Impossible Odds

support Erik and my family so desperately needed to survive this ordeal. I know you didn’t have to do that, and I am infinitely grateful to you and your family for the sacrifices you made to ensure my safe rescue.
    To the CMT (Crisis Management Team): Thank you for all the efforts you made to ensure my release and safe return. I understand it was a horrific ninety-three days for you as well and am so very grateful for all you did to help get us through.
    To Poul: “Still is still moving.” Thank you for that beautiful meditative reminder, so helpful in keeping me strong out there. You protected my mind as well as kept me physically safe, and I will always admire you for the way you live out your beliefs through your work.
    To President Obama and SEAL Team Six: Thank you will never be enough to express my gratitude for the difficult decisions you had to make, and the risks you had to take, so that I could have my life back. I have never been prouder to be an American and hope I can continue to live my life in a way that makes America proud to belong to me. To the heroic members of SEAL Team Six, thank you for risking your lives to save mine. I will never understand how you do what you do, but my respect for the service and sacrifice you each make continues to grow as I comprehend all you have done for me.
    To Anthony and Sharlene: Thank you for finding our story worth telling, and for helping us tell it in a way that we can be proud to someday show our son. You were the first to hear the whole story and we will always hold you dear to our hearts.
    To friends around the world: Thank you infinitely for your love, prayers, and thoughts. They lifted me up over and over during my captivity. I felt that energy giving me strength to get up and endure every morning, bringing me peace every afternoon. My heart is so grateful for the kindness you have shown to me and my family.

“Africa Jess.”

Erik Landemalm.

Married on Tiwi Beach, Mombasa, Kenya.

Jessica and Erik at work with local Somalis.

Jess and a colleague meeting with local beneficiaries.

Somali girls are often denied any education.

Jessica with a Kenyan boy.

Erik in negotiations with local authorities.

A Somali village outside Galkayo.

Erik at work in the field.

A generation of mine victims.

Jessica on site during a demolition.

“Sign language” on the entrance wall of the Somaliland Parliament warning not to bring these items inside.

“Technicals” are heavy guns mounted on small trucks. The dominant power in southern Somalia, many are owned by various warlords who answer to no one.

Captive Jessica’s scrub desert road to nowhere.

Photo taken from Jessica’s “proof of life” video.

President Obama calling John Buchanan with the news that Jessica had been rescued alive. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Jessica reunited with her sister, Amy.

Jessica reunited with her brother, Stephen.

Jessica and her father, John Buchanan.

After the rescue, with FBI agent Matt Espenshade.

We hope you enjoyed reading this Atria Books eBook.
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Atria Books
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    Copyright © 2013 by Jessica Buchanan
    All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Atria Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
    First Atria Books hardcover edition May 2013
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    Designed by Kyoko Watanabe
    Jacket design by James R. Perales
    Jacket photograph: Helicoper © Getty Images/Partick Baz
    Jacket photograph: Jessica Buchanan by Eric LandemalmJ
    Jessica Buchanan and Erik Landemalm author photographer by Mia Collis
    Anthony Flacco author photography courtesy of Anthony Flacco
    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
    Buchanan, Jessica.
    Impossible odds : the kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and her dramatic rescue by