West Chester Teen In Norway At Time Of Terror Attacks Returns Home

WEST CHESTER (CBS) -- A West Chester high school student was an eyewitness to the terror in Norway. Sixteen-year old Isaiah Sheppard was in Oslo -- just "half a block" from the explosion. He returned home Thursday evening to hugs of relief and welcome home signs.

"During the bombing it was scary and traumatizing," said Isaiah Sheppard.

Isaiah was in Norway--a counselor at a youth peace camp, when accused terrorist Anders Breivik allegedly blew up a building in Oslo. Isaiah heard the blast. He was in a movie theater—just a couple of buildings away.

"When we got outside there was glass everywhere, there was bloody people all around," said Isaiah. "We didn't' know what to do so we were like standing there for like 10 minutes panicking."

Isaiah called his mom Camille to tell her he was near the explosion.

"He said 'mom I was right there,' and oh, my heart just sank," said Camille.

Then, an hour later, there was a second attack at a youth camp.

"That was even more frightening for me," said Camille.

Frightening because at first she didn't know Isaiah was safe, he was at a different camp.

"Words can not explain it was just the scariest thing for all of us, that Friday I couldn't even do anything else," explained Camille.

But now that her son is home, she's relieved. Isaiah says, he's willing to go away again to a camp that promotes world peace. His mom is not so sure.

"Maybe not next year, but he'll continue to do things," Camille said.

Isaiah's camp is part of the group called CISV, Children's International Summer Village, an international peace group that holds camps all over the world. None of the students with CISV were hurt in the terror attacks.

Reported by Dave Huddleston, CBS 3