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.

Unimaginable resilience

Saving Sam is a true story of resilience. Sam faced unimaginable challenges and found himself in an unexpected predicament.

I initially thought the book was entirely in the first person, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the narration transitions through various perspectives of friends and family, all connected in their quest to bring Sam home.

Life revolves around relationships and the people around us who influence who we choose to be…I feel like the bonds Sam formed during his journey are the most rewarding aspects of his adventures.

Despite being familiar with the story of his adventures before listening to the book, I found myself crying multiple times as I learned all the intricate details about his weeks of wrongful imprisonment. Sam is a special person, and I hope you read this book to understand why.

A must read for everyone…thrilling, honest, great story of faith

I have listened to Saving Sam several times and I enjoyed it more each time. It is a real life story that has the components of a best selling thriller yet is based on the foundation of a strong Christian faith. Seeing how Sam and his family dealt with the life and death circumstances of his incarceration in an extremely hostile foreign prison was inspirational. I may never be in a hostile prison but this book showed me that with a total trust in God I can handle anything put in my path.

Riveting and Inspirational

This is amazing that Sam is alive to share this riveting true story. Faith, family and fortitude were the keys to unlocking the mystery of how to get Sam released from his wrongful imprisonment in Syria. You’ll be engaged from start to finish.

Resilience, Patience, and Hope

Wow - this is an incredible story and I can’t believe it’s true, but it is. This book describes the painstaking process to survive in a Syrian prison while all your loved ones have no idea where you are and can’t use traditional methods to reunite your family. Written from multiple perspectives, you’ll find yourself hanging on every word, hoping for resolution, preferably one where no one is harmed.

I highly recommend this read if you want to learn about one family’s mission to bring their son home despite the odds stacked against them. You’ll learn about the geo-political tensions and stereotypes that should not have yielded happy results, but with resilience, patience, and hope - we might be able to conquer anything life throws at us.

Extraordinary connections work together to result in the first American hostage ever released from Syria.

I too believe God ordained the sequence of events and people who together were able to get Sam’s release. And I loved the fact God was given credit for bringing Sam back to his family.

Amazing story of faith and perseverance

Faith, hope and love brought a son home to his family. I love the way the family bond was a key to this story’s happy ending.

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