Saving Sam

The True Story of an American's Disappearance in Syria and His Family's Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him Home

De: Sam Goodwin

Narrado por: Sam Goodwin, Aaran Abano, Barbara Henslee, Erin DeWard, Jonathan Todd Ross

A gripping testament of resilience, family, and faith, this is the incredible and true story of an American traveler who was captured and wrongfully imprisoned in Syria while on a journey to experience every country in the world.

What would you do if your son suddenly disappeared in Syria, and you had no idea what had happened to him? Would you contact the FBI? The State Department? Pray? Would you Google “What to do if your son disappears in Syria”?

When the unthinkable happened, the answer, in the case of Ann Goodwin and her husband Tag, was: all of the above. Their 30-year-old son Sam, who was attempting to become one of the few people in history to travel to every single country on the planet, vanished in a supposed safe-zone run by the Kurds on the Turkish border. At first, they didn’t even realize he had been abducted: maybe the phone reception had gone down, they told themselves, as had happened plenty of times before when Sam was in an off-the-beaten-path place. Just wait, he’ll call back soon.

But Sam never did call back, and over the coming days, the horror of their situation quickly bore down on the Goodwins, a devout Catholic family of seven living a middle-class suburban lifestyle in St. Louis, Missouri. Frustrated and increasingly terrified, the Goodwin’s came to realize that they couldn’t rely on their government to save Sam. They were going to have to do it themselves.

This is the extraordinary story of Sam’s abduction by the Syrian regime, who threatened to hand him over to ISIS for beheading if he did not confess to being a CIA spy. It’s also the story of a Midwestern American family who transformed themselves into their own detective agency, building up a network of journalists, hostage negotiators, Middle East experts, Russian diplomats, Vatican envoys, and shady mercenaries, until eventually—by nothing short of a miracle—they found a secret backdoor into the heart of the Syrian intelligence service itself.

Through multiple first-person narrators, Saving Sam recounts an inspiring and unforgettable saga that includes a travel journey to every country in the world, famous celebrities, heads of state, high-stakes diplomacy and critical life lessons around curiosity, uncertainty, prayer and what it ultimately means to be free. In a genuine, straightforward and sometimes humorous style, Sam draws on his experience as a hostage to demonstrate how we can all turn our own adversities into assets, whether it be in our personal, professional or spiritual lives.

©2024 Sam Goodwin (P)2024 Center Street

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Saving Sam is both a poignant narrative and an important recount of state-sponsored hostage-taking that’s being routinized, globally. Having worked on freeing American-held hostages from a dystopian Syrian regime, Sam Goodwin’s deeply personal ‘road to Damascus’ and eventual freedom is an important, timely and well-told story."—Col Christopher P. Costa, USA, ret., Former Special Assistant to the President for Counterterrorism, National Security Council, White House.

"As one of the few other people who have journeyed to every country in the world, I resonate deeply with Sam's remarkable odyssey chronicled in Saving Sam. This book is a testament to the indomitable will to survive and thrive, offering invaluable lessons that transcend boundaries and reshape our perspectives on life and the world."—Lee Abbamonte, Travel influencer and Youngest American to Visit Every Country

"Saving Sam is one of the most remarkable stories revealing the miraculous potential for love to liberate us from our most isolating and agonizing situations. In reading this moving book, you’ll recognize the same love that connected dots to save Sam from his confinement can also liberate all of us from ours."—John O’Leary, #1 National Bestselling author of On Fire and In Awe

Great feel good story

Enjoyed the suspense of the story and how faith was incorporated. Liked how different voices were used to tell the story.

A Powerful Reminder To Hold On

This book gave me a new perspective on staying hopeful. It’s the kind of story you need when you feel stuck or trapped in your own version of a prison but still want to hold on to curiosity and not give up. It’s about moving forward, finding strength, and holding your people close because sometimes, they’re the ones quietly praying you through.
Now as a mother and as a daughter who’s always been close to her parents, I was especially moved by the love and strength of Sam’s family. Their resilience and faith hits close to home.

A Fantastic Story of Heroism

Such a horrific experience for Sam and his family to endure, but their faith, love, positivity, and perseverance prevailed. Fabulously narrated by Sam, his family, friends, and those who worked tirelessly to get him back home safely. Well done!

Gripping true story

This book has captured my attention and kept me engaged the entire time. I learned of inner workings of Syrian prisons, how authorities help/or not to return prisoners. Highly recommend

Amazing Tale Heartwarming Faith building

What an incredible story. Though a harrowing potentially tamatic ordeal, Sam and his family's story shows the amazing spirit of humanity. How many people dedicated so much to help Sam.

Finishing this book left me humbled, faith filled and wanting to help others.

Excellent read!!

A miraculous true story of love of God and family & the amazing story of a family working to rescue their son!

The Narrator WAS Sam!

I listened Sam’s story in a day. Absolutely fascinating and such odd, random luck. I would live this to play out in a movie. Such a good read!!

Incredible and moving book

The author(s) do a fantastic job bringing the reality of what occurred to life. Toward the end I was emotional as even though I knew what happened in the end I could find myself rooting for the family. Truly epic story of determination and resolve. Well written and worth anyone's time.

You’ll gasp in horror and cry - a powerful story!

Prepare yourself for a gripping roller coaster of emotions, and I dare you not to gasp in horror with Sam and cry with his family as you delve into this audiobook.

As a seasoned traveler with a profound grasp of world history, Sam offers captivating accounts of his global adventures and vivid descriptions of his interactions with diverse cultures. When you reach the chapter about his capture, you'll feel terror alongside Sam and be equally impressed by his cleverness and fortitude. You will empathize with Tag and Ann as they embark on a desperate quest to find Sam, and you heart will go out to this tight-knit, faith-filled family. You’ll deeply sympathize with his parents as they endure this nightmare. Ultimately, the power of determination, perseverance, faith, and prayer ultimately brought Sam home safely. In moments of extreme difficulty, we all long for the unwavering support of a family like the Goodwins.

A story of Faith, Hope and Resiliency!

Sam’s story of being wrongfully accused of being a spy in Syria and thrown into prison is one that you will not soon forget! His description of solitary confinement and life in jail is heart, wrenching, and jaw dropping. At the same time, his story illustrates that with faith, prayer, God, a spirit of resiliency and a loving family we can get through most anything! This story makes me extra grateful to be an American!