Richland couple shaken up, but safe after layover at Brussels airport

A Richland couple is shaken up but otherwise safe after missing Tuesday’s terrorist bombings at the Brussels airport by just minutes.

Amanda and Mike Cadman are on their way to Africa to adopt a boy.

They had a layover in Belgium’s capital and, after boarding a tram or bus, had pulled away from the terminal when suddenly they heard the explosions, according to family friend and ministry partner Trevor Macduff.

The Cadmans and other stranded travelers were moved to a small town about 10 to 15 minutes outside the city.

Amanda Cadman quickly sent an email to loved ones letting them know the couple is OK after going through the “shock of their lives,” said brother-in-law Scott Cadman of Pasco.

They remain ecstatic and eager to get to the Congo for their son, but recognize travel plans have been put on hold for at least a couple of days until airport operations resume.

“They said they will not be swayed by this. They’re still going to go get their baby boy and bring him home,” Scott Cadman said.

When the couple learned that a GoFundMe account had been created to help with their unexpected travel expenses due to the terror attacks, they quickly put a stop to the fundraising effort.

Scott Cadman said his brother and sister-in-law “would rather the attention be put on all the families that lost somebody there.”

The account had raised almost $500 in less than an hour before it was closed. He said the site is refunding the donors’ money.

Mike Cadman is an electrician and Amanda Cadman is a stay-at-home mom raising the couple’s six — soon to be seven — children.

Macduff had been busy promoting the fundraising account when the request came in to take it down because money should be going to those who actually are hurting.

“They’ve adopted kids from China and Ethiopia, and when you’ve been in third-world countries and you bring third-world countries literally into your home, you begin to realize it’s an American privilege of all that we have and more than we will ever need,” Macduff told the Herald.

“I am sure being right there with the Brussels bombing, they’re experiencing firsthand the people who are hurting,” he added. “(The Cadmans) are servants, their hearts are going out to (the victims and survivors) and they want more for them than they have for themselves.”

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Richland couple shaken up, but safe after layover at Brussels airport."