Singaporean woman’s tragic loss in New York state park leaves husband expressing profound grief

SINGAPORE: The remains of Madam Nur Aisyah, a 39-year-old Singaporean woman who tragically fell from a 30-meter cliff in New York’s Minnewaska State Park Preserve, will be brought back to Singapore on Wednesday (27 Dec).

Mr Abdul Rauf Mohd Said, aged 41 and the husband of Madam Nur Aisyah, shared the heartbreaking news through a series of posts on his Facebook account on 25 and 26 Dec.

As per Mr. Abdul Rauf, the United States authorities have concluded an autopsy, and Singapore Airlines will be responsible for transporting Madam Nur Aisyah’s body.

The estimated arrival time is around 6:55 am in Singapore.

The couple, co-founders of the real estate investment firm Noble Sky International, had been at the park last Friday (22 Dec) when the tragic incident occurred.

Addressing concerns raised by online comments in a post on Monday, Mr Abdul Rauf clarified the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He recounted that they were engaged in discussions about future goals at a picturesque spot in the park when the unfortunate accident happened.

Regrettably, Madam Nur Aisyah slipped and fell due to the challenging terrain, making it impossible for Mr Abdul Rauf to reach her at the cliff’s bottom.

Describing the environment, Mr Abdul Rauf noted the harsh weather conditions at 0 degrees Celsius, coupled with icy surfaces covering the ground and rocks, further complicating the rescue efforts.

“When I said, “Believe me, I wished it was me,” there were those who ridiculed that. I let that be. ”

“By the time I thought of even attempting to head down to her again, the rescuers came and backed me to a safe distance away from the edge and forbade me from coming near the cliff for fear that I would interfere and compromise the rescue operation due to my emotional stress shown then. ”

“They even assigned a State Trooper to ensure I didn’t do anything stupid or go near the operation site,” said Mr Abdul Rauf.

Mr Abdul Rauf cooperated fully with the US authorities during their investigation into the incident to determine if any foul play was involved.

He expressed gratitude for the considerable resources deployed by the local authorities to assist in rescuing Madam Nur Aisyah.

Despite the family of five and rescue operations attempting to assist, Madam Nur Aisyah succumbed to her injuries.

Mr Abdul Rauf clarified that his decision to post details on social media was prompted by the overwhelming number of messages and calls he received, acknowledging his profound grief and struggle to cope with the loss.

He emphasized the need to respect the privacy of the grieving family and expressed gratitude to Singapore Airlines, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and the Singapore consulate in New York for their assistance during this difficult time.

Family and friends who wish to pay their respects are invited to the couple’s residence in Jalan Loyang Besar from 10.30 am on Wednesday (27 Dec).

In a subsequent post on Wednesday, Mr Abdul Rauf addressed the numerous requests from families and friends abroad unable to attend Madam Nur Aisyah’s funeral and burial rites.

To accommodate their wishes, the family has arranged for selected portions of the funeral proceedings to be broadcast via Zoom.