Jordan Times
Thursday, October 4, 2001
Family organizes memorial service for Elias Telhami, WTC victim
AMMAN — The family of Jordanian-American Robert Elias Talhami, who was reported missing following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the US, is planning a church service in his memory.Talhami, 36, a stock broker for the London-based company Cantor Fitzgerald, was said to be in his office on the 80th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Centre (WTC) at the time of the attack.
“We have been counting the days ever since Robert went missing and we have to accept that this is what God wanted for him,” said Samir Talhami, Robert's eldest uncle, who resides in Amman.
“Two days after the attacks on the WTC, Robert's brother George went to New York to look for him. It has since been 22 days with no sign of him and we have lost all hope,” Talhami told The Jordan Times.
Robert Talhami, who emigrated to the United States in 1967, is married with two young children.
“There is a lot of confusion on how to conduct the memorial service in the US since we can't find his body,” the uncle added.
Robert's mother also lives in the US. His father is deceased.
“We are waiting for Nicola, Robert's eldest uncle to arrive from London, so we can make arrangements for a memorial service here in Amman,” said Talhami.
Nicola Talhami who was on a 4000-person waiting list to fly to New York following the attacks, never made it there to search for his nephew.