Latest news with #BryanStern
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rescue group ramps up evacuations of Americans in Israel
(NewsNation) — Demand is surging for a U.S. rescue organization's services as thousands of Americans seek to leave Israel during the country's ongoing conflict with Iran. 'In the rescue game, every day's an adventure. Most of us haven't slept in three or four days, including myself,' Bryan Stern, founder of Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, told 'Elizabeth Vargas Reports' on Thursday while updating his group's efforts to get Americans to safety. He said about 5,000 'pretty desperate' travelers have asked for assistance in exiting Israel as the U.S. State Department urges people not to travel to the Holy Land. Trump has reviewed attack plans on Iran: Source 'I do agree with the State Department — it's time for everyone to go,' Stern said. 'The situation's going to get worse, not better. The risk is certainly increasing, not decreasing. … You could always come back.' Because airspace is restricted, Stern's organization, which is staffed by military veterans like himself, must make arrangements by land or sea for the evacuations. The latter option is not optimum, he said. 'Maritime operations are hard, and I'm not really a fan of them, to be frank. Bad things happen on the water. Engines break. People get sick. People drown,' Stern said. 'The land and the air are far safer and more forgiving.' For information about how to help support Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, check out the organization's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- General
- Miami Herald
With no flights in or out of Israel, here's how stranded Floridians are getting home
The State of Florida and a group of nonprofits are rushing to bring back Americans stranded in Israel while commercial flights to and from the country are halted amid the conflict between Israel and Iran. The confrontation began Friday after Israel launched a surprise wave of airstrikes targeting Iran nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists, the Associated Press reported. Bryan Stern, founder of Grey Bull Rescue, one of the groups coordinating rescue efforts with the state of Florida, said during an online news conference Thursday that there are several college students from Florida and other states who are waiting to be evacuated, including from Florida State University in Tallahassee. A group of 22 University of Miami students who were participating in an internship program in Tel Aviv are some of the people awaiting to be evacuated, according to The Miami Hurricane, the University of Miami's student newspaper. Arielle Green, 22, a UM student who was in the final week of her internship in Israel, told Miami Herald news partner CBS Miami that she recently woke up in the middle of the night to a missile alert blaring on her phone. She rushed to a nearby bomb shelter, where she and other students remained for nearly an hour. 'We're like waiting there and a bunch of Israelis on the street, near a bar, joined us,' she told the news station. 'We were sitting on the floor on mattresses and waiting until we got some sort of signal to leave.' The Miami Herald has contacted the University of Miami for more information. The students are in a safe location and are expected to be flown home by early next week, according to CBS Miami. State of Florida coordinating rescue efforts in Israel Florida's Division of Emergency Management, which is in charge of overseeing the state's response to hurricanes and other disasters, posted on Facebook Sunday that it's 'coordinating efforts to assist Americans seeking evacuation from the hostile situation in Israel.' 'If you or someone you know needs help returning home, visit: reads the post. The link directs people to fill out an evacuation assistance form from Tampa-based Grey Bull Rescue, a veteran-led team that helps rescue people from dangerous situations. Grey Bull Rescue has received over 4,000 evacuation requests and expects to hit 6,000 requests by Saturday, according to Stern, who founded the group several years ago. Stern said all of the rescue flights Grey Bull has coordinated so far with DeSantis have been 'successful' and that it has several other flights in the works. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has so far chartered at least four jets to fly nearly 1,500 Jewish Americans, who fled Israel to Cyprus via cruise ship, into Tampa, with Birthright Israel paying for all its participants' transportation costs, according to the Tampa Bay Times. South Florida resident Danielle Gozlan and her family had to travel across the Jordanian border to catch a flight that landed at Miami International Airport Thursday morning, according to WSVN. 'We couldn't find another way back we signed up for different ways—evacuation, rescue ways—and it just didn't work out for us so we had to go through Jordan. We had to get back home,' Gozlan told WSVN. 'It was really hard, especially for the kids, hearing the sirens go off every so often. It was really hard.' This isn't the first time the state of Florida has helped coordinate rescue efforts when there's been escalating conflict in the Middle East. In October 2023, at the start of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reported that nearly 700 Americans were flown to Florida on four flights from Israel that were coordinated with Project DYNAMO, a veteran-led Tampa-based nonprofit that conducts rescue missions in conflict zones. On Tuesday, Project DYNAMO announced that it had 'completed its first successful evacuations of Americans out of Israel' during this latest conflict in the Middle East, including 30 veterans who were on a retreat in Jerusalem with South Florida non-profit Heroes to Heroes. This article will be updated.
Fox News
08-06-2025
- Fox News
Madeleine McCann search resumes as suspect's prison release looms after years behind bars
A renewed search for Madeleine McCann, an English toddler who disappeared from a family vacation to Portugal May 3, 2007, likely came from a trusted inside tip, according to Grey Bull Rescue founder Bryan Stern. Madeleine was abducted from the family's ground-floor apartment in Praia da Luz, a coastal, southern Portuguese city, when she was 3 years old. Portuguese and German police began a new search this week in Praia da Luz that concluded Thursday, and officials have not yet said whether they discovered any evidence that may be significant to the missing persons case, according to Reuters. "The five W's are unanswered right now: Who did it? How did it happen? When did it happen? Where did it happen, you know?" Stern, a multiple-tour combat veteran of the U.S. Army and Navy who now rescues people for a living, told Fox News Digital. "That's why these situations are so frustrating … because there's way more questions than answers. The only thing that anybody knows for sure is that there's a little girl who used to be walking the streets; now she's not." He added that renewed searches like this one for Madeleine show that law enforcement agencies are still actively searching for answers in an unsolved case, and they may have received a tip from someone who knew the main suspect in her disappearance or the suspect himself as part of a deal with prosecutors. In 2020, German authorities named Christian Brueckner, 45, the main suspect in Madeleine's disappearance. That same year, German officials declared her dead. Brueckner continues to deny his involvement in the case. Brueckner spent many years in Portugal, including in Praia da Luz, around the time of Madeleine's disappearance. He is serving a seven-year sentence for raping a 72-year-old woman in 2005 and is scheduled to be released in September, according to Reuters. Brueckner was also charged in 2022 for sex crimes against children that German authorities allege he committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. A source involved with the search in Praia da Luz this week told Reuters it included several derelict houses, wells and reservoirs covering "dozens of hectares." Stern noted officials also likely used radar technology that "can see into the ground." "They find stuff in the dirt all the time, all the time. It's 2025. Technology is amazing. DNA technology, specifically, is amazing. DNA doesn't die," Stern said. "There's technology that can see into the ground. They use it for fossils all the time. They use it for missing people all the time. "They use it for oil drilling. They use them for water mitigation, all kinds of things. … It's a type of radar that pushes sound and energy down, and it comes back up with a return, and that return, in today's world, can actually be extremely, extremely detailed." Stern works "all the time" with parents who have lost children, and he said talking to them is the hardest part of his job. "I don't care about the bad guys. I don't care about the Russians or Hezbollah or any of that stuff. What I care about is the mommy who's depending on me to bring her kid back. That's what really, really drives me and scares me. … My biggest thing that I'm afraid of is having to go to a mother saying I failed. Seven hundred and twenty-nine missions later, we've never failed; 7,128 people later, we've never failed." In the McCann case, however, Stern said not knowing absolutely that she is dead, because her remains have never been found, is "painful." Madeleine was born in May 2003 and would be turning 22 years old this year. The Official Find Madeleine Campaign, run by Madeleine's parents — Kate and Gerry McCann — did not respond to an inquiry from Fox News Digital regarding the search.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Decorated local veteran honored for courageous global rescue efforts
The Brief A decorated local veteran is one of six Americans receiving this year's Citizen Honors Award for his courageous global rescue efforts. Bryan Stern is the founder of a local non-profit focused on saving lives in some of the world's most dangerous places. Grey Bull Rescue is a Tampa-based nonprofit that leads daring missions by land, sea and air, even venturing deep behind enemy lines. TAMPA - A former military officer and founder of a local non-profit is being recognized for saving lives in some of the world's most dangerous places. Bryan Stern has spent his life in service to his country and to people in need all across the globe. "I'm a patriot, I've been to war a lot, I am a multi-tour combat vet, I got a Purple Heart and all kinds of stuff," Stern said. Now, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society is naming him the 2024 Service Act Honoree, one of just six Americans receiving this year's Citizen Honors Award. "To be recognized for valor and heroism by the epitome of valor and heroism in America, it was truly just remarkable," Stern stated. READ: At 101, Dunedin World War II veteran reflects on service during 'Victory in Europe Day' After serving in the military, Stern recognized a dangerous gap in global rescue efforts, one that left American citizens and allies stranded in war zones and disaster areas. "We have more cases than we can fund right now. We've done 729 missions as of last week," said Stern. "We've rescued over 7,000 people and all those people pretty much asked for help from someone else." That's when he founded Grey Bull Rescue, a Tampa-based nonprofit that leads daring missions by land, sea and air, even venturing deep behind enemy lines. "We just rescued a set of six-year-old girls last week from the gangs in Haiti who were orphans," said Stern. "Their families were killed in Haiti or died in Haiti. They were adopted." From conflict-ridden regions overseas to natural disasters at home, Stern's team has conducted life-saving operations around the world. "We've worked in Africa, we've worked in Latin America, we worked in the Western Hemisphere, we worked all over Europe, we work all over the Middle East, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, Sudan. All these crazy places," Stern added. Whether it's rescuing hostages or evacuating civilians in crisis, their mission is clear: no one gets left behind. For more on Stern's story and the Citizen Honors Awards, you can visit the Grey Bull Rescue website. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Bryan Gray. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Combat Veteran and Global Rescue Expert Bryan Stern to Keynote 38th Annual Safety in Action® Conference
The Safety in Action® Conference Bryan Stern, Chairman and Founder of Grey Bull Rescue Foundation Atlanta, GA, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Safety in Action® Conference announces Bryan Stern, Chairman and Founder of Grey Bull Rescue Foundation and a decorated combat veteran, as the keynote speaker for this year's premier safety event. A seasoned intelligence and special operations leader, Stern brings over 27 years of service, specializing in hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, emergency management, and crisis response. A Purple Heart recipient and 9/11 first responder, he has executed over 700 high-stakes missions across Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, Haiti, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, Israel, and the United States, personally leading the rescue of more than 7,100 Americans and allies with his nonprofit. Stern's frontline experience spans some of the world's most dangerous environments, from war zones to natural disasters, including missions during the Maui wildfires, Hurricane Ian, and the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in North Carolina and Florida and just recently the wildfires in California. His expertise in high-pressure decision-making, rapid response coordination, and operational leadership provides an unparalleled perspective on safety, resilience, and mission success—principles that directly translate to industrial safety environments. "Our commitment to our attendees is to always bring fresh, transformative perspectives to workplace safety, and Bryan Stern embodies that," says Ryan Gallagher, Senior Vice President at DEKRA North America and Executive Sponsor for the Safety in Action Conference. "His extensive experience leading high-stakes rescue missions showcases the ultimate importance of safety protocols, team collaboration, and authentic leadership – elements that are crucial in improving safety performance." The 38th Annual Safety in Action Conference, designed by safety professionals for safety professionals, provides attendees with practical, actionable strategies for improving workplace safety. Stern's keynote will highlight the critical connection between leadership and team trust. "In the most extreme environments—combat zones, disaster areas, and other high-risk operations — hazards are ever present. Safety isn't about checklists; it's about a mindset, discipline, and execution. The safety of my team and the safety of the people we rescue is paramount to our operations and success under all conditions and environments. I look forward to bringing battlefield-tested strategies to this conference to help organizations build a culture of readiness, safety, and leadership,' says Stern. The conference continues its tradition of bringing safety enthusiasts from various industries together to network, share best practices, and learn cutting-edge solutions for today's most pressing safety challenges. For registration and additional information about the 38th Annual Safety in Action Conference, visit ### About DEKRA North America DEKRA North America protects people, assets, and our community by providing comprehensive testing, inspection, certification, and consulting services around the globe. DEKRA NORTH AMERICA is a service unit of DEKRA S.E., a global leader in safety since 1925, with nearly 48,000 employees in 60 countries across six continents. Attachments The Safety in Action® Conference Bryan Stern, Chairman and Founder of Grey Bull Rescue Foundation CONTACT: Nadia Huda DEKRA North America, Inc. in to access your portfolio
