Watching Marine veteran Paul Whelan return home from a Russian prison brings back memories for Joey Reed from 2022.
“Seeing those happy moments and the families reunited, like when we saw them with the president, brought tears to our eyes,” said Joey Reed, father of Trevor Reed, who was wrongfully imprisoned in Russia for three years.
The Reed family received invaluable support from the Whelans during their ordeal.
“He was a former Marine, and his family helped us navigate the complex process of dealing with the government and media to get help for an American held abroad,” Reed said.
Despite the challenges of the process, Reed emphasizes the importance of these exchanges.
“There are many countries holding Americans who don’t care about their well-being; they simply take pride in having innocent Americans imprisoned,” Reed said.
For the families of Whelan and others who have been released, the focus now shifts to the anxious anticipation of being reunited.
“You’re worried about your loved one and want to see them as soon as possible, but there’s often a lot of red tape involved to ensure their health and readiness to meet others,” Reed added.
