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This article was taken from Arutz Sheva, an Israeli new service.

RONA RAMON: ILAN WILL STAY AN ANGEL
(IsraelNN.com) Talking to Israeli reporters on Sunday, Rona Ramon, the widow of Ilan Ramon, said that her husband was at his peak when he died, Yediot Achronot reported:

"He was happy in space, with the people he loved, in the place he loved. Sixteen days he floated in a dream. He didn't only dream - he made his dream come true. Ilan was the best of the best, and it is not a coincidence that he was chosen to become the first Israeli astronaut."

"He was a happy and an optimistic person. When he left for space, he left us this wonderful feeling that we are also part of this amazing thing. He had to write a will but at the end didn't because he thought it was unnecessary. He always had a smile and he wanted us to keep on smiling. We are not falling apart. We are strong for Ilan's sake. We will keep his spiritual will alive and he would want us to be happy, calm and smiling."

Ramon, wearing a shirt with the NASA symbol and accompanied by her sister from Israel, said that she was not afraid during the days her husband was in space:

"I knew that if the launching went well, there would be nothing to worry about because usually the malfunctions are during the launch and not during the landing. The only thing that tears me apart now is that during the liftoff, when we were all in high spirits, my youngest daughter, Noa, looked at the sky and said, 'I lost my daddy.' She felt what we didn't allow ourselves to think about, as if she knew this was the last time."

"We stood and waited at the end of runway for the landing. It was a beautiful day and the clock was ticking. When it got down to 10 seconds, we started a countdown, just like in the liftoff, to hear the sonic booms. But they didn't come. We started to worry, and then they took us to the side and told us that they didn't know what had happened, but we already knew. I didn't even have to tell the kids, they knew immediately".

Ramon explained that when they returned to their home there were several e-mails from Ilan awaiting them:

"Ilan sent the e-mails in the last minutes before the landing. One of them was a thank-you letter to Shimon Peres for helping him fulfill his dream of becoming an astronaut. Peres and President Clinton started the project of sending an Israeli to space. The rests were personal letters to the family. He wanted us to read them together."
"We and the families of the other astronauts are a one big supporting family. We are bound in a magnificent way. The other crewmembers were close friends of Ilan's. The only thing that gives me any comfort is that they had such a good time [in space] and loved one another. They were simply a group of angels and that's how they will stay."

"I know that Ilan would want the space program to continue and I also support it. It's a great mission for humanity and despite the tragedy it should go on."

Family members and close friends, including Ilan's father and brother, arrived on Sunday in Houston to be with Rona and her four children. A team headed by Israel's Ambassador to the US Danny Ayalon is also in Houston to help and give support to the family. (Israel Consulate NY)