Biden ‘may have saved Trevor’s life’: Ex-Marine’s family speaks out


Reed, a former Texas Marine, was released this week from a Russian prison.

Trevor Reed’s family said that President Joe Biden may have saved their son’s life, by going to great lengths to bring Reed home, in their first interview since seeing their son on American soil.

“In the end it was President Biden,” Joey Reed, the father of Trevor Reed, said in an interview Friday on “Good Morning America.” “We’ve said all along that if we could talk to the man, we think he would make this happen and that’s exactly what happened. He did everything we said he would and he’s amazing and we can’t thank him enough.” .”

He added: “We think he may have saved Trevor’s life.”

Reed, a former Marine from Texas, was released from the Russian prison on Wednesday as part of an international prisoner swap between the United States and Russia. He had been held in Russia since 2019.

Trevor Reed’s family said they met with him Thursday for a few hours. His mother, Paula Reed, said it was the first time they had hugged him and said “it was heaven.”

The Reeds said they received a phone call early Thursday morning from Roger Carsten, the presidential envoy for hostage affairs, who handed the phone to Trevor Reed, who was on a plane headed to the US.

Reed was arrested in Russia while visiting his girlfriend after Russian authorities alleged he grabbed the steering wheel of a police car and assaulted a police officer while drunk.

Reed denied the accusations and maintained his innocence. A year later he was sentenced to nine years in prison. After several appeals, he was transferred from a Moscow prison to a remote penal colony.

Reed was traded for Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, a convicted drug trafficker.

Reed’s parents said their son has a long road to recovery in an interview with David Muir of ABC News on Wednesday.

He is currently in a medical facility receiving care, but his family did not have a full update on his health on Friday.

“We don’t really have a lot of answers yet. He’s getting tests. He’s in a top-tier medical facility and he’s getting excellent care, so we’re excited about that, but we won’t really know more for a few.” days,” said Paula Reed.

The Reeds pushed for years for the United States to negotiate their son’s release, even personally pleading with Biden.

Other Americans, including Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner, remain in detention in Russia.

“Our hearts go out to them and we can only imagine how disappointed they are that their loved ones couldn’t come home,” said Paula Reed.

She added that Whelan’s release was the first thing her son mentioned when the family spoke.

“He said he wasn’t feeling well and we said, ‘Do you mean physically?’ He said, ‘No, mom. I feel terrible that Paul is still there and I’m here.’ And he said when he gets better, I’ll start advocating for them to bring Paul home right away,'” Paula Reed said.



Reference-abcnews.go.com

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