By Debra Tice, Mother of Austin Tice
Another Year Gone
August 14, 2024 – August 14, 2025
The year from August 14, 2024 to August 14, 2025 was the most dynamic and challenging of all the previous years of relentless efforts to see Austin walk free again. It was a year of opportunities, of new people stepping up to work diligently for Austin’s return, and there was an incredible, unexpected historic event that filled our hearts with expectation.
On August 14, 2024, the first day of Austin’s 13th year of captivity, Hostage Aid worked with Promofix International to launch a massive multimedia campaign across Lebanon, Syria, and neighboring countries, including SMS, TV and radio, introducing Austin Tice and then asking for information. Pierre El Daher, CEO of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI), also generously donated hours of airtime on the number one tv station in the region to support the campaign. Thousands of responses are still flooding in. Hostage Aid Worldwide faithfully runs down every lead.
On that same day, as a reminder of Austin’s 12 years of imprisonment, The Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club hosted a concert starring rising country music star Scotty Hasting performing. There was a great turnout, and not a dry eye in the room.
September 14, 2024, Hostage Aid Worldwide hosted its First Annual Polo for Freedom event to raise awareness about hostages around the world, including Austin Tice.
September 30, in New York City, there was a very important United Nations General Assembly side event hosted by Hostage Aid Worldwide and Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights. I was honored as Austin’s mother to share my experience and concerns of the horrible growing menace of hostage-taking.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke powerfully at this groundbreaking global forum on “Countering Hostage Taking”. Diplomats and many attendants affected by hostage-taking shared experiences and ideas.
Five of Austin’s siblings share about how hostage-taking affects them:
Meagan Tice Malone: “Many times over the past 13 years, we have lived on the edge of our seats, waiting for the phone call, believing ‘it’s about to happen, any moment now’. That roller coaster is one no family should ever have to endure. After a few years, I had to step back emotionally…”
Jonathan Tice-Zelaya: “The ache does not subside over time, but rather becomes more acute with every passing milestone in our lives, the heartbreak of not having our family whole.”
Jacob Tice: “There is no means of returning to Austin what has been taken from him in 13 years. Holidays, but especially graduations, weddings, births – the precious moments that each of us keep as the priceless artifacts of our lives – they cannot be restored to him”
Abigail Tice Edaburn: “Another year gone. Another year filled with moments and memories that aren’t shared with my oldest brother. Another year of my children’s childhoods without their uncle.”
Naomi Tice: “Growing up in a large family, I always knew who I should go to for advice. No matter the problem, Austin had the answer, and he had a little perspective to go with it. He always made time to take my calls…even while reporting in Syria. So, in August 2012, when that voice went silent, it was deafening. I’d never made a major life decision without his input…Over these last 13 years, I’ve questioned time and time again, ‘What would Austin say’ and the silence is painful. We know Austin is still alive, we know he will be back with us soon – giving advice and sharing his experiences. Until then, I will continue relying on the memories of the world’s best oldest brother and praying for the day we can make new memories together.”
In early October, we began to discuss having the entire Tice family, 17 people – adults and children – to gather in Washington, DC to advocate for Austin.
October 29, I ordered 17 matching t-shirts as a symbol of our family unity; Austin’s face on the front, bold letters “Bring Austin Tice Home – Family is Everything” on the back.
November 5, 2024, the Presidential election was won by Donald Trump.
We sincerely hoped the lame duck outgoing President Biden would be eager to end his service with a strong heroic gesture and bring Austin home. We also hoped to have opportunities to re-engage with the incoming President Trump.
November 9, The annual 5k “Run for Austin” sponsored by the Press Freedom Center, was larger than ever, with US and international groups participating along with Austin’s Houston Boy Scout Troop. It was uplifting to see so many people come out to express their support.
Abigail Tice Edaburn: “This year, Austin’s absence felt heavier.
There hasn’t been a single area of my life that hasn’t been touched in some way by Austin’s absence these past 13 years… Maybe it was all of us being together in D.C. without him… Maybe it was hosting such a successful run in a whole different country (London)… wishing that he can see how many people love him and want him home.”
December 5, 2024, Thursday, all of the Tice family arrived at our nation’s capitol, ready to use the next 3 days to aggressively advocate for Austin’s release and take advantage of the competitive window between the “two administrations”.
While we successfully engaged with the incoming officials of the Trump administration, our pleas to the outgoing Biden administration fell on deaf ears.
December 6, Friday, the entire Tice family, three generations, were on the dais for a Press Conference at the National Press Club. Hostage Aid Worldwide gave a presentation about the ongoing media campaign so generously supported by Promofix International and LBCI.
As a family, we met in the White House with the National Security Advisor and his staff. We met with the Secretary of State in his office at the State Department. In the Hoover Building we met with senior officials of the FBI. We spoke with the leaders of the Hostage Recover Fusion Cell.
December 7, Saturday morning, we met on the Georgetown Campus with our top advisors.
Saturday evening we had a gathering for all the people we had met in DC these past 12 years.
While we were having an evening of comradery, Damascus, Syria, was under siege from the Rebels.
December 8, early Sunday morning, we heard that the Assad family rule of Syria was ended. That day, as prison walls were broken and cell doors opened, thousands of prisoners rushed out to meet their waiting families.
Meagan Tice Malone: “Being in DC, together as a family when the regime fell was surreal and chaotic. From one moment to the next, we never knew what news would come or how any of it would affect Austin.”
Jacob Tice: “As the status quo of decades of authoritarianism came crashing down in Syria last December, we were gathered in DC to do the next best thing: work to give Austin a future wrapped in the warmth and love of his family. We celebrated with the Syrian people and spoke out with one clear voice about the significance of the moment.”
Information and questions for our family poured in. The Tice family pulled together, Austin’s siblings rearranged their travel plans, shared information with their employers, and made plans to stay at least a week in DC. Working with our Public Relations advisor, these siblings managed dozens of media interviews as if they had been doing so all their lives.
Meagan Tice Malone: “I truly believe the U.S. Government missed a critical window to reunite our family, and that failure was devastating. After extending my trip with my siblings for a week to advocate for Austin’s release, I sobbed the entire flight back to Houston, feeling devastated to be leaving without a resolution.”
Nizar Zakka, President of Hostage Aid Worldwide, wasted no time before he took off to Damascus to search the prisons for Austin and other foreign hostages in Damascus.
Meagan Tice Malone: “It was incredible to witness the individuals and organizations who immediately stepped up – who put boots on the ground and began searching for my brother. They went into dangerous, dark places – prisons, caves, tunnels, even areas under bombardment – risking everything to find clues that might lead to Austin.”
Jonathan Tice-Zelaya: “In December, when the Syrian people made their voices heard in their struggle against the al-Assad government, we knew this was an unprecedented opportunity to bring Austin home”
Naomi Tice: “In December 2024, I thought that silence was finally over. Learning the Rebels had breached Damascus, we all thought it was only a matter of hours before we received news that would lead us to Austin. We waited all night, throughout the next week, and for months into the new year, certain he would be walking free any minute.”
December 17, I learned Bashar al-Assad had fled to Moscow. I sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking him to question Bashar al-Assad about Austin’s whereabouts.
December 19, President Putin mentioned Austin Tice twice in his end of year press conference.
January 15, 2025, I arrived in Beirut to meet up with Hostage Aid Worldwide. Nizar introduced me to the new President of Lebanon, the new Prime Minister, and the new General Secretary of Lebanese General Security. Each meeting was a plea for support of our efforts to locate Austin Tice.
January 18, Nizar Zakka coordinated a trip to Syria.
It was wonderful to meet with Cardinal Zenari, the Apostolic Nuncio to Syria.
We went to some of the prisons where Austin may have been incarcerated.
Amazingly, we also had a warm meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Presidential Palace shortly before he was appointed President of Syria. He pledged his support to find Austin. In the time since, he has been good to his word.
Jacob Tice: “Since December, my mother and Hostage Aid Worldwide have been to Syria and to the region working with the new Syrian government to learn all they can about Austin’s years in captivity, and to discover his whereabouts. My heart is full of gratitude for those efforts, and with certainty that with diligence, hope, and perseverance, Austin will be found and returned at last to his homeland and to the family and friends who love and miss him dearly.”
January 20, In Syria: Hostage Aid Worldwide Holds Damascus Press Conference with Debra Tice and Families for Freedom, the room was packed.
January 24, I returned to Houston.
I have spent a lot of time in DC this year.
Hostage Aid Worldwide has spent a lot of time in Lebanon and Syria this year, searching for hostages and working to secure the release of hostages.
August 10, 2025, Bill McCarren of The Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club and I began working on the intense conference he was hosting on Thursday, August 14 – a reminder that will be 13 years detention for Austin Tice.
August 11, Birthday dinner in honor of Austin’s 44th birthday.
August 14, 2025, full day conference marking the 13th year of Austin’s captivity – the longest ever of an American journalist.
The event was hosted by Bill McCarren, Director of the Press Freedom Center, and sponsored by Hostage Aid and other supporting organizations. It was live-streamed by C-Span courtesy of dedicated supporters of Austin.
Nizar Zakka, President of Hostage Aid Worldwide, joined remotely from Syria because he was still working for hostages in the Middle East.
Also joining from overseas were international journalists and the former Czech Ambassador to Syria, Eva Filipi, who served as the US protecting power to Syria. Many other distinguished panelists, including journalists, academics, and former intelligence officials participated.
What a very full year full of change, hope, and challenge.
Jacob Tice: “I pray that this will be the last August in which we celebrate Austin’s birthday in absentia, and the anniversary of his detention will soon be only a dark memory fading fast behind the light of a bright future.”
Abigail Tice: “May this be the last anniversary of Austin’s disappearance that we ever spend without him.”
… the sun rose on August 15 and Austin began his 14th year of detention.
We are not giving up. He will walk free, we will get him home.
May it be soon.
~Faith~Hope~Love~
Appreciation:
Meagan Tice: “I am endlessly grateful for those who continue to fight, to ask the hard questions, to seek answers, and to share the truth – until the day my brother comes home.”
Jonathan Tice-Zelaya: “Hostage Aid Worldwide has been a stalwart ally, and in the past year has engaged in especially monumental ways, accompanying my mother in Syria and working with the new government, the Syrian people, and world leaders to ascertain Austin’s whereabouts and do everything possible to bring him home.
I am profoundly grateful for their dedication to making our family whole again, and hope daily that the dedication and perseverance they demonstrate leads to the end of this dark chapter and the return of Austin to our family.”
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Marc Tice, Austin’s Father: “It is an understatement to say Austin’s captivity has affected every aspect of our family’s life. It is also true that without the support of one-time strangers who are now close and cherished friends, this journey to bring Austin home would be impossibly daunting.
Among those many people and groups Hostage Aid Worldwide is unique. Nizar, Carole, and the entire HAW team have worked tirelessly to find and bring Austin home. They have engaged other individuals and organizations in their efforts, vastly expanding our reach. Their reputation and network of contacts have allowed my wife Debra to engage with people of enormous influence – compressing months of effort into mere weeks or days. When Nizar has accompanied Debra in Beirut or Damascus, I know she has a capable and resourceful companion.”
By:
Debra Tice, Mother of Austin Tice
