Former Marine Paul Whelan said he was devastated when he found out WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner was being released from Russian detention and he was not. He had been imprisoned in Russia for over five years before his release. A Homeland Security official told him the U.S. traded convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Griner’s release. Whelan kept his spirits up during his imprisonment by singing the national anthem every morning.
He was left behind when another former Marine, Trevor Reed, was released in a prisoner swap in April 2022. Whelan had been held the longest among the prisoners released. He was arrested in 2018 and convicted of espionage, a charge he denied. During his time in prison, he was pressured to confess to a crime he did not commit. Whelan found out about the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison, which made him realize the severity of his situation.
Whelan said he never considered committing suicide, even when he was critically ill with possibly Covid while in prison. He was relieved when FSB agents showed up to have him fill out a request for a pardon, marking the beginning of his journey home. Upon his release, he was flown to Turkey and then to the U.S., where he was greeted by CIA agents and eventually President Biden. Whelan is now readjusting to regular life, dealing with medical issues and potential job insecurity.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com