APPLETON, WI -- A group of Wisconsin students are exhausted, but happy to be home after weathering the East Coast blizzard while stuck in a bus on the highway.
Around 150 people from the Green Bay Diocese had been in Washington D.C. for the "March for Life" anti-abortion rally, and got caught on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for over 14 hours.
Students on this trip say they not only enjoyed their harrowing journey, but helped others that were trapped alongside them.
As the buses rolled into St. Pius X Parish in Appleton, Sunday morning, 150 students and chaperones from across the Green Bay Diocese were staying surprisingly upbeat after spending an entire weekend stranded with thousands of motorists out east.
"It feels awesome to be home!" exclaimed St. Mary's Greenville student Alexis Killian. "It had its twists and turns, but we got through it. Overall, an amazing experience. I wouldn't trade it for anything," she added.
Killian and others say their three buses provided a nice shelter for other trapped families whose resources were running thin.
"Some people in their cars--the cars didn't have heat, water, electricity, bathrooms--so we invited them on our bus," says Killian, "which was so cool to be able to.. share it with them, and make new friends from different places."
"Those in cars... we didn't know how much gas, how much, food, how much water they had," says Fr. William Van Dynhoven, with St. Pius X Parish, "and we really wanted to reach out, and let them know that they were loved. If they needed to get some shelter, some food on our busses, that we would be happy to be able to do that for them."
Fr. Van Dynhoven, who was on the lead bus, says these students should be proud of the work they put into aiding those in need.
"God really worked in so many people in so many different ways," says Van Dynhoven.
"It's definitely going to be something that I'll remember for the rest of my life." adds Killian.
The students themselves were also aided by the National Guard while stranded.
Students say troops were visiting their buses Saturday afternoon with Ready to Eat Meals, which they say came as food was just running out.
