Uganda Bombing Victims Stayed Behind to Help: 'People Died Around Her, That's All She Would Say'

KAMPALA, UGANDA, July 13, 2010— -- She should have been home a week before, but on Sunday, American teenager Emily Kerstetter sat in an airy Ugandan restaurant, talking with her church group about how much she wanted to stay in the African nation she'd grown to love for the rest of the summer. Suddenly, her cheery daydream was shattered by a deafening blast.

Within seconds, dozens of people lay dead around her and Emily -- along with four other Americans, including her grandmother and two other teens -- lay bloody and bewildered. Twin terror attacks had ripped through the Ugandan capitol of Kampala, targeting World Cup revelers and claiming 76 lives.

Now the Americans are in hospitals from Kenya to South Africa, receiving emergency medical treatment and struggling to cope with the nightmare of what they witnessed -- all because they had been inspired by their work in the country, and made a last-minute decision to extend their stay, friends and family told ABC News today.

"I think they were offered the opportunity to work in the hospitals," Nikki Liskovec, a family friend of Kerstetter's, told ABC News. "She just enjoyed working with the kids and feeling like she's making a difference... You can tell she's in the world she's meant to be in."

Emily's injuries were so severe, doctors at a local public hospital feared they would have to amputate her foot, according to Dr. Ian Clarke, chairman of the International Medical Group in Kampala. Instead, she was evacuated to South Africa where hospitals are better equipped to deal with her traumatic injuries. Emily's grandmother -- who suffered relatively minor injuries to her arm -- was also flown to South Africa. Both are expected to recover.

Thomas Kramer, 14, told his father Scott Kramer he wanted to stick around as well, rather than return with nine other members of the church group on July 9. His mother, Pam, wouldn't think of leaving the boy behind, Scott said.

"My son wanted to stay because he plays the guitar and -- along with Kris Sledge [who was also injured] -- they help with worship," Scott said. "They called and asked me if they could stay."

Thomas and Pam were both injured and are being treated in a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

Four days after the rest of the church group returned home, the twin terror bombs exploded in Uganda. An American who was not part of the church group, 25-year-old Nate Henn, was among those killed.

Scott Kramer: Wife Said 'People Died Around Her'

All five injured Americans had gathered at the Ethiopian Restaurant in Kampala to watch the World Cup championship game.

Scott Kramer said he tried to ask his wife what happened when the bombs exploded.

"She didn't say much about that," he said. "People died around her. That's all she would say. She was in shock."

One member of the group who was not seriously injured in the attack, Lori Ssebulime, described the nightmare scene to the Associated Press shortly after the blast.

"We got there early so we could be near the screen," she told the AP. "The blast happened. It was total chaos. I fell over backwards. Everything was gray."

Ssebulime said she was able to get Emily Kerstetter to a minivan.

"Emily was rolling around in a pool of blood, screaming," she said.

On the church group website, another witness gave this account:

"Was seated next to Emily. Thank God I am alive. Blacked out for a moment, then saw other missionaries trying to help Emily & Thomas. I was in deep excreciating (sic) bomb fragments pain, then went out and got out, because people were screaming 'GET OUT'," the post said.

All five injured Americans are expected to survive, though at least two required major surgery.

Scott Kramer said he was able to speak to his 14-year-old son Monday.

"He said, 'I'm fine, dad. I'm fine.' He knew his sister was here so he said to 'tell her I love her,'" Scott said. "He seemed like he was getting back to his normal self."

Double Day of Tragedy for Family of American Killed

Monday was a day of double tragedy for the Henn family, who lives in Delaware. First came news that Nate Henn, 25, was killed by the terrorist bomb on a rugby field where crowds had gathered to watch the World Cup final.

Then Nate's brother Kyle was in a plane crash while hurrying home to be with the grieving family.

Kyle Henn was aboard a small plane trying to rejoin his family when it crashed at Horace Williams Airport in Chapel Hill, N.C., according to ABC News affiliate WTVD.

The station reported that the pilot of the plane was killed, while Kyle Henn was admitted to UNC hospital in fair condition, a hospital spokesman told the station.

Nate, a former rugby player, had moved to Uganda to work with former child soldiers. His manner had earned him the nickname "Oteka" among the children, which translated into "The Strong One."

Nate Henn was a tour booking assistant at "Invisible Children", a San Diego-based Christian aid group that helps child soldiers.

The group issued a statement saying, "His love for the Ugandan students he had worked with is exemplified by the deep friendships he forged with them."

"He was serving Innocent, Tony, Boni, Ronald, Papito, Sunday and Lilian. These are some of our Ugandan students who fell in love with Nate's wit, strength, character and steadfast friendship. They gave him the Acholi name 'Oteka,' which means 'The Strong One.' Some of them were with him at the time of the attack," the statement said.

Invisible Children said that Henn was "determined to go to Uganda," and said, "He was not serving some idea of down-trodden Africa."

According to Henn's Facebook page, he was a graduate from the University of Delaware where he double-majored in psychology and neuroscience and played rugby.

He was quoted as saying "Treasure the Journey" and that he was "continually blessed."

Henn also says on his Facebook page he was in a relationship with a girlfriend and mentions his brother and sister, Kyle and Brynne Henn.

"'I just don't understand. Please pray," said Brynne Henn in a posting on her Facebook page.

Uganda's government said the first blast occurred at the Ethiopian Village restaurant at 10:55 p.m. local time Sunday, July 11. Two more blasts happened at the rugby field 20 minutes later, the statement said.

Al- Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked Somali militant group claimed responsibility for the twin bombings, saying the militants would carry out attacks "against our enemy" wherever they are.

ABC News' Nicholas Tucker and Cleopatra Andreadis contributed to this report