Father: Son wanted to help Afghans

Bergdahl’s father, Bob, says he is proud of how patient, determined and resilient his son was during his 5-year Taliban captivity.

But most of all, I’m proud of how much you wanted to help the Afghan people, and what you were willing to do to go to that length. And I think you have succeeded

Bowe’s father urged him to trust his military reintegration team, and Jani Bergdahl told her son to take all the time he needs to heal and decompress. They say they are grateful for the work that the U.S. government and other countries — including Qatar, which served as a go-between in the negotiations — did to bring their son home.

You are from a strong tribe, you are even stronger now. Five years is a seemingly endless long time, but you’ve made it. … You are free. Freedom is yours. I will see you soon, my beloved son.