'Today my family is whole': Brittney Griner's wife Cherelle is 'overwhelmed' after WNBA star's release

By Owais Farooqi
Published on : 12:04 PST, Dec 8, 2022

'Today my family is whole': Brittney Griner's wife Cherelle is 'overwhelmed' after WNBA star's release

Cherelle spoke during a press conference hosted by Joe Biden at the White House about her wife Brittney Griner's release(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images and @brittneygriner/Instagram)

WASHINGTON DC: Cherelle Griner, the wife of Brittney Griner, said that since the WNBA star was freed from Russian detention, their "family is whole" again. Cherelle said at a press conference held by Joe Biden on Thursday, December 8, at the White House on Thursday shortly after learning that Brittney, 32, was released from Russian custody in a prisoner swap for a convicted weapons dealer.

In a high-level prisoner exchange on Thursday, December 8, "facilitated by the UAE," Russia released WNBA star Brittney Griner in return for the US releasing notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, putting an end to a situation that triggered protracted, high-level talks between the United States and the Kremlin to win her freedom.

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Cherelle Griner (3rd L), wife of Olympian and WNBA player Brittney Griner, speaks after U.S. President Joe Biden announced her release from Russian custody, with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (L) and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on December 08, 2022 in Washington, DC. Griner was released as part of a prisoner swap that involved Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. — Cherelle Griner (3rd L), the wife of Olympian and WNBA player Brittney Griner, speaks after U.S. President Joe Biden announced her release from Russian custody, with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (L) and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on December 08, 2022, in Washington, DC. Griner was released as part of a prisoner swap that involved Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

"She's safe. She's on a plane," President Biden said at the White House, announcing the exchange."She's on her way home. "So over the last nine months, you all have been so privy to one of the darkest moments of my life, and so today I am just standing here overwhelmed with emotions, but the most important emotion I have right now is just sincere gratitude for President Biden and his entire administration," she began as per the People.

Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.

She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 8, 2022

Noting that Biden, 80, earlier stated that bringing a US citizen back from detention abroad "is not easy," Cherelle said, "There have been so many hands involved, and so I'd like to take a moment to just specifically mention a few." "Today my family is whole, but as you all are aware, there are so many other families who aren't whole." She then cited Paul Whelan, another American who remains jailed in Russia and who was not included in the swap centered around Griner. "Thank you everybody for your support, and today's just a happy day for me and my family, so I'm gonna smile right now," Cherelle added. "Thank you."

CBS News was the first to report the swap, which took place in the United Arab Emirates after it was confirmed by a US official. The exchange agreement negotiated with Moscow in recent weeks was given final approval by Biden within just the last week, according to sources familiar with the deal. The leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates jumped in to take credit for the prisoner swap as soon as the announcement was made. "UAE, Saudi Ministries of Foreign Affairs announced the success of the mediation led by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Prince Mohammed bin Salman," Emirates News Agency (WAM), the country's official outlet, said.

UAE, Saudi Ministries of Foreign Affairs announced the success of the mediation led by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the release and exchange of two prisoners between the U.S. and Russia.#WamNews https://t.co/3P6R62ecNc pic.twitter.com/v2k4pqP5D6
— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) December 8, 2022

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'Today my family is whole': Brittney Griner's wife Cherelle is 'overwhelmed' after WNBA star's release