(WWJ) There were lots of tight hugs and tears at JFK International Airport as Danny Fenster greeted his family, face to face, for the first time in nearly six months.
The international journalist from Huntington Woods, Michigan, is back in the U.S. after being held in Myanmar prison.
"I'm incredibly grateful," Fenster said, speaking publicly for the first time. "Just seeing Bill and his team there out on the tarmac waiting for me...it's just the greatest, greatest feeling that I can ever remember having."
Fenster said, while imprisoned, he'd gotten only glimpse or two into what was happening back home... and was surreal.
"To my family, I was able to get little hints of what was going on occasionally throughout the experience, If I was outside the prison in court, maybe some police aid that could speak a little bit of English would flash a picture on his phone of my entire family wearing t-shirts with my face on it on CNN; which was a pretty bizarre thing to see," he said.
"I just have so much gratitude right now for everything everyone's done," Fenster added. "I think every every action everyone's taken has helped a little bit. So I'm gonna take time to celebrate and spend time with my family."
Fenster was freed on Monday with the help of former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, just days after was convicted on charges of breaching immigration law, unlawful association and encouraging dissent against the military, and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
According to The Richardson Center, Richardson was able to secure Fenster’s release by making a private humanitarian visit to Myanmar and having face-to-face negotiations with General Min Aung Hlain, Myanmar’s Commander-in-Chief. Richardson offered nothing in exchange for Fenster's freedom.
Oakland County Congressman Andy Levin (District 9), who was in New York to greet Fenster, noted the broad effort to free the journalist — with support from the American people, including from those back home in metro Detroit.
"The people, starting with Huntington Woods... Danny, I don't know what y'all gonna do," Levin said, at a news conference. "They wanna have like a tinker tape parade. They are just so excited about you finally being free, and they are just throwing their heart and soul into this."
"I'm just so grateful to Governor Richardson and everybody who had a hand in this and I so appreciate the idea of keeping our eyes on the prize that I'll bring others home," Levin said.
Danny was arrested on May 24, 2021 at Yangon International Airport just before he was due to board a flight to Malaysia.
The prosecution alleged that he was working for news agency Myanmar Now, despite the fact he resigned in July 2020 and joined Frontier Magazine.
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