Escape Plan
The only individuals Nadia Comăneci could confide in regarding her defection plans were her younger brother and his wife. She could not risk involving her parents, as they might have pleaded with her to stay, and she deemed no one else trustworthy enough to keep her secret. Comăneci also harbored reservations about Constantin Panait, but her brother made some inquiries and found him someone they could rely on.
Under the cover of a winter night, Comăneci embarked on a perilous journey to the Hungarian border in 1989. Once recognized, the renowned gymnast was allowed to pass, provided a blanket, and escorted to the Austrian Embassy. There, she reunited with Panait, and they flew to New York. Her daring escape had proven successful, and Comăneci reached America, although her journey to complete freedom was over.
