Christina Goldbaum

But they didn't even imagine that they were only days away from walking out the prison's gates and being free. And then on Saturday night, he told me, wake up. One of his cellmates shook him to wake him up and was telling him that something was going on, that maybe they would be freed.

But they didn't even imagine that they were only days away from walking out the prison's gates and being free. And then on Saturday night, he told me, wake up. One of his cellmates shook him to wake him up and was telling him that something was going on, that maybe they would be freed.

And Bilal didn't believe him. He told him to leave him alone. He was asleep.

And Bilal didn't believe him. He told him to leave him alone. He was asleep.

And Bilal hears people shouting, God is great. And he realizes that something is going on. And eventually he pieces together that one of the prison guards had stripped off his uniform, opened one of the cells, dropped the keys, and ran. Go out.

And Bilal hears people shouting, God is great. And he realizes that something is going on. And eventually he pieces together that one of the prison guards had stripped off his uniform, opened one of the cells, dropped the keys, and ran. Go out.

And all of the prisoners from that cell had taken the keys, had unlocked the other cells there, and they were rushing out of the doors out of the prison.

And all of the prisoners from that cell had taken the keys, had unlocked the other cells there, and they were rushing out of the doors out of the prison.

We don't know for certain, but it seemed like maybe the guard had heard that the rebels were nearing the prison and thought that if he opened the prison cells and wore civilian clothes, he could blend in with prisoners leaving themselves and escape. So you go out, you see that everyone is leaving. Where do you go? What did you do?

We don't know for certain, but it seemed like maybe the guard had heard that the rebels were nearing the prison and thought that if he opened the prison cells and wore civilian clothes, he could blend in with prisoners leaving themselves and escape. So you go out, you see that everyone is leaving. Where do you go? What did you do?

He runs to an office within the prison, finds a photo of Bashar al-Assad, and burns it.

He runs to an office within the prison, finds a photo of Bashar al-Assad, and burns it.

And in that moment, how would you describe how you felt?

And in that moment, how would you describe how you felt?

I think the past week and a half has been a kind of whirlwind of emotions for Bilal and his family. I talked to his mom about this. For his mother, when you saw Bilal, tell me about that moment.

I think the past week and a half has been a kind of whirlwind of emotions for Bilal and his family. I talked to his mom about this. For his mother, when you saw Bilal, tell me about that moment.

On the one hand, they are incredibly grateful and happy and overjoyed that they finally have one of their sons home, that he's okay, that he's with their family, that he's alive. And Bilal himself is overjoyed to be free, to be able to be with his family and be back in his home and not live in the perpetual fear of being beaten or tortured in prison.

On the one hand, they are incredibly grateful and happy and overjoyed that they finally have one of their sons home, that he's okay, that he's with their family, that he's alive. And Bilal himself is overjoyed to be free, to be able to be with his family and be back in his home and not live in the perpetual fear of being beaten or tortured in prison.

But at the same time, I think with every day that's passed since the Assad government fell, his mom, his dad, Bilal, have all realized more and more that it's very unlikely his brothers are coming home.

But at the same time, I think with every day that's passed since the Assad government fell, his mom, his dad, Bilal, have all realized more and more that it's very unlikely his brothers are coming home.