San Tan Valley Area Information
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San Tan Valley father and son stranded in Peru, finally home
A father and son from San Tan Valley say they were stranded in Peru for three weeks.
Coronavirus concerns closed borders, forcing them to stay longer than planned on what was supposed to be a very special vacation.Shawn Mcdougal is a senior at Combs High School, and his dad took him to Peru to celebrate his perfect grades. He said the first nine days were great until they got stuck.
"The president of Peru made an announcement that night when we were eating dinner, and we were watching the announcement, not really knowing what he was saying because it was in Spanish," said Mcdougal.
That was March 17, only eight hours before their flight home. They later learned the president had announced borders were closing.
"By the time we got to civilization and where the airport is, there were no flights to get out," said Mcdougal.
That was March 17, only eight hours before their flight home. They later learned the president had announced borders were closing.
"By the time we got to civilization and where the airport is, there were no flights to get out," said Mcdougal.
They spent days in their hotel room, contacting Arizona lawmakers, trying to find a way to get home.
"It was really scary because it was just me and my dad, so all of our family was still in the U.S., so we were just very alone," Mcdougal said.
He says they worked with a travel agent and the U.S. Embassy in Peru, and finally on Sunday, they caught a flight to the U.S. and were back in San Tan Valley on Monday. He's glad to be home and thankful no one in his family has coronavirus symptoms.
"It was really scary because it was just me and my dad, so all of our family was still in the U.S., so we were just very alone," Mcdougal said.
He says they worked with a travel agent and the U.S. Embassy in Peru, and finally on Sunday, they caught a flight to the U.S. and were back in San Tan Valley on Monday. He's glad to be home and thankful no one in his family has coronavirus symptoms.
"We were really nervous throughout the entire thing, and kind of just the worst part was the unknowing because we didn't know when we'd get out," said Mcdougal.
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