NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — We see the images on our phones and other screens, but what's it like inside Lebanon as the situation has escalated?
We talked to one person who says he's stuck there.
Jacob Buren has called Tennessee home since he was 17, and now there's no place he'd rather be.
Speaking to us north of Beirut, Jacob told us while he can leave Lebanon when he wants, his fiance can't.
"She's a Syrian national, and we have an application with the U.S. embassy to come to the U.S.," Jacob said.
But since the escalation in Lebanon, the U.S. Embassy there has suspended visa services, starting about a week ago, meaning for now, Jacob's fiance is stuck, and he's staying with her, enduring conditions that — safe to say — are keeping them up at night.
"We hear F-35's breaking the sound barrier, shaking our house, you have bombing sorties in the distance, all night long," Jacob said. It's quite unsettling, it makes it really hard to sleep, it makes it hard to focus on anything, it's really stressful."
But through it all, Jacob says, they're trying to stay hopeful.
"Me and my fiance are trying to take it day by day and stay as positive as possible," Jacob said.
Here’s a beautiful story of how one mother turned her grief journey into a gathering of gratitude… and organ donation awareness.
Robb Coles highlights a special event organized by Cari Hollis – whose 26-year old son Austin died two years ago. Austin agreed to be an organ donor – and that single gesture saved multiple lives.
Cari reached out to as many recipients she could find – several of whom traveled to Nashville for an emotional celebration in Austin’s honor. One woman – whose life was saved by receiving Austin’s lungs – put it simply: “He’s my angel”.
- Rhori Johnston
