Life

American Man Rescued From Syrian Prison Amid Rebel Takeover

13-12-2024

Travis Timmerman, a Missouri man, was found in Syria after months in prison.

credit: CBS News/Agnes Reau

He was detained in April for entering Syria illegally during a pilgrimage.

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Timmerman said he was freed when rebels overthrew Bashar al-Assad. "My door was busted down," he recalled. He said his prison door was broken open by two men armed with AK-47s.

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"I thought the guards were still there," Timmerman said. "Once we got out, there was no resistance."

credit: CBS News/Agnes Reau

Timmerman had been walking toward Jordan after his escape, relying on locals for help. "They were coming to me, mostly," he said.

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His family, unaware of his location for months, called his rescue "a Christmas miracle." His mother, Stacey Collins Gardiner, said, "I will hug him. ... And then I probably won't let him go,"

credit: Getty Images