Iouri A. Mouchinski

In Pursuit of a Dream

Iouri Mouchinski planned to live to be 100. At 55, he had the good health and vigor of a 30-year-old, said his daughter Iryna Ushakova. A student of Eastern philosophy, he believed in unity of the soul, body and the world around him. About a year ago, he fasted for 28 days to cleanse himself.

"He was a man of extremely bright spirit," Ms. Ushakova said, "striving each day toward self-perfection."

Known for his strong will and optimism, he moved from Ukraine in 1994, leaving a position as a respected civil engineer, and became a handyman. He was starting his own engineering business and already had four employees. He seldom took days off and worked many weekends in pursuit of his dream, a country house where he could keep bees and care for his grandchildren.

Mr. Mouchinski was at the World Trade Center to pick up a check. It could have been any other day, his daughter said. But it was the morning of Sept. 11.

His wife, Natalia Mushinska, wrote a poem to the man she called "my precious," including this stanza:

I want to continue

Our life

And keep you always

In my consciousness!