EDINA, Minn. — It was supposed to be an experience of a lifetime for 21-year-old University of Minnesota student Max Thommes.
He was spending the spring semester abroad in Barcelona Spain, but like so many other events around the world, his European getaway has been cut short.
"He went there January 19, thought he was going to come back May 2," said Max's mother Judy Thommes.
This all comes as more than 5,700 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Spain within the last week leading Spanish authorities to enforce a nationwide lock down.
President Trump banned all travel from Europe Wednesday night.
This caused major concern for Max's family not knowing how he'd get home.
"Its really been kind of a scary process just because there's not a lot of information, I mean the program that he's in is trying to give us information as updated as quickly as they can but they're working with the government in Spain you know," said Thommes.
More than 130 people have died in Spain which has the fifth highest number of Covid-19 cases behind China, Italy, Iran and South Korea.
"They're in lock down so they can't leave their apartment, the only way he can leave his apartment ... he can go to the grocery store, he could go to the doctor, he can go to the airport," said Thommes.
However, a trip to the airport seemed nearly impossible as of Saturday evening.
"We tried to get on the airline, tried to change his ticket. The first time it was like $2,000 and we were like alright lets just scrap his original ticket, we'll deal with trying to get a refund later and lets book him on another flight," said Thommes.
Now in a race against time with so much on the line, the family just wants to make sure Max is healthy and safe upon his return home.
"He's more nervous just that he's going to be there alone so people are slowly leaving and slowly getting out of Barcelona and he's one of a very few people that's left there so that's another reason we want to change him to Monday," said Thommes.
The family says they were able to book a flight home for Max Saturday evening, for Monday morning.