A candlelight vigil is being held Tuesday evening for Tavaris and Tavaughn Bulgin, the two Jamaican brothers who drowned last week on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

The vigil is being held at the brothers’ Palmers Cross, Clarendon residence, beginning at 6pm.

In the meantime, Reverend Keith Bulgin, the father of the two brothers still doesn’t know when he will be able to repatriate the bodies of his sons to Jamaica.

“We have no knowledge yet, we are still on the island, Martha’s Vineyard. it’s quite likely (to take some time)…I know they’re expediting the process,” Reverend Bulgin told OBSERVER ONLINE.

READ: Body of second brother in Martha’s Vineyard tragedy found

The timeframe on repatriation of bodies is entirely dependent on the local authorities releasing the bodies, issuing the necessary documentation, and flight availability.

Reverend Bulgin said that it has been a tough process for the family since the shock news of his sons’ deaths.

“It’s very hard, we’re doing our best to stay afloat…. it’s ups and downs,” he said.

The brothers, who were seasonal workers at Martha’s Vineyard, went missing after jumping off a well-known bridge in the area featured in the horror classic “Jaws”. Tavaris had recently graduated from the University of Technology in Jamaica, while the younger brother Tavaughn was studying business at the University of West Indies. The brothers are survived by their parents, Rev Bulgin and his wife, Jackie, and their two sisters, Tavanny and Tavania.

Asked whether his sons were good swimmers, Rev Bulgin responded: “”To be honest, I am not a 100 per cent sure because I know they did swimming classes but I don’t know the extent of their ability…we have not gone swimming together.”

Two GoFundMe campaigns were launched to help the Bulgin family transport the brothers’ bodies home for burial and cover their funeral expenses. One account has racked up US$10,000 while another, titled ‘Memorial Fund’, has amassed US$220,000, including an anonymous US$25,000 donation.

Organiser Doug Abdelnour, who is also the owner of the Nomans Restaurant where the brothers worked, wrote glowingly about the brothers on the fundraiser’s page, saying that “their bright smiles, charismatic personalities, unshakeable faith and unrelenting positive attitude made them an absolute joy to be around.”