It has been five days since Brittney Griner was released from Russian prison after the U.S. reached a prisoner swap deal in the United Arab Emirates. The deal exchanged Griner for international arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Since arriving to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Griner has spent time with her wife, Cherelle and other family members, as well as eaten plenty of the city’s Smoke Shack barbecue and her favorite snacks. But as Griner relishes the moments with her family members that she has missed over the last 10 months, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan has weighed on her mind heavily.