A Dutch couple who live in Las Vegas were checking in to fly home Tuesday at the Brussels Airport when two explosions ripped through the hall.
“We saw the explosion was on the Delta check-in desk, at the end. We ran the other way, we couldn’t get really far because the second explosion was five or 10 seconds later,” Catherine Breyer told Flemish Public Broadcaster VRT.
They felt the full force of the explosion on their legs, according to Philippe Breyer. Catherine quickly realized that her husband was in bad shape.
“I saw his left leg, I knew it would be hard to save it, because it was ripped off.”
They waited, hoping there wouldn’t be another blast, and a Belgian soldier came to help.
“Catherine called him to say he had to tie my leg. He immediately came over, put his gun away and tied up my leg,” Philippe said.
The couple is recuperating at a hospital in Vilvoorde, Belgium. Philippe did lose his left leg, but Catherine wants to thank the soldier who assisted them for saving her husband’s life.
The Breyers live in Anthem Country Club in Las Vegas, but also have a home in Belgium, according to CNN Affiliate KVVU.
They know it will take some time to heal, but they also know how lucky they are to survive the attack, which killed 14 people at the airport.
“We said to each other: ‘We’re still here, both of us,'” said Catherine.
