GROVEPORT, Ohio — Thousands of people are still waiting to get out of Afghanistan, including a close friend of Groveport Chief of Police Casey Adams.
The smallest corner of his office has been keeping a lot of his attention lately.
"This is what it was. Just listening to news briefs every day, trying to figure out what's going on in his country,” said Adams.
His mind can't help but focus on his friend Khalid Afzal more than 7,000 miles away.
"I'm not going to totally be able to exhale until he's in the United States,” he said.
In 2019, he created his bond with Afzal. The two met at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
It was a 10-week program, but the two kept in touch when it was finished. Khalid worked for Afghanistan’s National Defense and Security Forces.
"He was proud of what he did for that country to keep peace,” said Adams.
No one knew what was coming that would change everything abruptly.
"When things really started going south in Kabul, I said 'where you at' and he sends me a picture, and he says I’m fighting Taliban right now,” Adams said.
Adams said Khalid and his family have been trying to flee the country. With the rank he held, his friend could've been killed. But he nor 250 others were going to let that happen.
"My classmates who went to their politicians who went everywhere to try and get him in this country,” he said. The letters and emails classmates from the FBI Academy sent to leaders worked.
Now, Khalid and his family are safe and out of Kabul. Chief Adams said the family is now waiting in Dubai. They were able to leave the Kabul airport on Monday with military assistance.
Adams told 10TV Khalid does have a brother who lives in the states, and it could be a few more weeks before they touch American soil. When they do it'll be a feeling of relief.
"Just, for a guy I met for 10 weeks and hung out with for 10 weeks. Just knowing he's in this country I can breathe,” Adams said.