Georgia helps Tommy Bush in midst of airport power outage

Tommy Bush suddenly found himself as one of many stranded passengers as he prepared to travel home to Schertz, Texas, after his weekend-long official visit to Georgia.

The four-star wide receiver target arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to take a Sunday evening flight, only to learn it was canceled. The transportation hub was essentially shut down as electrical power was out due to an underground fire, and many travelers found themselves without a source of food or accommodations.

That gave UGA the opportunity to add to its pitch to the Bush family as it became ready to assist wherever necessary. Georgia offensive coordinator Jim Chaney and wide receivers coach James Coley led the efforts, and they were persistent on checking on the family to make sure it had the essentials.

“It meant a lot to us, because we were stuck,” Bush said. “They could have just rescued us and moved on, but they kept checking on us. They even made sure we had eaten and that we had found a place to sleep.”

Georgia provided in areas that the Bush family lacked, and the adventure came to an end around 3 p.m. Monday afternoon. Bush had tried to board a 10 a.m. flight from Atlanta to San Antonio after the original plans were tabled, but that also fell through in the aftermath of the mishap at the world-renowned airport.

With the assistance of his family members and Georgia staffers, Bush was able to take a noon flight after being placed on standby for several hours. The Bulldogs had to tend to a similar situation with five-star target Micah Parsons, as he was preparing to fly back to Philadelphia with a Wednesday decision looming.

Before the flight issues, Bush’s trip down south became a memorable one rather quickly. It was Georgia’s final opportunity to host prospects before the early signing period Wednesday-Friday. While Bush doesn’t fall in that category and is opting to sign on Feb. 7, he was treated like all of the rest.

Bush joined a few of the Bulldogs’ priorities: Parsons, offensive tackle Cade Mays, offensive guard Jamaree Salyer, defensive end Brenton Cox, quarterback Justin Fields and a host of other upper-echelon recruits that Georgia is counting upon to be a part of its 2018 signing class.

Georgia has recently emerged into the picture for Bush as 247Sports.com’s crystal ball lists Baylor, Texas and Michigan State as his favorites. But after an in-home visit and the trip to see the atmosphere first-hand, the Bulldogs find themselves in the mix.

“I liked the people and the competitive environment,” Bush said. “It was cool when I was driven into the practice field in an SUV that had my number on the side of it. I loved meeting with (Georgia head coach Kirby) Smart and watching the hype video of this season. It was awesome.”

Georgia thought it had its wide receiver position settled before Bush came into the picture. Peach County’s Kearis Jackson and Florida product Elijah Moore are currently committed to the program. However, the Bulldogs are prepared to hold a spot for Bush.

Jackson is taking advantage of the early signing period while Moore has opted to wait until the February window. Despite the two four-stars holding pledges, Bush is assured that an opportunity lies in Athens.

“I spoke with Coach Smart and he told me I’m good if I commit,” he said. “They see me sort of like (Javon) Wims, as an X receiver, but they would like to move me around as I learn more in order to create mismatches.”

This story was originally published December 18, 2017 at 7:35 PM with the headline "Georgia helps Tommy Bush in midst of airport power outage."