Jonathan Falwell, wife safe after Hurricane Irma passes over Saint Martin

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Both Jonathan Falwell and his wife, as well as everyone else in the shelter, are safe, according to a Facebook post from Thomas Road Baptist Church.

The pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg is in the direct path of Hurricane Irma Wednesday morning. 

The church posted on Facebook overnight that Jonathan Falwell surprised his wife with an anniversary trip to Saint Martin. 

Their flight home from the Caribbean island was canceled Tuesday, as the airport was closed ahead of the storm. 

The Falwells are currently in an emergency shelter in Saint Martin, where they will be riding out the storm with hundreds of other tourists and locals on the island. 

At 11:30 a.m., the executive pastor of the church, Jason Schonfelder, said he had not received any communication from Falwell since around 6:15 a.m. At that time, he and his wife were safely in a shelter with around 200 other people. 

Schonfelder told WSLS, "We are hopeful and extremely grateful for all the continued prayers on their behalf and on behalf of the thousands of people still in the path of this very powerful storm."

Falwell is the son of the late Jerry Falwell and the brother of Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. 

The hurricane is expected to make landfall over Saint Martin later Wednesday evening or early Thursday.