Lucky Jones, Newark native playing pro basketball in Ukraine, narrowly escapes before Russia's invasion
NEWARK, N.J. -- A New Jersey-native is recounting his remarkable story of escaping the impending violence in Ukraine.
The professional basketball player is now counting down the hours until he can reunite with his family, CBS2's Meg Baker reported Friday.
Lucky Jones, who graduated from Newark's St. Anthony High School in 2011, had been playing professional basketball in Europe. He was on a team in Ukraine since January, but the situation turned dire this week.
"I'm looking up in the skies every five minutes to make sure there's no bombs and planes were going across," Jones said.
Jones and his teammates took a bus to the Romanian border, where he said they were only allowing women and children to cross, at first.
"Standing outside in the cold, feet numb... It was crazy," Jones told Baker. "I just basically asked them, begged them... I gotta get out, I gotta go home. It's just crossing the gate, that's all we're asking you guys to do."
After 10 hours, Jones was allowed through. He called CBS2 from Amsterdam.
"I grew up in Newark, New Jersey, in one of the toughest parts in the city... I thought that was scary. You know, not knowing what's going on outside. I'd rather go back home than to be in this type of situation any day," Jones said.
Marissa Jones, his wife, is with their four kids at their home in Maryland.
"The 8-year-old is very much aware of what's going on," Marissa Jones said. "He's like, 'Where's my dad? I just want him home."
"I know the first thing I'm really gonna do is, when I get home, just hug them, all of them," Lucky Jones said.
Jones said he hasn't been able to contact his Ukrainian teammates.
"I think their internet is down, but they were sending us pictures about them having to go get weapons to protect the territory where we actually were living at. It's very dramatic right now," said Jones, who is praying for their safety.
Jones expects to arrive in the U.S. on Saturday.
