Bowe Bergdahl is being treated at an American military hospital in Germany and will return to the United States at a later date. Emails reported by the late journalist Michael Hastings show Bowe went missing after turning against the war he was fighting. In an email to his parents from Afghanistan, Bowe had reportedly said: “I am sorry for everything. The horror that is America is disgusting.” Bergdahl’s parents had first revealed their son was the subject of prisoner swap negotiations three years ago when U.S.-Taliban talks broke down. Back home in Idaho on Sunday, they spoke about their son’s release.

Jani Bergdahl: “Five years is a seemingly endless long time, but you’ve made it. I imagine you’re more patient and compassionate than ever. You are free. Freedom is yours. I will see you soon, my beloved son. I love you, Bowe.”

Bob Bergdahl: “We haven’t talked to Bowe yet. We haven’t called him on the phone, although you all know we have the capability to do that with satellite technology. There is reason for that, and that’s because Bowe has been gone so long that it’s going to be very difficult to come back. It’s like a diver going deep on a dive and has to stage back up through recompression to get the nitrogen bubbles out of his system. If he comes up too fast, it could kill him.”

Bob Bergdahl also spoke to his son in Pashto, one of the two official languages in Afghanistan, saying: “I am your father, Bowe.”