MILWAUKEE — The CEO of a Milwaukee-based company made a heartfelt plea on the White House lawn this week, urging President Donald Trump to intervene in the detention of his parents by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Johnathan Reynolds, the CEO of recruiting agency Titus Talent, stated that his elderly parents, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, have been held in an Afghan prison for the past two months.
"We are continuously told that they have done nothing wrong, they have committed no crimes, and they will be released shortly," Reynolds said. "But still they remain in jail."
The Reynolds are British citizens who have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years, focusing on training teachers. After weeks of uncertainty following their detention, their family in the U.S. is now seeking assistance from the highest levels of government.
Watch: Milwaukee CEO appeals to President Trump to help parents detained by Taliban
"I love this country; I've lived here for 26 years," Reynolds said, standing alongside his youngest daughter, who is also part of the family that includes 13 American citizen grandchildren and great-grandchildren. "We are appealing to [President Trump] to do everything you can to get them out of that jail and out of that country."
In an effort to raise awareness, the Reynolds family has launched a website titled "Free Peter and Barbie," emphasizing the couple's role as beloved parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents to countless individuals around the globe.
"My grandpa and grandma are being held by the Taliban. Mr. President, please get my grandparents out," said Anabelle Reynolds, Johnathan’s daughter. "I just want to see them again. Please, I know you can, and I really want you to."
Faye Hall, an American citizen who was detained alongside the Reynolds, was released by the Taliban this past Saturday, providing a glimmer of hope for the family.
Reynolds shared that the British government is actively working to secure the release of his parents, but as someone born in Britain and raised in America, he is appealing for assistance from U.S. officials as well.
"As a British citizen by birth and an American by choice, I'm standing here asking for your help to get my parents out of jail," he said.
As the family continues to seek answers and action, they remain hopeful for a swift resolution.
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