Brittney Griner’s spouse, Cherelle Griner, is talking out on social media for the primary time because the WNBA star’s launch from Russia.
Griner arrived within the U.S. early Friday after a one-for-one prisoner swap for infamous worldwide arms supplier Viktor Bout. She was held in Russian prisons for practically 10 months for possessing hashish oil. CBS News was first to report the swap, which passed off within the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
In an Instagram publish Sunday, Cherelle Griner shared a collection of photographs and thanked everybody concerned in serving to safe Brittney Griner’s freedom, as they start to heal from the ordeal.
“Yesterday my heart was made whole thanks to the collective efforts of MANY! I’m humbled by their hearts. To care for another, a stranger to some, a friend to some— is humanity in its purest form,” she stated. “As BG and I start our journey to heal our minds, bodies, and spirits— I wanted to personally say thank you to some of the hands; seen and unseen, that helped make it possible for me to see my wife again!”
She particularly talked about politicians, celebrities, athletes and human rights organizations who’d highlighted Griner’s trigger. After the news first broke of the prisoner swap, Cherelle spoke to CBS News’ Gayle King about how she discovered the WNBA star was on her approach house.
“She’s still on cloud nine,” King stated, describing their dialog. “She said, ‘Gayle … I’m smiling so much, my face hurts.'”
Cherelle Griner additionally thanked the Biden-Harris administration and the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.
“I appreciate each and every one of you! Let’s continue to use our hands, voices, platforms, and resources to bring Paul and all Americans home,” her publish stated, referring to Paul Whelan, one other American nonetheless being held by Russia. “All families deserve to be whole!”
White House officers had sought the return of each Griner and Whelan, however stated Russia insisted on solely Griner or nothing. A planning session Monday was anticipated to debate the subsequent steps in efforts to safe Whelan’s launch, an official with the National Security Council confirmed to CBS News.
