It’s not as if Debby Nelson and her husband Dr. Kelly Nelson are flying around the country every day. However, the two fly enough to not be generally alarmed by anything from serious turbulence to any of the unexpected encounters the flying public generally endures.

 

When the couple boarded a flight bound for Florida a week ago Friday, they anticipated the standard fare. They got on the plane in Pittsburgh, flew into Tampa and then headed into Fort Lauderdale.

 

“It was the usual routine you face when flying,” said Debby. “We were flying down for a family friend’s wedding and we’re regular flyers so it was pretty much business as usual for us when we got into Fort Lauderdale.”

 

The usual routine was about to change. And it was about to change in a way that drew the attention of the world.

 

The Nelsons were flying into Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday, Jan. 6. It was not only the same day Army National Guard veteran Esteban Santiago went on a shooting rampage near the baggage claim area in the Terminal 2 Building at the airport, but it was also roughly at the same time. The saving grace was that Kelly and Debby Nelson was in the terminal directly beside the one in question.

 

“We were going downstairs to get our luggage from the carrousel, took a restroom break and the picked up the luggage. We were actually talking to a driver that a friend involved with the wedding was sending for us since we were 50 minutes away from our hotel when Kelly and I started to realize something was wrong,” she said.

 

As the Nelsons were trying to make plans to be picked up, Debby said her husband was having a difficult time hearing the conversation with the drive on his phone. The reason had nothing to do with poor reception.

 

“It was at that time when the sirens started up and you could hear them blaring. We were standing there when two or three police cars went flying by where we were at … It was loud and they were moving fast, but your first thought is that there was an accident,” said Debby. “I didn’t give it too much of a thought because you’re in a pretty big airport and it could have been anything.”

 

It was at this time that Santiago was either in the middle of a shooting spree that left five people killed or was in the process of laying down and surrendering to authorities. The Nelsons had no idea what was transpiring in a building only a hundred yards or so away and in the same exact area of a building they had just left.

 

“It wasn’t long before maybe a dozen emergency vehicles go past and I looked at Kelly and we started wondering if something really bad was going on,” she said. “There was so much noise that it was still difficult for Kelly to hear the driver, but he eventually told us to meet him at the departure area instead of the arrival area.

 

“By this time, you’re really alarmed. The thing that surprised me was that most of people around us didn’t seem phased by the activity,” she continued. “We never heard gun shots, but with all the activity I was thinking something bad, maybe a bomb threat, was taking place. Everyone around us leaving the airport were getting into their cars and leaving like nothing was happening.”

 

As the outside chaos continued, the Nelsons headed back inside before arriving at the departure area. A very short time after that, their driver arrived as well.

 

“We asked the driver what was going on. He didn’t know,” said Nelson. “He told us it was a good thing we met him at the departure area because they had closed the arrival area.”

 

Debby Nelson was still wondering what was going on when she saw something that let her know for certain there were problems. As the driver left, the road circled back around the airport and he asked the Nelson to look back.

 

“There was a plane on the tarmac and there were people all around that plane, which just isn’t something you see. My first thought was that something was wrong with the plane, but those were people evacuated from the terminal building,” she said.

 

It didn’t take long after that for Kelly and Debby Nelson to figure out what was going on. Thanks to their cell phones, they were able to learn that a tragedy had taken place in their midst.

 

“Had the driver not picked us up in his regular place as opposed to the place where most people are picked up, we would never have been able to leave the airport until midnight or later because they wouldn’t let anyone leave,” said Nelson. “Certainly, I would have hated to miss the wedding, but I wouldn’t have complained. How could you complain if you weren’t affected by the shooting knowing so many people died and were hurt? We could have been part of a catastrophe had we flown in on a different airline and ended up in that terminal building.”

 

Debby Nelson said the wedding was nice as was getting away from the cold in West Virginia. However, she said the entire situation weighed heavy – and continues to do so – on her mind.

 

“As the day went on and it was into the evening, and even now, it continues to strike you,” she said. “Only by the Grace of God did we not fly into the terminal serving another airline. Had we flown into that terminal on our flight, we would have been in that area within minutes of when the shooting took place. It’s hard to feel bad for yourself thinking what could have happened when there are so many families that did have something happen to them. In today’s world, you don’t know when something like this is going to happen. I’m thankful that Kelly and I are okay.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo, courtesy of Debby Nelson, shows Dr. Kelly and Debby Nelson, while the terminal layout for the Fort Lauderdale Airport is shown in the second photo.The red "Terminal 2" is where the shootings took place, while the Nelsons were in the yellow "Terminal 1" building. Bottom photo is an aerial shot of the airport. Bottom two photos are from Wikimedia; last photo by ZiggyMarley01.