SUMMERVILLE, S.C. – Dozens of members of a South Carolina church are finally back in the United States after Operation Epic Fury left them stranded in Israel for nearly a week after their flight was supposed to depart.

Forty members of Calvary Chapel Summerville landed in Israel on Feb. 20 for eight days of exploration in the Holy Land. 

The group was set to fly home on Feb. 28 and had arrived at the airport three hours before their scheduled departure when the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. The attack prompted the closure of Israel’s airspace and the group had to evacuate the airport.

“It felt like the weight of the world on my shoulders and I just prayed and prayed and prayed and asked God to give me wisdom,” said Vic Carroll, pastor at Calvary Chapel Summerville in South Carolina.

TRAVELERS STRANDED IN DUBAI PAYING HUGE SUMS TO FLEE ON PRIVATE CHARTER FLIGHTS AMID OPERATION EPIC FURY

Carroll said the group had to shelter-in-place in Israel, going in and out of bomb shelters for several days. He then had to face the decision of the group staying or taking a bus to Jordan to have a shot at getting a flight back to the United States.

“We ultimately, you know, made the decision between what was bad and what was worse. I thought the worst would be to stay,” the pastor said. 

“We were instructed that if a siren goes off while we were on the road, the bus would pull over, we would all need to get on the ground, lay on the ground face-down for at least 10 minutes until the threat was gone, and then be on our way,” he continued.

STATE DEPARTMENT USES PATRIOTS TEAM PLANE TO EVACUATE AMERICANS FROM MIDDLE EAST

Fortunately, that did not happen and the group made it to the airport in Jordan to hop on a flight out of the Middle East Thursday morning.

Before the flight, Carroll said it was frightening, but their faith was greater than their fear.

“We’re just having to trust that we’re making the right decision, and this is our only option to get home, so we [were] just trusting in God,” he said.

AMERICAN STUCK IN MIDDLE EAST ESCAPES IN RACE TO REACH CRITICALLY ILL HUSBAND IN CALIFORNIA

The group returned to the U.S. on Thursday night, landing at JFK in New York.

Melanie Carroll, the pastor’s wife, texted, “We are so thankful!!!!! It’s surreal!!” 

The unexpected extension of the trip caused the price tag to increase significantly. Melanie created a GoFundMe, writing, “The path to get us home between lodging, flights and transfers will be upwards of $2500 per person.”

The group was able to raise their goal of $100,000 in less than three days.

Melanie said the group is continuing to pray for everyone trying to get out of the Middle East. 

Nearly 24,000 Americans have returned to the U.S. after fleeing the Middle East since Operation Epic Fury began last week, according to the State Department.

A North Carolina woman who vanished more than two decades ago was found alive earlier this year, authorities confirmed — a case an expert says highlights hidden struggles within American families.

Michele Hundley Smith, now 63, who was reported missing in December 2001, was located on Feb. 20 in an undisclosed location within North Carolina after detectives received new information about her case, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital.  

Sheriff Sam Page said Smith told investigators she left her family of her own accord and cited “ongoing domestic issues” as the reason for her disappearance. Page did not elaborate on those issues, and investigators have said there is no evidence of foul play.

Dr. Stephanie Johnson, a clinical psychologist, told Fox News Digital that voluntary adult disappearances often prompt questions about the internal pressures that may drive such choices.

MISSING NORTH CAROLINA MOM FOUND ALIVE AFTER 24 YEARS REVEALS WHY SHE LEFT

“Michele was experiencing a lot of stressors and may very well have been suffering from major depressive disorder. When someone is experiencing depression, the mind processes information differently.”

In a 2018 interview on “The Vanished Podcast,” Michele’s daughter, Amanda Hundley, said her parents’ marriage was deteriorating amid alcohol abuse, infidelity and increasingly volatile arguments.

Hundley said her mother had recently been fired from a veterinary practice for drinking on the job.

“My dad didn’t like the fact that my mom hid her drinking. I knew about it, and I was the only one. And I felt, you know, I was young, and I felt obligated not to say anything to betray my mom,” Hundley said on the podcast.

Johnson said depression often manifests as persistent negative self-perception, hopelessness, feelings of worthlessness and social withdrawal.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS

“On top of that depression, she [Michele] was drinking alcohol. Alcohol can make depressive symptoms even worse.”

Those compounded family and mental health struggles may have narrowed her perceived options, Johnson said, potentially leading her to believe disappearance was the only solution.

“She could have felt hopeless, like a burden and felt that there was no way to fix the situation other than to remove the burden — herself,” Johnson said.

Smith was 38 when she disappeared after leaving her three children at an Eden, North Carolina, home on Dec. 9, 2001, to go Christmas shopping at a K-Mart in Martinsville, Virginia. Her vehicle was never found, and she did not return home. Her husband reported her missing later that month.

Over the ensuing decades, local, state and federal agencies participated in efforts to locate her. Despite periodic appeals and flyers distributed in the region, her whereabouts remained unknown for 24 years.

GOT A TIP?

Authorities say a recent lead in a national database prompted detectives to check on Smith’s status and ultimately find her alive. The sheriff’s office said they contacted her face-to-face and confirmed she was “safe and well.” At her request, authorities declined to disclose her exact location.

The New York Post reported it had located Smith in a trailer in a rural community near the South Carolina state line. Smith told the outlet she is trying to make amends with her daughter and the family she walked out on decades ago.

FOLLOW US ON X

“My daughter is forgiving me. We are in contact, so leave me alone,” she told the outlet.

Smith’s neighbors said she had “been here for years and years” and mostly keeps to herself.

GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL

“We asked why she didn’t come out of the house much, and she said her husband passed. He passed last year… She was really sad about it. She said she was depressed and stayed inside,” the neighbor said.

Court records show that Smith had a DWI charge in November 2001 and an arrest order was later issued for failure to appear, records indicate.

The order stemmed from a DWI charge issued by the Eden Police Department on Nov. 11, 2001. Smith failed to appear in court Dec. 27, 2001, for that charge, the statement said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

On Feb. 25, 2026, Smith was taken into custody by the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at the request of Rockingham County authorities. She later posted a $2,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Rockingham County District Court March 26, 2026.

The district attorney’s office confirmed that they will not pursue charges related to her disappearance.

FIRST ON FOX: The nation’s history is akin to someone who has faced adversity in life, suggested North Carolina Rep. Addison McDowell’s chief of staff, Alex Vargo, 34, who almost lost his life in a rollover car crash at age 16.

Sunday marks the 18th anniversary of the car crash that nearly killed Vargo and helped shape his life after facing several hurdles in the aftermath of the accident.

Rep. McDowell also faced adversity in his life after losing his brother to a fentanyl overdose, something that the North Carolina Republican has indicated drives him and his policymaking. During an interview with Fox News Digital, Vargo pointed out how the story of adversity, such as the events that he and the congressman have faced, is very similar to the story of America. 

“Our country is not an old country, but I think in our history we’ve gone through periods of real trial – civil wars, massive pandemics that shut down our life – but I think we’re not defined by those tragedies,” Vargo told Fox News Digital. “We’re not defined by wars, we’re defined by how we came back after, how our country stuck together… The whole story of America is one of triumph. It’s one of going through hard times and coming out on the other side.”

GOV GAVIN NEWSOM: FROM PRIVILEGE TO HEARTBREAK, MY LIFE BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Vargo, who grew up in Pittsburgh, was driving home in the snow one day, when, just four days before his 17th birthday, he lost control of his car going down a hill. It slid off the road, went into a hillside, flipped and ultimately “imploded inward,” the chief of staff recounted. Half of his left hand ended up being severed and required eight hours of emergency surgery to put back together. 

“People say they’re in shock – that’s the first time I’ve been in real shock,” Vargo said. “There are events in your life, not many but a handful that really shape how you view the world, what your purpose is, and that was definitely one.”

Vargo said his purpose became more defined after the incident. He underwent months of painful therapy, where he re-learned how to use his hand for things like typing and dribbling a basketball. According to Vargo, he was given a second chance at life and wanted to make good use of it. It was those life experiences that drove the decision to enter into “the battle of ideas,” and be part of the conservative movement. 

The now-chief of staff has been working in Congress since 2014. Starting as an intern on Capitol Hill, Vargo quickly rose in rank, leading him to serve alongside McDowell in the office of Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., while he was in the House. But Vargo believes his most consequential mission was his time in the Florida legislature. There he worked for former House Speaker Paul Renner during the time when Florida had the “Session of the Century.” 

“Alex was a pivotal member of our team as we enacted transformational reforms in Florida. He was a strong advocate during my time as speaker,” Renner told Fox News Digital.

“Together, we protected life, strengthened Florida’s gun laws, and passed the largest expansion of school choice in the nation. He’s turned personal trials into triumphs, and I’m grateful for his friendship,” Renner continued, referring to Vargo. 

Vargo also has spent time with multiple grassroots organizations, such as Heritage Action For America and was the 2024 campaign manager for Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla. 

FLORIDA REPUBLICAN REP NEAL DUNN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM CONGRESS AFTER FIVE TERMS

“Going through trials is not unique to me or to the congressman. People go through trials, whether it’s in the three-mile radius we’re in right now, or throughout the country. I think it’s kind of the story of our country,” added Vargo. “As a country, we’ve gone through trials. But we’re not really defined by our imperfections. We’re defined by our principles and our values.”

When asked whether Vargo’s tragic incident led him to focus on certain policy areas, he responded in the affirmative, pointing to healthcare affordability. Vargo said that through his accident he saw how “awesome” American healthcare is on one hand, but he also recalled how his experience opened his eyes to “how messed up of a system we have in terms of financing” healthcare. 

Meanwhile, when asked about specific policy solutions, Vargo pointed to the integration between insurance companies, hospital systems, pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical companies. 

“They all play a role, but I think there’s not enough time when people are advocating for the consumer,” Vargo said.

McDowell, who Vargo admitted has been through much more tragedy losing his brother than he did through his car crash, told Fox News Digital that from the first time he met Vargo he could tell he was “driven by a cause,” like himself, which McDowell described to Fox News Digital as “something bigger than himself.” 

“When I got President Trump’s endorsement, I called my wife, my political consultant and then Alex to tell him he was going to be my chief when I won,” McDowell recalled.