Her brother, who also lives in the United States, had flown to Belgium to visit their parents.
“He was actually flying — supposed to actually fly to Brussels this morning and last minute change of plans, he ended up flying in two days earlier to be with my parents,” she said.
Walusis, who grew up about 40 minutes south of Brussels, also had a friend who left the subway in Brussels shortly before the attacks occurred at that location.
“She heard the explosion and was, you know, saw the military presence and was instructed to run to safety,” Walusis said. “I have cousins that ride the subway to work all the time. They’re all safe.”
Francoise Walusis, her husband John Walusis and her brother-in-law Brian Walusis, operate Madame Delluc Artisan Chocolatier at 2510 Far Hills Ave. in Oakwood. The store opened in December and is the only store in the U.S. to offer chocolates from Belgium-based Mary Chocolatier, one of the original Belgian chocolatiers based in Brussels.
Walusis is a native of Belgium and her father was a diplomat for the Belgian government. Walusis came to the United States 20 years ago to attend Wittenberg University.
“I think of Belgium, especially Brussels as being a place of people who just want to enjoy life and are happy and to see all the live video coverage of people just being scared and hurt and afraid just really made me sad,” Francoise Walusis said.
But, she said she has no doubt the Belgian people will enjoy life and smile again.
“Belgians are very resilient people,” Walusis said. “There’s the shock right now but I have no doubt that, in time, they’ll just keep moving forward.”
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