Mother Waits While Son Trapped In Egypt

RAPID CITY, SD - As long as the weather cooperates, the first Augustana band members are scheduled to arrive at the Sioux Falls Airport just before 9 p.m. Monday night.

The students were trapped in Egypt as the riots escalated. One mother is thankful her son is finally on his way home.

When the Government stopped internet and phone service in Egypt last week, Peggy Vidal lost contact with her son Aaron.

On Friday, the phone finally rang.

"He talked to my husband and he said I'm fine, they've moved us safer, what you're seeing on TV is not near us," Peggy said.

However, that wasn't always the case. The Sioux Falls students were originally staying in downtown Cairo.

"As I understand, they saw hundreds of protesters, mostly walking by their hotel, but they were peaceful and I think some of the kids took some pictures of them. But nothing violent at that time," Peggy said.

Tonight, Peggy is grateful her son is safe in the U.S. and is thankful that everything worked out the way it did.

"Well, I think the whole experience was great. And I don't think I'd, I don't think I'd say, if we knew this, not to go because they saw and learned so much. However, the last couple of days have been worrisome," Peggy said.

Peggy said Augustana has done a great job of keeping parents informed. She even received a call from the school's president.

She hopes this experience just adds to a lifelong education.

"I think it’s important to see the world by going to the world. And if something like this happens I would treat it as an education and I think that’s how they're looking at it. I went to Berlin and was there when the wall fell and I'll never for it and I'm thinking he's going to look at this as the same thing," Vidal said.

The majority of the students arrived in Minneapolis Monday afternoon. The rest should be home Tuesday.