Hasenfus Shops With Family for Christmas Tree on First Day Home

Freed gunrunner Eugene Hasenfus shopped for a Christmas tree Friday, his first full day back home after two months in a Nicaraguan prison.

“Isn’t this beautiful?” he said as he held out his arms at a tree farm. “A week ago I never thought I’d be here. In fact, on Wednesday, I never thought I’d be here.”

Hasenfus, his wife, Sally, and three children drove to a tree farm north of Menominee in Upper Michigan. They spent about 45 minutes walking through the pine and spruce trees before Sally Hasenfus picked out three trees.

‘Big Thing at Our House’

“Christmas has always been a big thing at our house,” Hasenfus said. “We’ve always gone out and cut our trees.”

Hasenfus arrived home late Thursday to embraces from his children and congratulations from relatives and friends, but he kept silent about his activities in Nicaragua. He said the FBI had told him not to discuss the incidents related to his capture, trial and release.

The 45-year-old former Marine was captured by Nicaraguan soldiers on Oct. 6, the day after his plane was shot down on a mission to supply contra forces. Two Americans and a Nicaraguan were killed in the crash of the C-123 cargo plane.

Hasenfus was tried before a People’s Tribunal and sentenced to 30 years for terrorism and other crimes. After spending more than two months in jail, he was pardoned Wednesday by Nicaragua’s National Assembly and released.

Hasenfus slept late Friday and was not taking calls from reporters.