American student among the Itaewon victims in South Korea stampede

• More than 150 people were killed in the South Korea stampede.
• At least 24 were foreigners.
• Steven Blesi’s father reveals chilling details.

On Saturday, October 30, South Korea experienced one of the country’s worst tragedies, as approximately 154 young people, mostly in their 20s, were killed in a human stampede in the popular Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul. It happened during a Halloween celebration.

Approximately 26 of these victims were foreigners from 12 countries. Among them was an American student, Steven Blesi, whose father broke the news. So far only two Americans have been reported to have lost their lives in the tragedy.

Steven Blesi’s father gives chilling details!

Steven Blesi was a young American identified among the 153 victims who lost their lives in the Itaewon tragedy. His father, Steve, said that he had desperately called his son’s cell phone after learning there had been a stampede in downtown Seoul.

Steve, 62, said his son, a Kennesaw State University student studying abroad, told him he had finished his exams and was going out to celebrate Halloween with his friends. FILED UNDER: American Student Itaewon Victims

A policeman answered Steven’s cell phone

Steven’s father told the Washington Post that he made call after call in hopes that his son would answer. However, a South Korean policeman finally answered the phone. He claimed that several of his relatives were trying to contact him.

Steve spent the next few hours frantically calling the US Embassy, ​​finding contacts in the study abroad program, and even posting a photo of his son on Twitter. “I just said, ‘Listen, be careful. Love you.’ And that was the last text message between us.»

Another American died

They expected Steven to be in the hospital, but instead, he received a call confirming the worst. «I can’t understand how they didn’t have crowd control. I don’t even know how the hell it happened,» he continued to The Washington Post.

Anne Gieske, a 20-year-old American college student, was also among those killed in the crush. University President Eli Capilouto said: “There are no adequate or appropriate words to describe the pain of a beautiful life lost.»

They hadn’t held the annual celebration for 3 years

Excited teenagers and young adults had descended on the South Korean capital to enjoy the first unrestricted Halloween celebrations in three years since Covid pandemic regulations were lifted.

But instead, they were caught up in a terrifying stampede as the festivities had drawn a large crowd in the popular Itaewon neighborhood. Tragically, at least 153 people were declared dead and another 82 injured. FILED UNDER: American Student Itaewon Victims