Appleton Boy Scouts reunited with families after train derailment

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (WBAY) - The 16 Appleton Boy Scouts involved in the Amtrak train derailment in Missouri had a homecoming Tuesday evening at Austin Straubel International Airport, where they were greeted by family after returning to Wisconsin on a chartered plane.

The plane landed around 6:45. The only people who didn’t make the trip were two of the eight adults, who are in a Missouri hospital recovering from injuries. Plans will be made to get them back to Wisconsin once they’re ready to travel.

After an emotional 24 hours, this was the moment parents of the scouts were waiting for, seeing their kids walk off the plane, now safe, even though some had new scars to show off. You could tell everyone was exhausted by happy to be home with a story to tell.

“I was sitting on the left side of the train and it rolled to the right,” Matt Suprise recalled. “I fell, and this is when my head injury happened, and it still stings a little bit, I will be honest, but it also happened to my glasses, too.”

The 15-year-old Boy Scout told us he’s still trying to comprehend how everything played out, but he does remember how quickly the entire troop took action.

“Me and the rest of the boys in my troop, we were trying to keep everyone calm and help out everyone, so it was a little rough for the first few seconds and then we gathered our heads really quickly and went into action right away,” said Suprise.

The rescue has attracted national media attention. Scout leaders say so many people have been reaching out.

“We’re getting messages from the EMT’s that were on the ground and passengers that were on the ground, and it just blows me away. I’m so humbled by these young men, and I’m so honored to be a part of their lives,” Troop 73 scout master Dan Skrypczak said.

As for what’s next, the scouts are likely to receive some type of award. We’re told that a number of governors and U.S. senators have reached out already with ideas.

“These kids, they’re in for a bit of a journey. We know we have some healing of the heart, the mind, and soul, physically as well, but we’re confident they’re going to be okay,” Skrypczak said. “Society needs more heroes like this, and we’re going to hold them up.”

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