Hostage From Colorado Told Of Algeria Crisis In Texts To Wife
DENVER (AP) - A Colorado woman says she first learned her husband was trapped in Algeria during a terrorist attack when he sent her two ominous text messages.
Steven Wysocki, a production supervisor at a natural gas plant seized by terrorists, hid for 2 1/2 days before escaping the plant on Friday, a spokeswoman for the family said.
Wysocki's wife, Kristi Wysocki, told a special interest website her husband's first text said, "I love you. Bad problems. I hope I can talk again." The second said, "It's a terror attack. I'm OK now. Will try to call you later."
The texts were reported in Dressage-News.com, a website devoted to the competitive horse-training sport of dressage. Kristi Wysocki is a dressage rider and judge.
She was at the couple's home outside Elbert, a small town about 40 miles southeast of Denver, when the text messages arrived. She said she and her husband had been speaking on the phone but the call was dropped, which she said wasn't unusual.
"He called me back immediately," she said. "He sounded fine. He said the power just went and he had to go outside. There were a lot of sirens going. ... They all thought they had had an accident."
The texts came after that.
Steven Wysocki remained in hiding until Friday, "when he got out with some other guys he was with," she said.
Kristi Wysocki said she had worked as a petroleum engineer in Alaska and knew the danger of her husband's situation. Both Wysockis graduated from the Colorado School of Mines.
"Having worked in the oil fields, I understand the location and environment he was in," she said, "and the danger of 3,000 pounds under pressure with bullets being fired. ... Everybody's in trouble."
Kristi Wysocki said her husband left Algiers aboard a U.S. military plane on Friday and was flown to a military base in Germany.
The Wysockis live at Somewhere Farms about 4 miles outside Elbert on rolling plains dotted with pine trees. The flag at the farm's entrance was flying at half-staff Tuesday.
Kristi Wysocki is listed in public records as the farm's registered agent.
The farm is home to Eagle's Wing Equine Therapy and Rehab Center, whose website says it offers surgical recovery, therapy, rehabilitation and other services for horses.
- By Dan Elliott, AP Writer
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