THE MONTHLY GLEANER | NOVEMBER 13 - DECEMBER 13, 2025 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 5 Janet Silvera/Gleaner Writer THE CARIBBEAN relief community is hailing the Cayman Islands-based missionary Alexander Wurm as a true hero, a man whose final flight embodied selfless love and service to Jamaica. THE PASTOR and his 22-year-old daughter, Serena, died on Monday after taking off from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, bound for Jamaica. Their mission was clear and urgent: deliver Starlink systems for emergency communication, roofing screws, tarps, and medical supplies to hospitals and shelters struggling after Hurricane Melissa battered Jamaica. Minutes after take-off, their Beechcraft aircraft went down in Coral Springs, Florida. His wasn’t a household name, but for those in the humanitarian network that springs into action after every storm, Pastor Wurm was a lifeline. The 53-year-old founder of Ignite the Fire Ministries had spent years answering the call to help from hurricane-battered islands to small communities in need of hope. His plane was not for leisure but for lifting burdens. Its seats were often replaced with boxes of food, medical supplies, and tools for rebuilding. In a moving statement shared hours after the crash, Ignite the Fire Ministries described Wurm as a man whose life was guided entirely by faith, compassion, and service. “Alexander, known for his warmth and unwavering kindness, devoted his life to serving others both through his actions and by sharing the gospel of Jesus across the globe. He travelled extensively, bringing faith, compassion, and support to those in need. His legacy of faith and compassion touched countless lives.” The ministry remembered him as more than a pastor. He was a teacher, counsellor, and mentor who “gave so freely, not just of his time or money but of his very self”. They recalled how he fasted and prayed, listening for God’s voice as if it were “the most natural conversation”. ‘BEACON OF EMPATHY’ Serena, they wrote, followed in her father’s footsteps, “a beacon of empathy and hope, inspiring all with her commitment to humanitarian work”. Together, their final journey was “a reflection of selflessness and courage”, a mission of mercy that ended far too soon. Among those mourning the loss is Dr Alison Thompson, founder of the humanitarian group Third Wave Volunteers, who has been coordinating relief operations in Jamaica since Hurricane Melissa. While she did not know Wurm personally, their shared mission to help the island’s people has bound their communities in grief and gratitude. “That pilot was a real hero,”Thompson said.“He was bringing in important Starlinks, tarps, and screws for hospitals. He had a heart full of love for the people of the Caribbean and was trying to help the people of Jamaica. He was a good man, and he’ll be remembered for that.” Wurm founded Ignite the Fire Ministries in the Cayman Islands with a vision to empower youth through evangelism and community work. His ministry focused on cultivating young volunteers passionate about making a difference, fostering leadership and compassion throughout the Caribbean. Friends and fellow missionaries say he embodied those same values in everything he did. “He never waited to be asked,” one relief pilot shared online. “He simply showed up with his plane, his faith, and his heart.” Alexander leaves behind his wife Candace, son James (17), and daughter Christiana (20), along with a faith community committed to continuing his work. Ignite the Fire Ministries has vowed to honour his memory by completing the Jamaica relief mission he began. For many, the image of father and daughter boarding that small aircraft, side by side, carrying hope to a battered nation, has become a symbol of devotion and sacrifice. “As we honour their memory,”the ministry said, “may we continue their legacy of generosity, compassion, and faith. Rest in peace, Alexander and Serena. Your light endures in all whose lives you changed.” “He didn’t just talk about helping people. He did it again and again. His plane may have gone down, but his spirit keeps flying.” The Jamaica Aircraft Operators and Pilots Association joined in paying tribute to the Wurm family, describing Alexander as “a shining beacon of service and courage”. “The members of the Jamaican aviation community extend their deepest condolences to the Wurm family, and Ignite the Fire Ministries for the loss of Alexander and Serena,”the association said. “They, among others, have, without hesitation, answered the call to serve, lending their time, skills, and equipment in response to the catastrophic aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Sadly, they have made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving us way too early. Their work epitomised selfless service and humanitarian spirit. The community has lost two shining beacons of hope as they ‘slip the surly bonds’ to fly with the angels.” janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com BOGOTA (AP): COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT Gustavo Petro ordered his nation’s security forces Tuesday to stop sharing intelligence with the United States, until the Trump administration stops its strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean, as relations deteriorate between the nations that were once close partners in the fight against drug trafficking. IN A message on X, Petro wrote that Colombia’s military must immediately end “communications and other agreements with US security agencies” until the US ceases its attacks on speedboats suspected of carrying drugs, that critics have likened to extra-judicial executions. Petro wrote that “the fight against drugs must be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people.” It wasn’t immediately clear what kind of information Colombia will stop sharing with the United States. The White House had no immediate response to Petro’s latest statements. At least 75 people have been killed by the US military in strikes in international waters since August, according to figures supplied by the Trump administration. The strikes began in the southern Caribbean, near Venezuela’s shores, but have shifted recently to the eastern Pacific, where the US has targeted boats off Mexico. Petro has called for US President Donald Trump to be investigated for war crimes over the strikes, which have affected citizens of Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia and Trinidad and Tobago. The leftist leader has long been a critic of US drug policy, and has accused the Trump administration of going after peasants growing coca, the base ingredient of cocaine, instead of targeting major drug traffickers and money launderers. On Sunday, Petro said that met with the family of a Colombian fisherman who was allegedly killed in one of the strikes. “He may have been carrying fish, or he may have been carrying cocaine, but he had not been sentenced to death” Petro said during a summit between Latin American and European Union leaders hosted by Colombia on Sunday. “There was no need to murder him.” The Trump administration has accused Petro of being soft on traffickers, and has criticised the Colombian president’s decision to spare Colombian rebel leaders involved in the drug trade form extradition to the United States. In October, the administration placed financial sanctions on Petro and members of his family, over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade. Petro “has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement after the sanctions were issued October 24. “President Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation and make clear that we will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our nation.” The heightened tensions between the United States and Colombia are taking place as the U.S. ramps up its naval presence in the southern Caribbean, with eight warships, a submarine, fighter jets and marines deployed to the region. An aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, is also expected to arrive in the Caribbean this month. Venezuela’s government has described the naval buildup as a threat to its sovereignty, with officials in that nation saying that the US military is preparing to launch strikes against the embattled government of Nicolas Maduro. The Trump administration has said its deployment is aimed at curbing drug traffickers, though Trump has also hinted there could be strikes on target within Venezuela, whose leader has been described by officials in Washington as the head of a drug cartel. Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced Tuesday that military personnel, members of a civilian militia, police officers and ruling-party organisers would be mobilised for a training exercise to protect the country’s airspace. He delivered his remarks, broadcast on state television, standing by a surface-to-air missile system in a military base in the capital, Caracas, but no training activities could be seen elsewhere in the city. ‘He was a hero!’ Pastor Alexander Wurm and his daughter Serena. CONTRIBUTED Pastor-pilot remembered for final act of love to Jamaica President orders suspension of intelligence cooperation with US over strikes on drug vessels
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUzNTI=