Watch the full interview!

To the courageous Tom, Keith and Marc, welcome home. My name is Emily Berliner, daughter of Col Daniel Berliner, who was present upon your arrival in San Antonio. My husband Capt Jonathan Stitt, a translator at Army South, and myself had each of you in our thoughts for such a long time. With news of your release reaching us, we have been glued to reports from the media but mostly from my father, Col Berliner. I am watching each of you share your story with Robin Meade from my living room in San Antonio and am so proud and elated to see you all sharing this story with such strength and integrity. My father informed me that you are all in good spirits and that is even more wonderful to know. All the warmest wishes from myself and my family to all three of you and your families. Welcome Back...you are truly amazing people.

I am soooo elated to finally see an interview with the 3 American Hostages(Keith, Marc & Tom).

I have been waiting for one since your release & glad to see that you are telling your story to the world.

My heart goes out to you gentleman,,,, being held & chained for 5 + yrs in Colombia. I agree the FARC are not Revolutionary people & totally agree that they do not believe in human rights.

I hope the best for the other hostages being held in Colombia & they will be free soon.

I hope the Americans who have been freed will adjust to their full extent & would love to meet Keith Stansell someday. If Keith ever reads this comment,,,, My Father was(passed away) a LT. Col in the Marines & your haircut reminds me of yours! Love the Burr haircut & keep it that way.

Best Wishes to you three,

Becky

GOD BLESS THE FORMER HOSTAGES AND THEIR FAMLIES. WHAT STRONG MEN-I AM SO PROUD OF THEM. ROBIN MEADE/ I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED YOUR REPORTING. BUT NOW I HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR YOU AS A JOURNALIST. THANK YOU

Tom, Keith and Marc......welcome home! We are so thrilled for you! Thank you for sharing with your fellow human beings....your story....we really appreciate it..... and you. You are heros, and a great example of men...and Americans.....and again, thank you, thank you for letting us in!

First Id like to say Thank you for all of your sacrifices you all have made to try to bring hope and peace to this world, theres no way we could ever thank you enough,but from the bottom of my heart I want you to know that it is greatly appreciated by me and mine.God be with you and yours. I realize your lives will never be the same, but it so very important your message reaches everyone,so they may realize how very important it is that you stand for America,and your sacrifices were not in vain. People need to get more involved in pushing "THE POWERS THAT BE" to bring more POW's and MIA's back.Everyone of you have given of yourselves and all your convictions,The least we can do is Honor each and everyone of you by making sure you are ALL home,Make it TOP PRIORITY. Donna in New Hampshire

wow!!! ms meade, you did a bang up job there!!! and the three guys were very honest, up front, and comfortable chatting with you... commendable!!!

capt jeff
meriden, connecticut

I'm sure that Rainbow was a sign from heaven above since it gave them such strength and courage that they were able to overcome and pursue thru a place where we cannot even begin to imagine. Perhaps even more so was that little broken piece of machete l – a tool left by God which he used so well fbo of all those there! I pray for their continued strength and faith to get them thru what will surely be a very challenging transition back into "normalcy." My heart goes out to the many people in this world who suffer such atrocities at the hands of so few evil men. Thank you Robin Meade for enabling these men to share their stories with us.

God Bless America!

To: Tom, Keith and Marc:
You guys are blessed to be home! I followed the news, sometimes we did not hear anything about you and I was worry to think the worse. I saw the pain in your eyes in the few videos taken of you. I hope that you guys realized that if you survived that experience each of you guys are blessed! In a way you can educate so many other people about the pain and the difficult political/social situation in countries like Colombia. I will continue to think about you guys I wish you the best! Wellcome home!

As a colombian living in the USA since 1993, I feel the greatest relieve and joy with your rescue. We Colombians are not all like those maniacs that hide their drug and human trafic behind a non existing cause.
It is sad to see that so many years of your lives were taken away from you by a group of pigs.
It is even worst to see some countries backing the FARC and getting involved putting obstacles against our desire to erradicate them forever!
We dont want any more FARC, we dont want any more drug traffic in Colombia, we dont want countries helping FARC and attacking the effort that we do to pacify our country.
We dont want anymore hostages in colombia.

I am so happy for you and everybody else rescued in that operation, but specially for you since your country receive us all with open arms and oportunities to work with dignity. and because you were working there to help us make our country better.

I am so proud of the great president we have and proud of the effort of our military forces that work under so much pressure specially from left wing non govermental organizations that are always looking after the interest of the guerrilla and bad guys.

Enjoy this days and the rest of your life and live intensely each minute of each day.

Sincerely

Dr Alvaro Ordonez
Miami

Dear Tom, Keith and Marc,

Words simply cannot convey my awe, respect and admiration for all of you. Your ability to even have this interview is amazing. Each of you expresses yourself in such a poignant way. I know you only had time to give us a slight impression of the barbaric conditions and treatment. You are a testiment to the human will to survive. I pray for your healing of body and spirit.

May you be surrounded with love and support today and always.

Thank you Robin for your handling of this very important interview.

Sincerely,

Rita Houston

To Robin and staff,

I watched the CNN special last weekend (July 6th) that you ran (HBO documentary2002)It was so interesting. Could someone please tell me what happened to Ingrid Bettencourt's husband?? The special interviewed him and showed him taking her picture village to village in Columbia, campaigning for the 2002 election. There has been NO MENTION of him and he was not one of the relatives meeting her.

I have made several inquiries to other media but have heard nothing. If you could just point me in the right direction to find out I would really appreciate it.

Many thanks,

Rita Hendrix

God bless each of you. He showed you that rainbow for a reason. America is blessed because of people like you.
Enjoy the cross country trip you will be taking. The wind in your face, it will feell amazing.

I live in Texas and I am currently watching the interview as I sat and watched with tears in my eyes I wanted to share something I wrote..God Bless and keep all those still in captivity..My prayers are with each and everyone of you..Thank you to men how risked their lives to rescue you and great praise to them for doing so without a single shot fired...
Thank You Robin for bringing us their story...

You were shackled and chained in a country far away from here.
My heart bled as I listened and watched shedding tear after tear.
To imagine the ordeal and the struggles that you all went through.
To be set free after more than five years must be a dream come true.

God bless the men that came and set the hostages free.
Joining your loved ones once again what a feeling this must be.
As you embrace your families and freedom thanking God you survived.
I pray for the remaining hostages, so glad you are all here and alive.

May your hearts and minds heal after all you have been through.
From this day forward my thoughts and prayers will be with you.
God bless and keep you and your families in this time of need
There is nothing in this life at which you can not succeed...

Written by Gabriele Zarecor For The American Hostages
this 12th day of July 2008

Congrats to you all and your families! I praise your courage and strength. You are an example to us all. God bless the road you travel now and enjoy the riches of your life.

I am so happy to finally see an interview with these 3 amazingly strong Americans. I am an adopted daughter of this country and when I see and hear guys like you I feel even prouder of calling myself American. I am an Army veteran and even though what I lived in Iraq as a soldier doesn't compare with what you lived for the last 5 years in captivity, I can relate to you a little when you talk about the little things that you don't appreciate when you have them like the glass of water, something as simple as being able to take a shower, or drive your car down the road with your windows down and not worried about your safety. I came back from Iraq 2 1/2 years ago and I still love driving and the feeling of arms hanging from the steering wheel and my legs on the car seat and feeling my lower legs... I had never taken the time to do something as simple as that before....
I'm so glad to see you finally free, so humble and so strong.
God Bless You and keep you that way.

Gentlemen,
My wife and I are so happy to see the three of you reunited with you loved ones and this country of ours. I am married to a wonderful and beautiful Colombian woman and have been for 12 years. I am sure that the three of you will agree with me when I say that all Colombians are not anything like what you experienced with those terrorist. I hope the American people will not think that the FARC represent the average Colombian. There are good and loving people in Colombia and I hope you will tell of the good ones you knew while you were there. I wish all of you happiness and ask that God Bless you each.

Respectfully
HD Lozano
Texas

When saw the combined length of the two-part interview (just inside 58 minutes), I first thought that I'd probably watch pieces of it over different points. No way......I was completely transfixed and blown away by this interview. Robin Meade did the right thing in letting the 3 guys do the talking. These 3 "brothers" clearly showed all of us how indomitable the human spirit can be. As I watched their lucid...crystal clear recollections of where they have been and their equally clear statements of where they will be going, I was very inspired. Broken by their experiences? Heck no......if anything, albeit under circumstances no one should ever have to endure, these 3 already good men will undoubtedly be better people for how they've chosen to deal with that experience. God Bless these heroes of the human spirit. As I will do, I hope all who watched this.....and those who didn't will heed their words and remember those who are still in captivity.

Mark, Keith, and Tom,
So glad you are home! You have all been on my daily prayer list for health, strength, safety, and rescue since I first learned of your plight.
God bless you and your loved ones. I will continue to pray for you.

Robin; A fine quality job in this interview. While I realize you had to get close to these guys, your interview was 1st class. I hope you have a future opportunity to follow these gentlemen as they have a real story to tell on FREEDOM we all take forgrabnted.

One of the interestimg things about there release was that John McCain was in Columbia when they were released. He also a former
prisioner of war probably would love to recieve a copy of your interview.

I have personally known John, who is a first class gentleman in real life. All of these gentlemen while not politicians have an excellent story to tell. I hope you have the exclusive right to future interviews when they agree to speak about more. The book right should be worth MILLIONS.

Regards
RON Hands I am 76 years old and former military.

Good Morning, I am very happy they are free from captivity! I have one comment though on the reporting. I feel that from *all the interviews* was heavily reporting just about the americans. They were the actual few of the 15 released. Seemed that the *more important* was just the 3 americans rather then the whole. One single women was released, this must of been beyond tragic for her, why was this not covered well by CNN. Is this due to her not being american? Many people from many countries watch the reporting here. It is sad that the biased nature is always for the americans. Please when there are events such as this, the whole group is just as important. Each single life is as important as the 3 americans. Please be more broad minded and report the whole of the event.

This is a comment directed at Babara who posted something about the biased media coverage by CNN for only covering (or mostly covering) the stories of the american ex-hostages. Babara, dont you think Colombian media is also focusing on their own ex-hostages? CNN is an American media outlet. So the rest of the world choses to watch CNN, does not mean that it should show what the world wants. The world can tune to CNN International and they will get all the international coverage they want. CNN is for United States viewer. If someone in some country decides to avoid CNN International and then watches CNN, they should be prepaired for US new coverage. So lets stop the senselss CNN-bashing. It is such a mis-informed way to analyze US media outlets!

HI, I AM HAPPY THIS 3 AMERICAN MEN ARE FREE FROM CAPTIVITY AND FAR AWAY THE JUNGLE OF COLOMBIA. I THINK NOW THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY (USA) CAN SEE CLOSER THE REALITY WE HAVE IN OUR LATIN COUNTRIES.

I AM AGREE WITH BARBARA, THERE IS MORE HOSTAGES IN THE JUNGLE, MORE FAMILIES WAITING IN COLOMBIA AND VENEZUELA, MORE STORIES AND MORE INVESTIGATION FOR TO DO.

I AM JOURNALIST AND I HAVE BEEN WAITING SEE SOME NEWS IN USA OR CANADA ABOUT THIS 3 GUYS BECAUSE THE TV DO NOT SHOW BASICLY NOTHING NEW THE PAST WEEKS UNTIL NOW, EXCEPT FOR CNN, WHICH DID THIS INTERVIEW WITH ROBIN AND THE 3 HOSTAGES.

GOOD FOR THIS INICIATIVE THAT CNN HAVE DONE, BUT I CAN NOT BELIEVE IN THIS INTERVIEW ROBIN DO NOT ASK AND DO NOT GIVE ANY CREDIT TO THE GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA DIRECTLY, IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN THIS MILITAR RESCUE. WHY? BECAUSE IS THE EDITORIAL OF CNN OR BECAUSE ROBIN DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY ALL ABOUT THIS RESCUE??

MAYBE 1 OR 2 TIMES IN ALL THIS REPORT ROBIN MENTIONED ONLY THAT IT WAS A MILITAR RESCUE BUT DO NOT EXPLAIN TO THE VIEWER AND PUBLIC THIS IS A COLOMBIAN HIT AGAINST THE FARC, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. I AM SURE A LOT PEOPLE WHO WATCH THIS REPORT ARE THINKING THAT USA GOVERNMENT RESCUE THEM. THIS KIND THINGS MAKE THE PEOPLE CONFUSE AND THIS IS NOT INFORMATION OBJECTIVE.

AS JOURNALIST I THINK ROBIN MUST BE MORE INFORMATED ABOUT THE REAL SITUATION IN COLOMBIA WITH THE FARC, WHO THEY ARE, HOW THEY WORK, THE ROLL OF THE GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA IN THIS MILITAR OPERATION. THE PUBLIC DID SOME QUESTIONS AND SHE CAN NOT ANSWER BECAUSE I AM SURE MAYBE SHE DO NOT READ SPANISH OR NOT BODY GIVE HER ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS HUGE EVENT.

PS: SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH BUT OF COURSE IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE.

THANK YOU

Other thing very interesting I noticed, this 3 men never give a press conference in Colombia to say Thank you to Uribe or to the Militars Forces of Colombia who did the rescue. They were free and inmediatly taking away directly to USA. Why all this hermetism?

Robin: This was a great interview with three brave men who held on to their beliefs in this great country! They held strong to the ideals this country is built on and have been repaid for that patriotism. I hope that they will find the peace and family support they deserve. Would love to see how they fare in a year or so. I have known other prisoners of war and they all have an unfailing loyalty to this country. If only some of our politicians, business leaders, and our adults could understand how critical these beliefs are to keeping our country free!

Liliana the only thing I can tell you is that this 3 guys are free because the job of the militar forces of Colombia and Uribe's Government . It;s clear that Bush's Government never did a campaing or try hard to released them from the jungle. That's it!
It's a pity that news like this are in second place not only for the Government also to the mass media in USA. Everything was on low profile!. CNN is the only channel who did the job and report about this sad experience.

TO RITA:

ABOUT INGRID BETANCOURT'S HUSBAND, I READ INGRID WAS VERY COLD WHEN SHE MET HIM IN THE AIRPORT. LOOK LIKE THE DIVORCE IS AN OPTION IN THIS MARRIAGE AND HE IS GIVING TO HER SOME TIME ALONE WITH THE CHILDREN.

YOU CAN FOUND MORE INFORMATION IN SPANISH NEWS:
http://www.noticias24.com. OR ALSO http://www.semana.com

HAVE A GOOD DAY

Thanks, Robin, for a VERY insigthful and moving look at what those poor hostages in Colombia went through before finally being rescued recently!! Certainly a HAPPY ending to a story that SEEMED it would have ANTHING BUT....

There's a GREAT movie with Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan, directed by Taylor Hackford ("Ray", "An Officer & A Gentleman" "Against All Odds") - 2000's "PROOF OF LIFE" - that's clearly inspired by the many kidnappings of Western contractors and what-not by FARC rebels over the years that I think is a terrific look, also, at how these verrrry self-serving and self-important "freedom-fighter" rebels operate (and how they shamelessly treat their captives).

Thanks for sharing these rescued kidnap victims' genuinely heartfelt stories with us, Robin. I rank this kidnap special right up there with some of your very moving and insightful Veterans Day reports, sweeetie!!!

Hope you're having a verrrry loving and lovely Summer so far!!!

XOXOXO Joannie H. (IDAHO)

Just wanted to congradulate you on the excellent podcast dated July 11, which consisted of the freed kidnapped men. The podcast was first rate, and I wanted to let you know I appreciated it

I find it interesting that my comments criticizing the promotion of the interview (not the interview itself,which was well done) were not posted. I guess if you have a view of CNN that is not all full of smiles and praise your opinions dont get posted.

Robin, you "rock". Absolutely the best interview ever. You made our returning hostages so comfortable. You weren't concerned about your own dialogue – just listening to them. Too many interviewers are more concerned about their own comments and camera time. I am a 70 yr old woman from GA and I was truly blown away.

if we go back to cinton presidency, the wolrd was better off because there was good relationship between us in the rest of the world.Concequently, the world economy was in good shape.

How do you let an idiot like Glenn Beck host Larry King? This guy is so far out in the lunatic fringe that he should NEVER be allowed to be a moderator. A moderator must be MODERATE!! Let him keep his weird opinions in his little circle of fanatics. Please don't have him spread this garbage under the auspices of CNN.

The fact is I don't watch CNN Headlines News much anymore, perhaps 20 minutes a day where I used to have the TV on for a couple hours each morning. You lost me for "flamboyant" reasons where you are trying to become an entertainment show instead of a newscast show. Get a band for in between times and you will have it–or something.
The reason I write is because of your newscast of Al Gore and his "wind", "sun" power program for the United States. I ask one thing. Did anyone at CNN Headline News ever hear of T. Boone Pickens? This man is a self made millionaire, spending hios own money to promote "wind" power among other things, and the News media never mention him. Why is this??? Al Gore now brings to the forefront this same subject and your all over it??? Why is this???
What a leftist news media you are. Al Gore is a phoney living on taxpapers money and T. Boone Pickens is self made man spending his own money and you AVOID him. CNN should be proud.
Thank you for reading, but not listening.

TO KEITH, TOM & MARC,

EVER SINCE MY HUSBAND & I SAW YOUR PLIGHT, WE STARTED TO PRAY FOR YOU. IMAGINE OUR SURPRISE, WHEN OUR PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED! SUCH JOY CAME INTO OUR HEARTS, AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO ROBIN/CNN FOR BRINGING US YOUR FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF SUCH TERRIBLE TREATMENT, YOU GIVE US ALL STRENGTH, PRIDE, AND HOPE. I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIVED IT, WE ARE ALL LINKED TOGETHER, AS WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR ALL HOSTAGES AND TORCHURE VICTIMS...EVERY 4TH , I WILL STOP AND THINK OF YOU THREE AND INGRID, AND WHEN I FEEL A COOL BREEZE ON MY FACE, I WILL ALWAYS THINK OF MY SWEET FREEDOM!

As a Colombian-American, I can't help but to jump for joy at this tremendous, "almost pulled from a hollywood movie" rescue. It's refreshing to see that there is an honorable, hard working president in Colombia. One who has brought light not only to these three heroes and the other hostages rescued, but to an entire nation.

By coincidence I arrived in Bogota the day Keith, Tom and Marc were rescued, and remained through the freedom walk that was done throughout Colombia and around the world on July 20th, demanding that the FARC release ALL their hostages. How wonderful it is to see that freedom and democracy are the only proven way for growth and prosperity. Long live these memories and feeling of soliderity and patriotism, not only for the US but for the progressive government of Colombia, who allow nationals like me to return and enjoy the many beautiful sides of Colombia. Hoorahh for President Uribe and the Colombian Special Forces on their outsanding job in preparing and executing the mission!

With much joy,

Diana Villeda
California