LOS ANGELES — Checking in at LAX was a return to normalcy for U.S. Consul General in Wuhan, Jamie Fauss and his wife.

“Very happy to be on our way to Washington,” said Fauss, pushing his bags down a long hallway in Terminal 7.

It was the end of a month-long ordeal, that began in mid-January when the decision was made to close the consulate in Wuhan, China, and evacuate about 800 Americans due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, now called COVID -19.

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“When we left the streets were pretty empty, so we felt like it was important to get out of the city because we didn’t know how many services would still be available at a certain time,” Fauss said.

They evacuated in a cargo-like plane.

They stopped in Alaska and then arrived at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, where they were quarantined for two weeks.  

“We kept ourselves busy, we have a master artist who works at the consulate, who gave art classes, Zumba, trivial pursuit, someone was making a leather bag,” said Fauss. 

He says kindness of the health care workers and the charity of strangers, made quarantine a little easier.  

“A particular charity called Project Strong, they were amazing, they got the kids bikes, and scooters, they filled out our tent with snacks and coffee and toilet paper. Project Strong went out of their way to host a Super Bowl party for us, they got chicken wings and pizza and two TVs. It was such a warm welcome home… sorry a bit emotional," Fauss said, holding back tears.

When the two weeks were up, they were ready to celebrate.

“I had the idea to make it like a graduation ceremony, and rather than moving the tassel we removed our masks we have pictures of that, and we threw them up in the air, everyone felt quite relieved,” said Fauss.

It’s an experience that brought together all 195 patients that were quarantined. 

“All of us became friends, it was a very unique experience but a very positive experience," said Fauss.

Now as he gets ready to head back to Washington, the consul says, that from the State Department to health care workers and the nonprofits, the experience reinforced his faith in our people, and our nation.

“It was the best of America,” Fauss said.