NorCal man and family escape Israel, congressional leaders try to help trapped Americans
SACRAMENTO – At every turn, there was no escaping the intense rocket fire in Israel for Brad Waldow's family.
His normally positive outlook began to waver on the third day of violence in Ashkelon.
After exhausting his options with the U.S. Embassy and airlines, he turned to outside help.
The pro basketball player reached out to CBS13 on Monday to share his hopes of getting his family out of the city.
"We got a message that — from Hamas — that said they were planning on bombing our entire city," he said.
They were planning to go from house to house and do what they did in another city, he said.
The young family made the dangerous trek to an airport in Tel Aviv. Their car ran off the road three times during the roughly hour-long drive.
At one point, intense rocket fire bombarded them.
"I pushed my wife and my son on the ground. Just putting my body over them, so if something would happen, it would hit me," he said. "And just my son, hearing him cry and my wife — just feeling helpless."
It was his darkest hour. He felt alone.
In addition to talking to representatives of Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the office of Rep. Kevin Kiley also reached out to the family, Waldow said.
"We have heard from a number of people who have family, who have loved ones in Israel — folks who are trying to find their way home," Kiley said.
The congressman told CBS13 that he joined other lawmakers in calling on the secretary of state to consider using charter flights and military options to evacuate.
Like the Waldows, other Americans expressed their frustration in trying to flee the carnage by citing a breakdown in communication with the U.S. Embassy and canceled flights. However, the family received a much-needed break on Wednesday when they landed safely in Rome. Their next stop? Poland where they have family.
Currently, Waldow's focus is on spending time with his loved ones.
"Things when they're out of your control, life or death, is just crazy. You just can't take anything for granted," he said.