In a surprising turn of events, an American man, Travis Pete Timmerman, who had been missing for months, was discovered in a suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus.
This unexpected discovery has brought an end to the months of uncertainty and anxiety that his family had been grappling with.
According to NPR, Timmerman was last seen in Budapest, Hungary, in early June. He revealed to reporters in Damascus that he had embarked on a pilgrimage and was detained earlier this year after crossing into Syria on foot from Lebanon. His sudden reappearance in Damascus has been described as a "Christmas miracle" by his mother, Stacey Collins Gardiner.
Timmerman, 29, was found by locals in the town of al-Thiyabiyah, wandering barefoot on the streets in the early morning hours. In an interview with Al-Arabiya, an Arabic TV news channel, he disclosed that he had been held in isolation in a prison cell. He was released when opposition forces stormed Damascus and overthrew President Bashar al-Assad. He stated that he had not been physically abused but could hear the sounds of others being tortured.
The Hungarian police had previously issued a missing person's report for Timmerman after he attended church in Budapest seven months ago. The Missouri State Highway Police also released a missing persons flyer last year for a "Pete Timmerman," indicating that he was last seen in Budapest.
Earlier on Thursday, a video was circulated showing Timmerman lying on a mattress under a blanket, surrounded by a group of men who assured that he was being treated well and would be sent home safely.
Gardiner, his mother, revealed that Timmerman had earned a finance degree at Missouri State University in 2017, followed by a law degree, and then worked in Chicago for a couple of years. However, he returned home with a desire to write about nature and his Christian faith. Despite his limited financial resources, he traveled to Budapest to work on his writing and assist others.
Gardiner was informed about her son's discovery in Syria by news outlets that started calling her around 4:30 a.m. local time. For hours, they remained unsure if the man found in Syria was indeed Travis. "At first, I was hoping it was him, but we didn't know if it was a scam or what. And then my daughter saw him on the news," she said.
The video initially sparked speculation that the man could be missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in Syria 12 years ago while reporting on the conflict. However, a United States official confirmed that the man in the video was not Tice. Tice's parents have been leading a years-long fight to free their son, and the overthrowing of the Assad regime has increased hope that Tice may be found. Tice's siblings informed NPR this week that they have received information that their brother was alive.
While this discovery brings relief to Timmerman's family, it also underscores the dangers faced by individuals in conflict-ridden regions. It is a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining international law and order to ensure the safety of individuals, irrespective of their nationality.
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