In a January 2026 interview with Hostage Aid, former American wrongful detainee Alan Gross reflected on the long and often misunderstood process of life after captivity, more than a decade after his release from a Cuban prison. He explained that returning home did not mark the end of his struggle, but the beginning of a continuous period of adjustment, as he relearned freedom, privacy, and everyday life. Gross spoke candidly about the lasting impact of detention, the challenge of reintegrating into family and society, and the importance of not being forgotten while in captivity. He credited his family, resilience drawn from his family’s history of survival, and a sense of perspective for helping him endure. Emphasizing humor, patience, and control over one’s response to adversity, Gross shared a message of hope for other hostages: healing takes time, but resilience and purpose make moving forward possible.

How did you adjust to being back home from captivity? Many people assume coming home is the end of the struggle. What can you clarify about this misconception?
Eleven years have passed since my release from wrongful imprisonment in Cuba and I am still adjusting. What I have learned and wish that I knew before going to Cuba is that life is an ongoing period of adjustment for all of us, regardless of the experience.

When I returned to the U.S., I promised myself 2 luxuries: 1) that I would take every opportunity to walk long distances in a straight line, and 2) that I would make sure to have private time – to be absolutely alone without any cellmate or prison guard looking over my shoulder. Being confined to a small cell with two other prisoners for five years was just that – confining – and being able to walk in a straight line and exercise my right to privacy not only reinforced my definition of freedom, but also helped me realize that I was no longer a hostage. 

Community response made both of these sometimes difficult. So many whom I did not know would come up to me to acknowledge my newfound freedom and welcome me back. Oftentimes they would ask if it was okay to take a “selfie” with me. I did not know what a “selfie” was until I was free. This became a metaphor that helped me realize that changes occurred in the US of which I was unaware and that I needed to catch up on these changes. Catching up is adjusting.

Was there anything you felt your family or friends should have done differently while you were captive?
The main thing that I was concerned about was being forgotten. My wife and legal team made sure that I knew that from them. I was unaware of activities in the US on my behalf and felt gratified when I finally learned of these. Communicating specific information to me was a process and I did not know of these until my fourth year in captivity. Everything else is academic at this point.

Looking back, what helped you get through the toughest moments of your captivity? And what helped you get through the toughest moments after your return?

Thinking of my family always helped. A small part of my family survived the Holocaust after losing everything. Seven siblings – my cousins – survived the concentration camps. I thought about them nearly everyday, and knowing that my ordeal paled by comparison to theirs and yet they survived – gave me hope that I would too.

My reintegration into family life was not too difficult for me. I think that it was more of a challenge for my family who, after 11 years, are also still adjusting. I do not recall a “toughest moment” after my return. I’m a lucky guy.

Did your challenging ordeal change the way you see life or your priorities? How?
I do not know how anyone could go through such an experience and not be changed. I am told that I’m still the same person – but a lot more patient. Voluntary retirement is working well for me. My priorities are still the same, but I now have more time to pursue these.

How did support of family, friends, or even strangers impact your reintegration?
In reality, I do not feel that my family and friends could relate to what I went through. I think they needed to see that I was a whole person before they would feel comfortable around me. Fortunately for all of us, I am a whole person. Unfortunately, I lost 5 years of my life and can never get them back. Life goes on.

How do you evaluate the efforts made by your government during your captivity, and how did their actions affect you or your family? What did you find most helpful or lacking?
This is an incredibly tough question to respond to objectively. There were people in some parts of government who were useless, rudderless and without direction. There were others to whom I shall be indebted for the rest of my life. And there were still others who worked on my behalf and I will never know them or what they did.

I can say that for years the US government, generally, did not convey to my family any depth of understanding or sense of what could be done to bring me home. I think that new structures are now in place to deal more effectively with hostage issues, including hostage families.

As a former hostage or wrongful detainee, what did you need most at that time to continue healing and moving forward?
Whiskey, cigars and good walking shoes. Also, the realization that I was one of the lucky ones. I think a good sense of humor does the trick!

Were there new goals, passions, or projects you were inspired to pursue since your return?
I try to make myself available to help former hostages and their families in any constructive way possible. I am more politically active than in the past, although that often seems to be more frustrating than being a hostage. My wife and I have been going on long road trips around the US.
Also, I am now taking Oud lessons.

When you reflect on your journey, what keeps you hopeful, and what message would you like to share with other hostages about resilience and moving forward?
Everyone goes through adversity. Everyone. We all at times feel helpless and hopeless because of the idea that we no longer have control over our lives. This is not true. We all have control over how we respond to adversity. We all do.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
There is at least one line from a book by Jack Laurence – The Cat from Hue – that I think is relevant to my experience as a hostage:

“Facing fear, accepting it, challenging it, fighting it, taking charge of it long enough to act with honor, gives back a sense of fulfillment that is among the most precious gifts in life. It doesn’t matter that no one sees or knows what you have done. Jack Laurence The Cat from Hue Page 359