Dallas woman evacuated from Doha with help of Trump adviser

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Sarah Gaither, a 27-year-old dog walker from Dallas, was stranded in Doha, Qatar after her flight back to the U.S. was diverted due to the closure of airspace following joint U.S. and Israeli aerial strikes on Iran. Gaither received a call from Alex Bruesewitz, an adviser to former President Donald Trump, who was also stuck in Doha and helped Gaither and six others make a perilous journey across the Middle East to eventually board a private jet to Athens and then return to the U.S.

Why it matters

The U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran led to the closure of airspace across the Middle East, stranding thousands of Americans in the region. Gaither's story highlights the challenges faced by U.S. citizens trying to evacuate the area and the role that political connections played in assisting some Americans to safety.

The details

Gaither, who was in Doha on a layover from an African safari, spent three days stranded in the city after her Feb. 28 flight back to Dallas was diverted. Bruesewitz, who Gaither did not know, contacted her and arranged for her and six others to travel by car from Doha to the Saudi Arabian border, then through Saudi Arabia to an airport in Riyadh. From there, Bruesewitz booked them a private jet to Athens, where they parted ways before Gaither returned to Dallas on another flight Bruesewitz arranged.

• On March 2, Gaither received a call from Bruesewitz offering to help her evacuate Doha.
• Gaither and the group she was traveling with departed Doha on March 3 and arrived in Athens later that day.

What they’re saying

What’s next

As of Friday, about 27,000 Americans have returned to the U.S. since the war began, but many U.S. citizens remain stranded in Doha and the Middle East as the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Qatar remains closed.