One local family is safe after they were in the proximity of the attacks in Brussels on Tuesday.

Jason, Michelle, Tyler and Megan Van Zante of Sully were in Belgium for a family Spring break trip when the events occurred. Family member Marlis Van Zante says they are safe.

“They arrived in Brussels on the 21st via train from Amsterdam and were staying at a motel which they had given us the name of, but we didn’t know what tours they had planned or what they were going to do while they were there,” says Marlis.

She says it took a while before anyone could get in contact with the family. Employees at the motel the Van Zantes were staying at told Marlis they had left at 7:45 that morning.

“We contacted the Embassy and they said chances are if they were going on a tour, they would have left by 9:00. We didn’t know if they were going to take the subway, or if they were going by bus or train, so we were totally in the dark over here and could not reach them at all,” says Marlis.

Later that day Megan Van Zante told her aunt that the family was safe and had left for a tour in Bruges moments after the attacks took place. Marlis is thankful they are alright, and credits their faith as to why they missed the danger.