Out of Captivity : Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle

438 OUT OF CAPTIVITYThis was my first real extended contact with a man of his rank, and theman had no airs about him, even if I was a lowly ex-Marine.As we settled into our room on that first night, I ate a cheeseburgerthat a full-bird colonel had been nice enough to rush from home toprepare for me. In between bites, I anticipated the next day. I’d managedto get ahold of a cell phone from a colleague while we were stillin Bogotá, and I spoke with my mother and father in Florida. Our conversationhad been brief, but their excitement and relief at hearing myvoice stayed with me through the rest of the day. They promised that I’dbe seeing them the following day.The next morning, they arrived, along with Lauren and Kyle. All ofthem were led into a conference room where they found me sitting ata table. We all grabbed one another in one big huddle and had a goodcry. Kyle was now sixteen years old and stood six feet six inches tall. Icould not believe that my boy had gone and eaten one of Jack’s beansand become a beanstalk himself. Lauren was now nineteen and aboutas beautiful a young woman as any man could be proud to claim as adaughter. Seeing them and their transformations was almost too much,and after I’d quieted everyone down, I felt the need to say something.“You guys. Listen up, all of you. I can’t thank you enough for themessages. You have no idea how much your words meant to me—hell,meant to all of us. You were with me when I needed you and I willnever, never be able to thank you enough, but I sure as hell am goingto try.”My dad’s an intellectual, the kind of guy who lives through his books.I’d never seen him so choked up, and just looking at him with tearsrunning down his cheeks was enough to bust me up inside.“Dad, I’m on the other side of it now. I’m bulletproof from here onout. Nothing, nothing can touch me anymore.” I reached across thetable and grabbed his arm.He put his hand on mine and said, “So many things I want to say.Should have said before—”