TAMPA, Fla. — After spending weeks in the Middle East helping well over 400 people escape violence, members of Tampa-based nonprofit Grey Bull Rescue returned home safely late Tuesday.

The group helped Americans and people from ally countries escape violence in the region after the start of the war in Iran. That group included 30 members of GT Church in St. Petersburg, who were in Israel on a tour of the holy land.

What You Need To Know

After more than a month, the veteran-led team returned to Tampa 

 Grey Bull says they may return if funding allows
Grey Bull rescue has experience with rescue operations in the Middle East 

Pastor Randy Helms said they tried to get out as fast as they could and began calling the state department and government officials. They were put in contact with Grey Bull Rescue and Helms says within 24-hours, Grey Bull had a bus, tactical team, and security in front of their hotel ready to take them into Jordan.

“I’ll be honest with you – it was serious. It was frightening, yet in the midst of it – I guess one thing is we were working so hard to find a solution,” Helms said. “We never stopped long enough to get too afraid.” 

Grey Bull’s founder Bryan Stern said they were able to get to them quickly thanks to their case management team.

“One of the reasons we are fast is because of our awesome case management team, which operates here in America,” Stern said. “So, when you register with us, you don’t go to some random data center in the middle of nowhere – you talk to a human being who, most of the case managers are the spouses of operators.”

Stern said in a situation like in the Middle East, they move quickly.

GT Church Pastor Randy Helms (center) and Grey Bull’s founder Bryan Stern upon their return to Tampa Tuesday night. (Spectrum News image)

“We’re able to move real, real, real, real fast. We don’t have to answer to anybody, waiting for permission for anything. So, as long as we’re on the ground, as long as case management is working, the chain from ‘I’m in trouble’ to ‘I’m okay’ is shrunk to almost nothing,” he said.

Grey Bull Rescue said there’s still a need in the Middle East but the group ran into funding constraints. As a nonprofit, they rely on donations. Stern says if the money is there they will return to continue their mission.

This most recent mission lasted just over a month.