Aug 25, 2008 7:40 am US/Eastern
NJ Sisters, Dad Trapped In Georgia Due Home Monday
Girls Ashley And Sophia Expected To Make Final Leg Of Journey Back To Monmouth County
NEW YORK (CBS/AP) ―
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Ashley and Sophia Evans are reunited with their father after being trapped by violence in the Republic of Georgia for two weeks.
CBS
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Joseph Evans was unable to complete his journey to Georgia to rescue his two daughters.
CBS
Assuming all goes as planned, two little girls from Monmouth County should finally be back home Monday night.
Seven-year-old Ashley Evans and her 3-year-old sister, Sophia, were visiting their Georgia-born mother's parents this summer and planned to return home earlier this month. But when Russian troops invaded the former Soviet state more than two weeks ago, their movements within the country were severely restricted.
However, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith -- whose district includes their hometown of Howell -- soon traveled to the region. And with the help of the French ambassador to Georgia, Smith got the girls to the capital of Tbilisi last Thursday.
Their father, Joseph Evans, flew to Tbilisi and met them at the U.S. embassy. Their mother, Tea-h Evans, has remained in New Jersey.
The British airline BMI agreed to wave large fees so Ashley and Sophia could reunite with their mother in Howell.
"This is no doubt the experience of my life," a relieved Joseph Evans said of his daughters' return. "Along with the state department, the embassy here, and [Congressman Chris] Smith, we got them home. God bless America. Viva la France!"
As Evans spoke in the capital of Georgia, his wife saw the first video of her children on CBS 2 News.
"Oh my God, that's my kids," Tea Evans said of her initial reaction. "I couldn't believe I was watching those faces. I just thank God to return my girls to me."
Evans says his girls were scared during the ordeal.
"Ashley was a little more involved in that. She kept saying, 'Daddy, I want to go home,'" he said.
His daughters' uncle was also rescued. Tea Evans said her brother dodged bullets to get to their parents' farm.
"He's just my hero. He's the most unbelievable brother," she said, adding the girls showed their gratitude to the French with an enthusiastic chant of "Viva la France!"
The two young girls were then treated to McDonald's Happy Meals and ice cream as soon as they got out of harms way. Tea then called her daughters to hear their voices again, first speaking to Ashley, then hoping to speak to Sophia.
"I said, 'Can talk to Sophia?' She said, 'Mommy, Sophia can't talk because she's eating ice cream!'" she said.
Tea said her parents stayed in Georgia during the violence to protect their vineyard.
"I knew my mom would not leave my father," she said.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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