Colorado Woman Has To Scour The Internet To Find Her Husband's Fate In Nepal
DENVER (CBS4) - The last couple of days have been difficult for relatives and friends of possible earthquake victims in Nepal from the U.S. But one Colorado family got some very welcome news late Sunday night, and the survivors say it's pure luck they weren't killed.
When they had no information, those loved ones thousands of miles away from Nepal started scouring the Internet. Eventually Denver resident Vance Watt, his brother Jim Watt, and their friend Greg Davenport wound up on a Google document listing the missing in the region of Nepal they were visiting. Late Sunday night the column for those found and saved went from the word "no" to "yes."
"It was just this news brief that said 'big earthquake in Nepal,' and I said, 'Holy cow, that's where he is.' So I texted him immediately and said, 'Are you okay?' And didn't get a response … and that was Thursday," said Catrine Watt, Vance Watt's wife.
Catrine Watt says she hasn't slept much since Thursday.
"We had no word, we didn't know where they were exactly," she said.
Images of the devastation were constant, but word of her husband, his brother and their friend was nowhere.
"After three days of not knowing what was going on, and trying to get information, we found out last night finally that they'd been spotted," Catrine Watt said.
One woman's Twitter account has been a vital resource. She's been on the ground organizing things around the Langtang area of Nepal. CBS4 found a picture of a survivor list on her Twitter account, and right in the middle was Vance Watt's name.
"It was very chaotic and scary," Catrine Watt said.
Catrine Watt has been able to find a helping hand at work.
"I'm trying to get a hold of somebody there so they can help her out," Catrine Watt's coworker Narayan Duwal said.
Duwal isn't just trying to help, he just had to cancel his first trip home to Nepal in seven years.
"Our plan was to get there by April 14," he said.
He knows how hard it is for information to get out of Nepal.
"The aftershock is still going on and people are terrified and we don't know what's going on," Duwal said.
For Catrine Watt, she just hopes her husband will be back soon.
"At this point, we the family want them back, but it sounds like they're tough, rugged guys and kind of want to continue being there and maybe help in some capacity," she said.
The country is so devastated that Duwal said he has friends and family members calling him in Boulder to get the up-to-date information. He said right now he knows people want to help and money is really the best resource because aftershocks are still rumbling.
LINK: Ways To Help Nepal Earthquake Victims
There's a candlelight vigil scheduled for Tuesday in Boulder where there is a relatively large Nepalese community. The vigil will be held at 6 p.m. in front of the downtown Boulder Courthouse.
