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Mourners grieve loss of 'exceptional' BNPB spokesman during Boyolali hometown funeral
The late spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), who lost his two-year battle against cancer on Sunday, was honored with a military funeral.
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Dozens of mourners joined the funeral procession on July 8, 2019 to transport the coffin carrying Sutopo Purwo Nugroho's body to its final resting place at Sasonolayu Cemetery in Boyolali, Central Java. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
A
n outpouring of grief was palpable on Monday morning at the funeral of Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the late National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman, in Siswodipuran subdistrict of Boyolali regency, Central Java.
BNPB head Lt. Gen. Doni Monardo led the military funeral, which saw the attendance of several notable figures: Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, Boyolali Deputy Regent M. Said Hidayat, Adi Soemarmo Air Base commander Col. Adrian P Damanik and Boyolali military district commander Lt. Col. Kav Herman Taryaman.
Sutopo's body was transported to Boyolali on Monday aboard a 7:25 a.m. flight from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The family and relatives of the well-known and well-regarded BNPB spokesman tearfully greeted the arrival of the hearse at his residence on Jl. Jambu in Boyolali.
Sutopo’s mother, Sri Rusmandari, and his wife, Retno Utami Yulianingsih, fainted after welcoming the hearse. The two women had flown in from Jakarta for the funeral.
Sutopo’s father, Suharsono Harsosaputro, and Sutopo’s two sons, Muhammad Ivanka Rizaldy Nugroho and Muhammad Aufa Wikantyasa Nugroho, were clearly overcome by grief.
Sutopo was laid to rest at Boyolali's Sasonolayu Cemetery.
Sutopo died on Sunday at the St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, China, where he had been receiving treatment since June 15. He was 49. He was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in 2017.
“What Pak [Mr.] Topo has done is exceptional. He dedicated his life to the country, to the nation. Despite his illness, Pak Topo served the public well in providing disaster information,” Doni said after the funeral.
Sutopo’s eldest son, Ivanka, said he had lost a great role model. He said he was proud that his father did not complain about his illness, recalling that in the midst of Sutopo's battle against cancer, his father made sure to make time for his family.
“I was shocked when I heard that my dad had passed away, because we had a video call not long before that and he was OK. Now, I am [ready] to let him go,” he said.
