Monday, August 16th 2021, 9:39 pm
A Tulsa woman said her family is frantic as they wait to hear if her brother is safe as he's waiting to get out of Afghanistan.
He's one of the many Americans trying to flee the country now that the Taliban has taken over.
His sister, Mary Beth, said what she has been seeing from videos and pictures in Afghanistan is gut-wrenching, and she is just praying she will get word soon that her brother is back on U.S. soil.
"It feels like I stopped breathing a while ago, and I don't know when I'm going to start again," she said.
Related Story: Chaos As Thousands Flee Afghanistan After Taliban Takeover
Mary Beth said her brother does contract work in Afghanistan, and they've been able to message with him, but have no idea when he will be able to come home.
"It keeps going back in forth, it keeps going okay they sent more troops, the place is secured, and then a couple of hours later, the place is not secured, we're huddled in a corner," Mary Beth said.
Mary Beth's brother has been in Afghanistan on and off for about ten years, and she not only worries about his safety, but also of the friends he has made.
"I'm praying, and hoping and knowing he's going to get out, but who is he going to have to leave behind and is that going to break him," she said.
Mary Beth said she thinks the main priority of the U.S. should be getting Americans and Afghan allies out of the country as soon as possible.
Related Stories: Biden Says He Stands ‘Squarely Behind’ Decision To Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan
"We need to give them safe passage, I believe that with all of my heart," she said.
Mary Beth said experiencing this firsthand has opened her eyes to what is happening around the world, and it feels like she will barely be able to eat or sleep until her brother is home.
"It's real and it's important and it's catastrophic, it's really catastrophic, it's unbelievable," she said.
She said she does want to urge people to call their senators and representative to demand a safe evacuation for American citizens.
Related Story: 7 Killed In Kabul Airport Evacuation, US Officials Say
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