FOX 21/27 – WFXR Roanoke/WWCW Lynchburg News, WeatherBedford man shares his thoughts about daughter's rescue

Bedford man shares his thoughts about daughter's rescue

When Jessica Buchanan was taken hostage last October, her father John Buchanan was at his home in Bedford, and for three months he says it was a fight to get his daughter back.

"There were some pretty dark moments. The kidnappers were very impossible to deal with. There was money available but they were completely unreasonable," says Buchanan.

At times he says he felt hopeless.

"The best people in the world were working on it our government we knew were heavily involved, but even at that there were just times there was no information," says Buchanan.

Weeks would go bye with no word from her captors he says. Despite the difficulties, he says he was hopeful; praying the next phone call would bring good news. That call came on January 28th from President Barack Obama.

"He said john this is Barack Obama and I want to let you know your daughter is safe, and he obviously empathized with his two daughter and he was very congenial, sort of stunning actually I couldn't believe I was talking to him," says Buchanan.

Buchanan says he was at a loss for words when he was reunited with his daughter.

"We didn't really say anything; we just held each other," says Buchanan.

Now the focus is on Jessica's recovery says Buchanan. Over the last few weeks, she has shared stories of what happened, some of them difficult to listen to says Buchanan.

"I have to say I am glad that at the time I didn't know, I didn't know some of things that were going on, it would have made it even that much more frustrating and just debilitating. These were just some bad people," says Buchanan.