Their romance reads like something from the pages of a Hollywood script. American freelance journalist Shane Bauer proposed to the love of his life, Sarah Shourd, while imporisoned in a Tehran jail on charges of espionage.
He fashioned a crude ring from the threads of his worn shirt and asked Sarah to marry him – if they made it out of the prison alive.
The couple did make it out of the Tehran jail and married over the weekend in San Francisco with their fellow inmate, Josh Fattal, acting as best man and more than 200 friends, family and supporters from across the world in attendance.
It’s a wonderful – and incredible – story, and it’s all true.
The three Americans were hiking in norther Iraq in September 2009 when they wandered over the border into Iran.
They were captured and held by the Iranian government who claimed they were spies.
Naturally, the incident sparked a diplomatic crisis, on that only ended in September last year when Shane and Josh, both 29, were finally released after 781 days in captivity. Sarah, a 33-year-old teacher, was released a year earlier on humanitarian grounds.
It has been reported that Shane said, “Becoming engaged to Sarah while we were in captivity allowed me to dream of a future that was not only secure, but also beautiful.
“After she was released, I often thought of her as a hero, fighting tirelessly for Josh and I. Our wedding is also a victory. I only wish those who are unjustly detained or enduring inhumane conditions in the prisons of Iran, the United States, and around the world were able to enjoy their own celebrations of love and freedom”
Congrats to them both. We hope they have a wonderful, long and happy life together!
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