WASHINGTON — A Maryland couple was among the more than 1,300 people who lost their lives during a Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The annual religious pilgrimage to Mecca is a journey every adult Muslim must make at least once in his or her lifetime if they are physically and financially able to do so.
According to Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel, 83% of the 1,301 fatalities were unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances in soaring temperatures. Officials report that the dead were buried in Mecca.
Two of those who died include Alhaji Alieu Dausy and Haja Isatu Wurie, a married couple who lived in Maryland and were key members of Angela Alsobrooks' campaign team in Prince George's County.
After learning of their deaths, Alsobrooks released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying she was extremely saddened by the loss.
Haja Isatu Wurie was 65 years old and a retired nurse. Her husband, Alhaji Alieu Dausy, was 71 when they attempted to pilgrimage. The couple's daughter said in an interview with CNN that she believes her parents died from the extreme heat as temperatures hit 110+ degrees in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
"All we know is that it was of natural causes," said Saida Wurie, the couple's daughter. "And someone from the U.S. Embassy did advise that natural causes could have been due to a heat stroke, which, based on the temperature, people were saying it was over 110 degrees."
Saida Wurie told CNN her parents paid a tour company more than $20,000 but their trip was filled with issues, some of which caused the couple to walk for hours in search for food.
"That they saved their entire lives to..." began Saida Wurie. "They saved their entire lives to embark on this journey."
Prince George's County Councilmember Wala Blegay said she, too, was shocked to hear the news of their deaths.
She said she met the couple when she started campaigning for her office, and Wurie in particular helped to introduce her to the Sierra Leonne and Muslim communities.
“She was a connector. She understood that many in this Sierra Leone community and even the Muslim community might not necessarily value just working with elected officials-- might not trust that they could do anything," Councilmember Blegay said. "So she was one that opened the door, and frankly, many people open to me because of her, because she said she's okay."
The councilmember had been trying to reach Wurie for weeks when she finally heard last week that the two had died during the Hajj pilgrimage.
She said the couple served as leaders in their community and leave a big void.
“When people say the family is devastated, the whole community is devastated, because ...it's like all of a sudden [the] death of somebody who many people leaned on for guidance, and frankly there are not many like her," Councilmember Blegay said.
Now, Saida Wurie says she is planning to head to Saudi Arabia with her family to find where her parents are buried.
CNN and the Associated Press contributed to this reporting.
Do you have a news tip on this story or any other story? We want to hear from you. Tell us about it by emailing newstips@wusa9.com.
MORE WAYS TO GET WUSA9
DOWNLOAD THE WUSA9 APP
Apple App Store: WUSA9 News on Apple
Google Play Store: WUSA9 News on Android
HOW TO ADD THE FREE WUSA9+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WUSA9.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "WUSA9" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WUSA9 NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our daily WUSA9 Newsletter for top stories from WUSA9 curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Commanders content, weather, and more delivered right to your inbox.