Coming home

Four Hood County couples will return home Tuesday after a 14-day quarantine at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. They have no symptoms and expect to rent a car for their return home.

“We have been staying in small apartments on base and following protocol set by the Centers for Disease Control,” said Joni Berry.

Joni, along with her husband Steve, Danny and Kathleen Reed, Larry and Alice Kiker, and Rick and Ann Frye were first quarantined off the coast of California on a cruise ship March 3. Their 15-day dream cruise was cut short when it was learned some on the ship were exposed to COV1D-19.

After a week-long quarantine on the ship, passengers were transported to various locations, including Lackland AFB, for a two-week quarantine.

While quarantined, the Hood County couples have been missing family, kids, grandkids and friends.

“Never in a million years would I have suspected we would be in federal quarantine after taking a vacation of a lifetime,” Steve Berry said.

The daily routine includes interaction with Texas Department of Human Services doctors, nurses and paramedics.

“The entire staff is amazing and are pleasant to be with and around,” Berry said.”

The couples have expressed appreciation for thoughts, prayers and text messages.

“I will tell you the highlight of the day each and every day is when reveille is played each morning and the national anthem at the end of the day,” Berry said.

“Every worker, every quarantined passenger and all base personnel stop, face the flag and stand at attention with either a salute or hand over their heart for this wonderful country we live in. God Bless the U.S.A., 11 he stated.