A Missouri man reported missing in Hungary has been found. The American said he spent months in a Syrian prison and he’s not in a rush to get back home.
Travis Timmerman said he’s on a mission from his Lord and his imprisonment made him stronger. Timmerman reappeared in Syria on Thursday, Dec. 12, reportedly walking the streets barefoot.
A video emerged overnight, capturing the missing man just days after thousands of people were released from Syrian prisons amid the fall of President Bashar Assad. In the video, Timmerman could be seen eating and telling the person behind the camera his name and where he’s from.
Timmerman’s identity was originally mistaken for missing American journalist Austin Tice, who has been held by Syria since 2012.
The 29-year-old was in Europe before he started a Christian pilgrimage and attempted to cross in Damascus. Timmerman said he was detained by officials for seven months.
“I entered the Syrian border illegally,” Timmerman said. “I crossed the mountains between Lebanon and Syria and I was living in that mountain for three days and three nights without food or water.”
When Timmerman recounted his imprisonment, he said he was well fed and always had water. He said for him, the time in a cell made him stronger.
“I was never beaten, the only really bad part was that I couldn’t go to the bathroom when I wanted to,” Timmerman told CBS News. “I was only let out three times a day to go to the bathroom.”
Rebel forces broke into the prison where Timmerman was held. He said his cell door was broken down. Once freed, Timmerman said he slept outside and walked barefoot for a few days trying to make his way out of the country.
On Thursday, Timmerman was surrounded by reporters after being spotted. As they circled around the newly-found American, he told them he’s not a journalist.
Help was offered repeatedly, but Timmerman said he wants to stay.
“No, I’m OK for right now,” he said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented on Timmerman being found. He said the United States is working to bring back an American citizen that was found. Blinken said he can’t provide details, but the government is trying to get him out of Syria.
Missing person reports were put out by Missouri and Budapest authorities. Timmerman was last seen at a church in Hungary’s capital and according to officials he had “left of an unknown location, with no sign of life.”
A Facebook from a friend of the family said Timmerman hadn’t been seen since June.
Timmerman said he plans to continue his journey and would look into contacting his family.
