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An unexpected turn of events interrupted a life long dream. En route home to London from South Africa, Stephen was abducted by Al-Qaeda and held hostage in Mali for almost 6 years. He is currently the longest held surviving Al-Qaeda hostage in the world.
He was kidnapped from Timbuktu, along with a Dutch and Swedish national on November 25th, 2011. He was 36 at the time of the kidnapping. |
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During Stephen's abduction, he was kept far from civilization, deep in the Sahara, away from the searching eyes of French surveillance planes and drones.
Living outdoors in harsh conditions meant that he had to acquire a variety of new skills including how to protect himself from the elements as well as how to communicate across language and cultural boundaries. But most of all, he learned how to stay alive; remain positive and be present when everything was stacked against him. Uncertain as to whether he would ever be released or die in the expanse of the Sahara, he made a decision to not let his situation get the better of him. He decided to rather hold onto hope and take control of his attitude.
Stephen was finally released in August 2017.
Stephen continues to claim back his life with a fresh and positive outlook, using the skills he acquired in the desert during his extreme experience. A part of this process is sharing his story to inspire others with hope and a way to overcome any situation that challenges or tests them. |
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