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Alan P. Gross Gains the Freedom From Cuba He Thought Would Never Come Alan P. Gross Gains the Freedom From Cuba He Thought Would Never Come
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — Alan P. Gross stood up, raised his arms and let out a gratified gasp when the pilot of the military aircraft carrying him back from five years as a prisoner in Cuba announced Wednesday morning that he had crossed into American airspace.WASHINGTON — Alan P. Gross stood up, raised his arms and let out a gratified gasp when the pilot of the military aircraft carrying him back from five years as a prisoner in Cuba announced Wednesday morning that he had crossed into American airspace.
“I’m free,” he told his two adult daughters in separate phone calls from the plane, shortly before speaking with President Obama, according to people onboard the plane. “I’m free,” he told his two adult daughters in separate phone calls from the plane, shortly before speaking with President Obama, according to people onboard.
It had been just hours since Mr. Gross, who spent most of the last five years in a cramped cell at a Havana military hospital, had received word from his lawyer that he was to be released.It had been just hours since Mr. Gross, who spent most of the last five years in a cramped cell at a Havana military hospital, had received word from his lawyer that he was to be released.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Mr. Gross, 65, a native New Yorker who trained as a social worker and traveled the world as an independent contractor specializing in international development.“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Mr. Gross, 65, a native New Yorker who trained as a social worker and traveled the world as an independent contractor specializing in international development.
The release of Mr. Gross, who was detained on Dec. 3, 2009, and labeled a spy, was part of a historic thaw in Cuban-American relations announced by President Obama. The announcement did not come, however, until after Mr. Gross landed safely at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. The release of Mr. Gross, who was detained on Dec. 3, 2009, and labeled a spy, was part of a historic thaw in Cuban-American relations announced by President Obama. That announcement did not come, however, until after Mr. Gross landed safely at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
“It’s good to be home,” a gaunt but cheerful Mr. Gross said at a news conference in Washington. “It’s the best Hanukkah I’ll be celebrating in a long time.”“It’s good to be home,” a gaunt but cheerful Mr. Gross said at a news conference in Washington. “It’s the best Hanukkah I’ll be celebrating in a long time.”
Mr. Gross had lost more than 100 pounds in custody, as well as five teeth, most of the sight in his right eye and some mobility. He said he was confined in the cell — eight and a half feet by 11 feet — for up to 23 hours a day. The bright lights were never turned off, and he thought about suicide, telling recent visitors that he would not be around to celebrate his birthday next year. Mr. Gross had lost more than 100 pounds in custody, as well as five teeth, most of the sight in his right eye and some mobility. He was confined in the cell — eight and a half feet by 11 feet — for up to 23 hours a day. The bright lights were never turned off, and he thought about suicide, telling recent visitors that he would not be around to celebrate his birthday next year.
“He was very depressed, and he had kind of a suicide-escape plan in mind,” said Peter Kornbluh, a researcher at the National Security Archive in Washington and an author of the book “Back Channel to Cuba.” He visited Mr. Gross twice during his imprisonment.“He was very depressed, and he had kind of a suicide-escape plan in mind,” said Peter Kornbluh, a researcher at the National Security Archive in Washington and an author of the book “Back Channel to Cuba.” He visited Mr. Gross twice during his imprisonment.
Mr. Gross passed his time reading, talking Cuban politics and economics with cellmates and exercising, Mr. Kornbluh said in an interview from Havana. Mr. Gross tried to keep up his strength by doing pull-ups and eating jars of peanut butter brought to him by officials from the United States Interests Section in Havana.Mr. Gross passed his time reading, talking Cuban politics and economics with cellmates and exercising, Mr. Kornbluh said in an interview from Havana. Mr. Gross tried to keep up his strength by doing pull-ups and eating jars of peanut butter brought to him by officials from the United States Interests Section in Havana.
He pined for his family. When he and Mr. Kornbluh met in 2012, Mr. Gross held up a sign reading “Hi, Mom,” as he posed for a cellphone picture with Mr. Kornbluh, believing that would be the only way to get a message to his ailing mother. She died in June of lung cancer, the Cuban government having rejected his pleas for a temporary leave. He pined for his family. When he and Mr. Kornbluh met in 2012, Mr. Gross held up a sign reading “Hi, Mom,” as he posed for a cellphone picture with Mr. Kornbluh, believing that would be the only way to get a message to his ailing mother. She died in June of lung cancer, the Cuban government having rejected his pleas for a temporary leave to visit her.
Mr. Gross was born in Rockville Centre on Long Island and raised there and in Baltimore. He attended the University of Maryland and Virginia Commonweath University in before settling in Potomac, Md., with his wife, Judy, to raise two daughters, Shira and Nina. His international development work took him to Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, the West Bank and Gaza, Azerbaijan and Bulgaria, among other places.Mr. Gross was born in Rockville Centre on Long Island and raised there and in Baltimore. He attended the University of Maryland and Virginia Commonweath University in before settling in Potomac, Md., with his wife, Judy, to raise two daughters, Shira and Nina. His international development work took him to Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, the West Bank and Gaza, Azerbaijan and Bulgaria, among other places.
He volunteered for the youth division of the B’nai B’rith Jewish advocacy group and played the mandolin in his Reform temple’s band, the Shabattones.He volunteered for the youth division of the B’nai B’rith Jewish advocacy group and played the mandolin in his Reform temple’s band, the Shabattones.
“He’s a very soulful man, really spiritual, and therefore connected with people on that very deep and very intimate level very quickly,” Jack A. Luxemburg, his rabbi at Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, Md., said in an interview. “That’s why he was so successful in his international work.” “He’s a very soulful man, really spiritual, and therefore connected with people on that very deep and very intimate level very quickly,” Jack A. Luxembourg, his rabbi at Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, Md., said in an interview. “That’s why he was so successful in his international work.”
He traveled to Cuba several times in 2009 on a contract with the United States Agency for International Development for a project to improve Internet access for the Jewish community there. He brought in cellphones, wireless devices, computers and network equipment. On the final night of his fifth visit that year, Mr. Gross was arrested and told he was being investigated for smuggling contraband.He traveled to Cuba several times in 2009 on a contract with the United States Agency for International Development for a project to improve Internet access for the Jewish community there. He brought in cellphones, wireless devices, computers and network equipment. On the final night of his fifth visit that year, Mr. Gross was arrested and told he was being investigated for smuggling contraband.
He was held in a military hospital, where the guards carried submachine guns, the food was meager and the company was scarce.He was held in a military hospital, where the guards carried submachine guns, the food was meager and the company was scarce.
Mr. Gross, who declined to be interviewed Wednesday, said through a spokeswoman that he was served only two hot meals during his five years in prison — one of them a plate of eggs Wednesday morning.Mr. Gross, who declined to be interviewed Wednesday, said through a spokeswoman that he was served only two hot meals during his five years in prison — one of them a plate of eggs Wednesday morning.
Back home, Mr. Gross’s absence took its toll, forcing his wife to sell their home and move into an apartment in Northwest Washington. He returned there with his wife on Wednesday, requesting privacy.Back home, Mr. Gross’s absence took its toll, forcing his wife to sell their home and move into an apartment in Northwest Washington. He returned there with his wife on Wednesday, requesting privacy.
Mr. Gross did not allow himself to believe he was being freed until he saw his wife at the airport in Havana, accompanied by members of Congress.Mr. Gross did not allow himself to believe he was being freed until he saw his wife at the airport in Havana, accompanied by members of Congress.
“He is very thin and very frail, but his face lit up when we came into the room,” said Representative Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland. “It was clear from his face that he realized that the moment was finally real.”“He is very thin and very frail, but his face lit up when we came into the room,” said Representative Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland. “It was clear from his face that he realized that the moment was finally real.”
On board, he was served a large bowl of popcorn and a corned beef sandwich on rye with mustard. On board, he was served favorite foods he had been craving — a large bowl of popcorn and a corned beef sandwich on rye with mustard.
Mr. Obama said they when he called during the flight, Mr. Gross “said he was willing to interrupt his corned beef sandwich to talk to me.” Mr. Obama said when he called during the flight, Mr. Gross “said he was willing to interrupt his corned beef sandwich to talk to me.”