American Pilgrim Found in Syria After Months of Detention
In a turn of events described as a “Christmas miracle” by his family, Travis Timmerman, an American citizen originally from Missouri, has been located in Syria after being detained for seven months. Timmerman had embarked on a pilgrimage to deepen his Christian faith when he disappeared.
Missing since June, Timmerman was eventually discovered in a Damascus suburb. He had been held in Sednaya prison, a facility infamous for its arbitrary detentions under the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. His release coincided with the recent overthrow of Assad by rebel forces.
According to Timmerman, his journey into Syria involved crossing mountainous terrain from Lebanon as part of his religious quest, driven by extensive Bible study and a desire to enhance his understanding of Christianity.
This pilgrimage led to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment, which only came to light following the chaotic events that unfolded after the rebels assumed control.
NPR’s Ruth Sherlock reported that a local resident encountered Timmerman wandering barefoot in the streets.
The Timmerman family’s relief was palpable, as they expressed their joy over his release in an interview with NBC News. “Feels pretty great! Praise the Lord!” his sister, Pixie Rogers, exclaimed. She added, “I would like for him to know that my whole family and I love him so much and that we are happy to know that we are going to see him soon.”
Don Kelderhouse, Timmerman’s pastor at Preston Bible Baptist Church, shared that Timmerman had been baptized over a year ago and was fervent about spreading his Christian faith. He remarked, “It’s a miracle. … The fact that we think that he hasn’t been abused that’s another miracle.”
Stacey Collins Gardiner, Timmerman’s mother, shared her emotional reaction with NPR, calling the event “a Christmas miracle.” Initially skeptical, she was overwhelmed with happiness upon confirming the reports.
Following his release, Timmerman was transferred to Jordan and is currently under the care of U.S. State Department officials, as reported by Reuters. U.S. troops first received him at Tanf garrison, after which he was flown out by military helicopter.
During his detention, Timmerman experienced isolation but was spared mistreatment, although he could hear other prisoners being tortured.
The White House admitted to having no prior knowledge of Timmerman’s situation in Syria.
Confusion briefly arose when some media outlets mistakenly identified Timmerman as Austin Tice, another American missing in Syria, which caused concern among those tracking both cases.
Before his disappearance, Timmerman had traveled across Eastern Europe, including stops in the Czech Republic and Hungary, where Missouri law enforcement and local authorities had been monitoring his movements.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
