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Henderson couple injured in Brussels speaks out

Posted at 11:25 PM, Mar 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-26 15:41:14-04

UPDATE: We are now hearing for the first time from Philippe and Catherine Breyer.  The couple spoke with a news station in Brussels.  

13 Action News had the video interview translated to hear their incredible story of survival.  
 
The Breyers said a soldier helped to save them.  
 
That's according to a translation by Annemarie Coevert, an senior official at the Consulate General of the Netherlands in San Francisco.
 
"We saw that the explosion was at the side of Delta, all the way at the end, so we started to walk the other way. But we didn’t come far because the second explosion was five to ten seconds later," said Catherine. 
 
"It was five to ten meters away from us. Fortunately we didn’t look back. We were walking. We got the full blast in our legs. Other people started to bend and they were worse off than us," said Philippe.
 
The Breyers fell to the ground.  Philippe lost a leg in the attack.  He describes how a soldier jumped into action.  
 
"They were the first who came to look over all the debris and my wife Catherine called them immediately and told them to tie up my leg. They started to pull other victims to the side and created a harness for my leg. That was one of the soldiers that were present," said Philippe.
 
"We want to thank him," said Catherine. 
 
The couple is optimistic about the future despite their injuries.  
 
"For us, the first day was all about celebrating life. Absolutely. Much more than saying things like: why us, why now, we came at a bad time, bad place. We are both still here," said Catherine.  
 
Friends tell 13 Action News they look forward to welcoming them back to our community. 

ORIGINAL:

13 Action News has learned that two of the people wounded in the Brussels terror attacks live in Henderson.  

Philippe and Catherine Breyer were at Brussels International Airport Tuesday morning, according to several friends. The couple was returning to Southern Nevada after a short trip abroad. 

In the seconds before the explosion, the Breyers were standing near the American Airlines counter.  

Both were rushed to the hospital. Their children told friends she's expected to make a full recovery but he lost a leg. 

Neighbors say the Breyers have lived at Anthem Country Club for nearly a decade. 

We're told he is an avid golfer.  She's a talented tennis player.  

They are well known and loved by the community.  

This is a developing story. 13 Action News is working to get in touch with family members.