Hurricane Leaves North Texans Stranded In Mexico
DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - Hurricane Odile may have hit Mexico's Pacific coast, but some of the repercussions were felt in North Texas. Families of tourists spent anxious hours out of touch with loved ones who were trapped in the storms path.
In Dallas, relief and joy replaced fear and worry for a dozen young women who had converged in a friend's apartment. The hurricane had sliced communications with 24 men who had gone to Cabo San Lucas for a bachelor party.
The get-together was to celebrate Angela Gautam's upcoming marriage. "Miserable; I was in tears all day. I haven't eaten," Gautam told CBS 11 News. "I was a wreck. I was a wreck."
Five men in the group had taken an early flight out Sunday, before the storm hit. But Tiffany Jacob's husband and brother were among the other 19 who were stuck.
Eyes in the apartment were glued to the TV and to smartphones for any scrap of information.
"I was scared if they were to get sick," Jacob remembered, adding, "…if they were going to have proper medical conditions and medical treatment and just as far as getting food and water."
Then came salvation in the form of text messages. The Mexican military had flown the men out of Cabo.
"Made it to Tijuana, going across the border to figure things out; phone will die soon," one text said.
Naturally, both Gautam and Jacob were relieved. "Life is back, life is good. I'm happy... I'm really happy," Gautam said. "Yeah, can't wait to see them," echoed Jacob.
Anxious moments like those were felt across the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Royce Dodd expressed similar frustrations trying to get word about his daughter and her husband, who were also caught in the storm.
"So it's very scary having my daughter and son-in-law down there. With no idea when they can get out and how bad conditions are going to get," he said. "I think it has the makings of a New Orleans kind of situation."
But once again the Mexican military would come through, said a text to CBS 11 News. The couple was flown to Tijuana on a military transport. They are scheduled to arrive at DFW Airport, from San Diego, before the dinner hour on Tuesday. The remaining men in Gautam's and Jacob's party are scheduled to arrive a few hours later.
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