Lake Travis High School freshman Kembree Koleber sat cross-legged on the bed at her host family’s home in Roatán, Honduras, on Saturday, pleading with U.S. authorities for help in a social media post: “Get us home.”
Kembree, along with 15 other Lake Travis High School students and two adult chaperones, traveled to the small island just off the coast of Honduras on March 13 for a service trip through MyPlayer2Player, an Austin startup that employs elite high school athletes to teach younger children their sport.
The students now are trying to find a way home after the Honduran government imposed martial law Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic. All normal civilian functions now are directly controlled by the country’s military, and the borders have been closed, leaving the teens stranded.
“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 via text from Honduras to the American-Statesman early Saturday. “It could get ugly really quick.”
Wright said the group was supposed to leave Wednesday, but the flights were canceled due to a seven-day quarantine mandated by the Honduran government. United Airlines rescheduled the flights for Monday, but now the group is being told they might be delayed again until May.
For Wendy Elder, mother of Lake Travis High 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 Roatán and cannot get home.”
For Sophia Sedlar, another junior at Lake Travis, Parker’s condition and the threat of another canceled flight Monday are making her uneasy.
“We need to get home,” Sophia said. “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 Texas congressmen for help but now is waiting until Monday to see if United Airlines will be able to fly the group home to Austin.
The Honduran government allowed a U.S. military plane to fly 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 no whether the government plans to do the same for the teens with her.
Lake Travis High Principal Gordon Butler told the Statesman on Saturday that he is aware of the situation and that school officials are in contact with the students and their families.
“We are hopeful that our government officials will help get this group home as soon as possible,” Butler said.
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