Hingham, Mass. – Stacey Schuhwerk’s emotional journey back to Massachusetts was a testament to determination and resilience after she and her son found themselves stranded in the Middle East for 10 days amid rising tensions between the US and Iran.
The pair, initially stopping in Doha, Qatar, were caught in a whirlwind of uncertainty when the airspace was closed due to US air strikes on Iran. Without immediate support from the US State Department, Schuhwerk and his son made the bold decision to embark on a dangerous journey through the desert, traveling with a private security company toward the border of Saudi Arabia.
“It was horrible,” Schuhwerk recalled. “We drove all night, not knowing if we would reach safety. I had to cover my head with a scarf for safety as we passed through checkpoints.”
Their journey, full of risks and uncertainties, reached a disappointing climax when they arrived at Riyadh airport to learn that their flight home had been cancelled. “The airline representative told us, ‘It’s not coming,'” Schuhwerk said. “I couldn’t figure it out. We were so close to passing out.”
As despair and anxiety grew, fate intervened in the form of an unexpected encounter. While staying in a hotel in Riyadh, Shuhverk and her son met staff at the US Embassy in Bahrain, who, recognizing their plight, helped them secure a flight to the US.
“We were just praying that we could get out of this area and that they wouldn’t turn us back,” Schuhwerk said. She was feeling quite relieved remembering the moment when she and her son boarded the flight.
After a stop in Washington, DC, Schuhwerk and his son finally reached Boston, where they were warmly welcomed with balloons and signs. But as soon as she stepped back into her home in Hingham, emotions ran high.
“It’s surreal,” said Schuhwerk, still shaking from the anxiety of the past 10 days. “I’m very grateful to be back. But there’s still a lot of anger about how little preparation there was for situations like this.”
Schuhwerk expressed deep disappointment at what he described as a lack of coordination and foresight by the US government in assisting US citizens captured in the Middle East. “This shouldn’t have come to this,” he said. “We had to figure it out on our own. The lack of support made it more difficult.”
While Shoework is grateful for the kindness and assistance of others along the way, especially the embassy staff who made her final journey possible, the experience has left her with a sense of injustice. “We should have been helped before we went through something like this,” she said, her voice steady with both determination and exhaustion.
Now at home and surrounded by her family, Shoework is focused on staying safe. But his thoughts are with others who may still be stranded, and the need for better planning when it comes to protecting and assisting citizens abroad in times of crisis.
Reflecting on her experience, she shared, “I want to be grateful for where we are right now, but I’m hopeful that this will make a real difference in the future.”