Please pray for this young girl and all others who have been affected by this senseless act. Pray that she will be able to come home to America soon.
I have not used names, but substituted words for the names she used.
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After the most terrifying day of my life, I am blessed to say that I am safe. ❤️
I was in the Brussels Airport this morning when the bombs went off. I heard someone yelling in Arabic, followed by the first explosion - it was not far from me. If it had been 15 minutes earlier, I would have been standing in the spot one of the bombs went off. One went off at the American Airlines Desk, which is where (boyfriend) and I were for about 30 minutes earlier in the morning.
As soon as I heard the explosion, everyone froze and asked "What was that?" And then we ran... It was the most terrifying feeling that I will never be able to put into words. I grasped to get somewhere safe but had no idea where safe was. I was led to a staircase and went down a couple of flights until I couldn't go down anymore and hid under the stairwell with a Belgian husband and wife. I was terrified. I didn't know if I would make it out alive. I texted my loved ones in case it would be the last time I could and just prayed over and over. After hiding for 30 minutes, we managed to find a way out and pushed through the doors and then through another set of doors which lead outside on the runway side of the airport. The police showed us to where everyone else was waiting to be picked up by a bus to be brought to safety. I immediately called my Mom but couldn't talk through my tears when a woman came over to me and hugged me and talked to my Mom for me. She told my Mom what was going on and that she had me now and she was going to stay with me. She was a Swiss woman working with the UN. She was my angel. She stayed with me and helped me the whole time and helped me to deep breathe and get my mind off of the trauma.
We were then bussed to a safe place where they store the planes and the workers were so kind and efficient and quick to give out water and blankets to everyone. A kind man gave me his jacket. A woman nearby shared her chocolate. Everyone was so, so kind. We became a family.
When the explosion went off, I was at border control. So when I ran, I didn't have my passport, my debit card, my license, or my carry-on luggage. All I had was my backpack and phone. After about an hour of waiting at the facility, I went in line to use the bathroom. I was on the phone with (her boyfriend) for a few minutes when the woman in front of me turned around and said, "I'm the police - what do you need?" So I talked with her and then relayed the message to (boyfriend) that everyone was remaining there and that it was safest. A few minutes later, I mentioned to her just in conversation that I didn't even have my passport and that I was at border control when the explosion happened. She said "(her last name)?I think we have it - and your luggage too!" I couldn't believe it. She told me to come with her so we could get it, and we did. My passport, debit card, license, luggage - it was all there. My second angel.
She came with me to make sure I made it back safely to my new Swiss friend and told me how (boyfriend) could pick me up by car. She even wanted to speak to him on the phone to explain how to get there and gave him her phone number. She then took me outside to the busses where I would be taken to Zaventem Train Station, where he could pick me up. She carried my luggage for me and brought me to the front of the line and told me to call her to tell her I made it safely and blew me a kiss from the bus. I was brought to tears by her kindness.
We were then taken to the train station, where I waited about 10-15 minutes and then saw (boyfriend) and got in the car with him and his mom and came back to his house, where I am finally safe. ❤️
Without a doubt, God is watching over me, is with me, and placed these angels in my path. There's no explanation for it but God. I am so thankful to be here and to tell my story. I am so thankful to be alive. I am so thankful for the kindness strangers who are now friends, no, family showed me. I will never forget them.
Thank you, (boyfriend), for being here for me through every second of it. And thank you to everyone who prayed for me and sent out sweet words to see if I was okay. ❤️The love and support I have from my friends and family is overwhelming and I appreciate it so much.
Please continue to pray for those who were injured from these terrible attacks and for the families and friends of those who passed away from this horrific day. And also for Belgium, that these attackers would be stopped before they can harm another innocent person. ❤️
I think it's great she was willing to post and in turn, receive encouragement from so many in the process. I was recalling the bombing at Frankfurt airport the day before my Mission Trip group was leaving Germany. It was scary although I wasn't there went it went off. I did take pictures as we walked through the airport the next morning.
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