US Politics | Heartbreaking new picture of American students killed in Seoul Halloween stampede taken only hours before tragic deaths
A PHOTO that was taken only hours before the Seoul Halloween stampede have emerged showing one of two American students who were killed in the horrific crowd as she celebrated her birthday. At least 153 people were killed and another 82 were injured on Saturday when 100,000 people in the streets of South Korea...s capital celebrated the city's night life for the upcoming holiday. 
InstagramAnne Gieske, 20, (pictured) posted a birthday photo hours before she died in the Seoul Halloween stampede '/ ' 
InstagramGieske was studying abroad with her friend from Georgia, Steven Blesi, 20, (left) '/ ' 
AFPThe Seoul Halloween stampede killed at least 153 people and hurt 82 more '/ ' Anne Gieske, 20, a third year nursing student at the University of Kentucky and niece to Republican US Representative Brad Wenstrup of Ohio, was one of the victims. She died alongside her friend, 20-year-old Steven Blesi from Kennesaw State University in Georgia, when they were both studying abroad in Seoul. Gieske documented her trip through an Instagram account called @anne_in_Seoul. She had multiple pictures of herself and Blesi on the account, enjoying their stay in the foreign country. Read more on Seoul stampede 
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'DEVASTATING' I sent son frantic last texts before finding out he was killed in Seoul crush Just a day before her death, she posted a photo of her near the Han River, smiling behind a large cake in celebration of her 20th birthday. Her documented adventures included hiking up Mount Hallasan on Jeji Island, which is the highest point in the country, as well as exploring the Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls, where her and her group of friends visited the Olle Market. GREIVING LOVED ONES Belsi's dad Steve, 62, warned his son of the growing crowd on Saturday. ...I texted him maybe a half-hour before all this happened, and I said, ...I know you're out and about. Be safe,... Blesi said. ...I never got a reply to that.... Gieske's dad, Dan, told NBC News the family was ...completely devastated and heartbroken... by the loss of their daughter \- describing her as ...bright light loved by all.... Representative Brad Wenstrup said in a statement: "Monica 'his wife ' and I, and our entire family, are grieving the loss of our niece Anne Marie Gieske. Most read in The US Sun SICKLY VLAD Sickly Putin's hands seen 'turning black' as tyrant 'has Parkinson's' & cancer WOAH, DADDY! Teen Mom fans go wild after spotting Tyler's bulge again in skintight bodysuit TODAY'S MISHAP Today host Al suffers live TV blunder & said producer was waiting for fumble MAD AT MACI Teen Mom fans 'sick & tired' of Maci Bookout's 'unfair' treatment of her kids QUICK CHANGE People say I go from 5 to 10 when I take off my work clothes WOAH, WHOOPI! GMA fans shocked after The View's Whoopi Goldberg joins morning show ...She was a gift from God to our family. We loved her so much. "We are completely devastated and heartbroken over the loss of Anne Marie. She was a bright light loved by all. ...We ask for your prayers but also the respect of our privacy. Anne's final gift to us was dying in the state of sanctifying grace. We know we will one day be reunited with her in God's kingdom," he said. Gieske's high school band director told FOX19 that the news of her death was ...shocking.... ...We take our band very seriously and we put lots and lots of hours into it. "So you get to know the students really, really well and they're like your own children." TOMB OF VICTIMS Shortly before 10.20pm on Saturday, the situation became out of control as people were forced down a tight, sloped alleyway after it was already packed wall-to-wall with people. Those at the top of the 147ft long pathway started to fall, sending people below them toppling over others. Panicked revelers became trapped and struggled to breathe before many went into cardiac arrest. Videos shared online showed a pile of bodies wedged between buildings, some at the bottom appearing unconscious, while others reached out to medics who grappled to free them from the crush. One witness described the number of bodies piling up in the stampede as looking like a ...tomb.... Olivia Jacovic, a 27-year-old Australian living in Seoul, was caught up in the stampede and managed to escape. She told Channel Nine: ...It was just shoulder-to-shoulder, people couldn't breathe the shorter people were trying to look up in the air to get some air.... Horrifying footage shared on social media showed some people trying to scale the sides of the buildings to escape the increasing pressure, as others desperately cried out for help. Despite the stampede unfolding just 320ft from the closest fire station, emergency workers were faced with a battle to reach victims because of traffic congestion and overcrowding. Rescuers were filmed trying to pull people trapped underneath dead bodies as field hospitals were thrown up to deal with hundreds of casualties. Survivors were also seen scattered across the pavement wrapped in foil blankets to stay warm following the crush. Police have set up a task force to find out the cause of the tragedy, examining CCTV footage from businesses close to the scene and interviewing dozens of witnesses. Read More on The US Sun 
KNIFE HORROR Handyman who stabbed estranged lover 55 times & hid body in bag pleads guilty 
GONE TOO SOON Kylie Jenner reacts to 'heartbreaking' loss of friend in new post South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning on Sunday, describing the crush as ...truly tragic.... He said: ...A tragedy and disaster that should not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul last night.... 
InstagramGieske documented her many adventures abroad on Instagram '/ '
InstagramAnne Gieske, 20, (pictured) posted a birthday photo hours before she died in the Seoul Halloween stampede '/ ' InstagramGieske was studying abroad with her friend from Georgia, Steven Blesi, 20, (left) '/ ' AFPThe Seoul Halloween stampede killed at least 153 people and hurt 82 more '/ ' Anne Gieske, 20, a third year nursing student at the University of Kentucky and niece to Republican US Representative Brad Wenstrup of Ohio, was one of the victims. She died alongside her friend, 20-year-old Steven Blesi from Kennesaw State University in Georgia, when they were both studying abroad in Seoul. Gieske documented her trip through an Instagram account called @anne_in_Seoul. She had multiple pictures of herself and Blesi on the account, enjoying their stay in the foreign country. Read more on Seoul stampede TRAGIC DEATH Haunting premonition of Seoul crush victim who said 'nothing goes with you' 'DEVASTATING' I sent son frantic last texts before finding out he was killed in Seoul crush Just a day before her death, she posted a photo of her near the Han River, smiling behind a large cake in celebration of her 20th birthday. Her documented adventures included hiking up Mount Hallasan on Jeji Island, which is the highest point in the country, as well as exploring the Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls, where her and her group of friends visited the Olle Market. GREIVING LOVED ONES Belsi's dad Steve, 62, warned his son of the growing crowd on Saturday. ...I texted him maybe a half-hour before all this happened, and I said, ...I know you're out and about. Be safe,... Blesi said. ...I never got a reply to that.... Gieske's dad, Dan, told NBC News the family was ...completely devastated and heartbroken... by the loss of their daughter \- describing her as ...bright light loved by all.... Representative Brad Wenstrup said in a statement: "Monica 'his wife ' and I, and our entire family, are grieving the loss of our niece Anne Marie Gieske. Most read in The US Sun SICKLY VLAD Sickly Putin's hands seen 'turning black' as tyrant 'has Parkinson's' & cancer WOAH, DADDY! Teen Mom fans go wild after spotting Tyler's bulge again in skintight bodysuit TODAY'S MISHAP Today host Al suffers live TV blunder & said producer was waiting for fumble MAD AT MACI Teen Mom fans 'sick & tired' of Maci Bookout's 'unfair' treatment of her kids QUICK CHANGE People say I go from 5 to 10 when I take off my work clothes WOAH, WHOOPI! GMA fans shocked after The View's Whoopi Goldberg joins morning show ...She was a gift from God to our family. We loved her so much. "We are completely devastated and heartbroken over the loss of Anne Marie. She was a bright light loved by all. ...We ask for your prayers but also the respect of our privacy. Anne's final gift to us was dying in the state of sanctifying grace. We know we will one day be reunited with her in God's kingdom," he said. Gieske's high school band director told FOX19 that the news of her death was ...shocking.... ...We take our band very seriously and we put lots and lots of hours into it. "So you get to know the students really, really well and they're like your own children." TOMB OF VICTIMS Shortly before 10.20pm on Saturday, the situation became out of control as people were forced down a tight, sloped alleyway after it was already packed wall-to-wall with people. Those at the top of the 147ft long pathway started to fall, sending people below them toppling over others. Panicked revelers became trapped and struggled to breathe before many went into cardiac arrest. Videos shared online showed a pile of bodies wedged between buildings, some at the bottom appearing unconscious, while others reached out to medics who grappled to free them from the crush. One witness described the number of bodies piling up in the stampede as looking like a ...tomb.... Olivia Jacovic, a 27-year-old Australian living in Seoul, was caught up in the stampede and managed to escape. She told Channel Nine: ...It was just shoulder-to-shoulder, people couldn't breathe the shorter people were trying to look up in the air to get some air.... Horrifying footage shared on social media showed some people trying to scale the sides of the buildings to escape the increasing pressure, as others desperately cried out for help. Despite the stampede unfolding just 320ft from the closest fire station, emergency workers were faced with a battle to reach victims because of traffic congestion and overcrowding. Rescuers were filmed trying to pull people trapped underneath dead bodies as field hospitals were thrown up to deal with hundreds of casualties. Survivors were also seen scattered across the pavement wrapped in foil blankets to stay warm following the crush. Police have set up a task force to find out the cause of the tragedy, examining CCTV footage from businesses close to the scene and interviewing dozens of witnesses. Read More on The US Sun KNIFE HORROR Handyman who stabbed estranged lover 55 times & hid body in bag pleads guilty GONE TOO SOON Kylie Jenner reacts to 'heartbreaking' loss of friend in new post South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning on Sunday, describing the crush as ...truly tragic.... He said: ...A tragedy and disaster that should not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul last night.... InstagramGieske documented her many adventures abroad on Instagram '/ '
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