Personal life thumb|Comăneci and her husband Bart Conner meeting First Lady Michelle Obama, 2009 On the night of November 27, 1989, a few weeks before the Romanian revolution, Comăneci defected with a group of other Romanians, crossing the Hungary–Romania border around Cenad. They were guided by Constantin Panait, a Romanian who later became an American citizen after defecting. Their journey was mostly on foot and at night. They traveled through Hungary and Austria and finally were able to take a plane to the United States.Comăneci, pp. 137–148.
personal life thumb|comăneci and her husband bart conner meeting first lady michelle obama 2009 on the night of november 27 1989 a few weeks before the romanian revolution comăneci defected with a group of other romanians crossing the hungary–romania border around cenad they were guided by constantin panait a romanian who later became an american citizen after defecting their journey was mostly on foot and at night they traveled through hungary and austria and finally were able to take a plane to the united statescomăneci pp 137–148