoon, in his black suit and white shirt, eight-year-old Ethan seemed to have grown up overnight as he led the pallbearers carrying his father’s Tricolour-draped black coffin to the local church in Vakola.

Castelino, 38, one of the 20 personnel killed when the rescue helicopter he was commanding crashed in Uttarakhand on Tuesday, was buried with full military honours.

Not many outside the Diamond Park Housing Society knew him, but thousands climbed onto their balconies, kitchen windows and terraces to catch their last glimpse of a man who had died trying to save stranded pilgrims.

Thousands others joined the cortege that wound its way down the 500 yards to St Anthony’s Church, and then to the Our Lady of Egypt Church and cemetery in Kalina 3km away.

St Anthony’s, where a mass was held for Castelino, was so jam-packed that church authorities requested people to step out. Many stood on the church grounds, braving the rain. As a pale but remarkably composed Jyothi rose to speak, a hush descended.

“It was a dream come true for me when we married 10 years ago. He made me feel like a queen and treated my children, Ethan and Angelina, like a prince and a princess. Now that I have lost him, I shall cherish every moment of my 10-year married life for the rest of my life till the time we meet again,” she said.

On their May 24 anniversary, Jyothi had given a locket depicting Mother Mary to Darryl, her brother Libert Olivera said. Darryl didn’t like wearing rings or chains but Jyothi insisted. The locket helped identify the body.

Among the hundreds in the church was Vakola resident Catherine D’Mello, 80, who needed a stick and her daughter’s support to walk.

“No, I didn’t know Darryl Castelino personally. But if he could give his life to save the lives of others, can’t we civilians even turn up for his funeral?” she said.

The burial was attended by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, Air Vice-Marshal Anil Khosla, and Castelino’s commanding officer at the 157 Helicopter Unit in Barrackpore, Apoorv Verma.

“Darryl has made us proud and remained true to the oath we take — that we will continue to do our national duty even if we lose our lives,” said Khosla, air officer commanding of the Mumbai air force headquarters.

Officers handed Castelino’s air force cap to his wife and carried the coffin to the grave in a shower of petals. Ten personnel fired three rounds each in a gun salute and the trumpeters played a mournful tune.

Verma, Castelino’s boss at Barrackpore, recalled their last meeting: “It was still dawn when he left. He was eager to participate in the rescue operations. He said, ‘Don’t worry Sir; we’ll be careful’.”

He said Castelino was the founding member of the 157 Helicopter Unit. “The Mi-17 V5 helicopter unit — or Tarkashya as we call it — was founded with seven officers and Darryl was one of them. We wear seven stars — the Saptarishi emblem — on our crest and he was one of the seven stars,” Verma said.

He added: “Darryl had a booming voice full of life and played a lot of pranks. If there was a dance (event), he would choreograph it. If it was an Air Force Day, he would be planning everything.”

The Mumbai-based Catholic Secular Forum has urged defence minister A.K. Antony to confer the Ashok Chakra on Castelino. “It’s awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It’s the peacetime equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra,” said forum general secretary Joseph Dias.