Lake Travis High School freshman Kembree Koleber sat cross legged on the bed at her host family’s home in Roatan, Honduras Saturday, pleading with U.S. authorities for help through a social media post: “Get us home.”
Though in good spirits, Kembree, along with 15 other Lake Travis High School students and two adult chaperons, traveled to the small island just off the coast of Honduras last week for a service trip through MyPlayer2Player, an Austin startup that employs elite high school athletes to teach younger children their sport.
However, the students now are trying to find a way home after the Honduran government imposed martial law Friday following the COVID-19 pandemic, the illness associated with the new coronavirus. All normal civilian functions now are directly controlled by the country’s military and the borders have been closed, leaving the teens stranded in another country.
“We have been safe, fed and housed up to this point by a wonderful family here, but recent martial law enforcement coupled with the closing of grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies and banks creates a real threat of uncertainty,” Jennifer Wright, founder of MyPlayer2Player, said through text from Honduras to the American-Statesman early Saturday. “It could get ugly really quick.”
Wright said the group was supposed to leave earlier in the week, but their flights were canceled due to a 7-day quarantine mandate by the Honduran government. United Airlines rescheduled their flights for Monday, but now the group is being told the flight may be delayed again until May.
For Wendy Elder, mother of Lake Travis High School junior Parker Elder, her fight to bring her daughter home is medically critical. Parker is diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and only brought along enough medication for the original trip.
“It has been a real struggle to get her home, but the U.S. government has been trying to help, along with a friend who has high-level military connections and executives from a local company who have access to a private plane,” Wendy Elder said. “But, at this point, they are still in Roatan and cannot get home.”
For Sophia Sedlar, another junior at Lake Travis, Parker’s condition and the threat of another canceled flight Monday is making her uneasy.
“One of my friend’s condition has been getting worse over the last couple of days and everything is locked down,” Sophia said through text message from Honduras. “We need to get home. The local people have been wonderful to our group, but being here longer than expected with uncertainly about our return is causing anxiety for all of us.”
Wright said she’s contacted Gov. Gregg Abbott and other Texas congressmen for help, but now are waiting until Monday to see if United Airlines will let them fly home to Austin.
A U.S. military plane was sent to the mainland to pick up more than 80 Americans, including the U.S. Women’s Tackle Football Team, Wright said. However, there’s been no word if the government planned to do the same for her children.
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