Sutherlands Give Thanks in Berkeley

After 6 1/2 years as a captive, locked in tiny rooms celebrating holidays “in fantasy,” Thomas Sutherland said Wednesday he is glad to be home for Thanksgiving but sorry that other hostages remain in Lebanon.

Looking pale but happy, Sutherland told a small group of reporters that he wanted to give “thanks to everybody and to all of America” for their support and warm welcome home.

Since arriving at a daughter’s home in Berkeley, Sutherland has walked with his wife, Jean, through the university community, savoring the ability to move without getting anyone’s permission.

“The sun was bright and the air was fresh and the leaves were green. Oh, the world was wonderful,” he said.

Sutherland, his wife and daughters, Kit and Joan, were reunited last week, but a third daughter, Ann, 32, couldn’t travel because she is nearly nine months pregnant. So the family flew to California for a big Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, cherry pie and ice cream.

“Oh, I missed ice cream,” he said.

Sutherland recalled that while in captivity he and his fellow captives kept a careful record of the dates.

“I kept track of Christmas and Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day and my birthday and Jean’s birthday and Ann and Kit and Joan’s birthdays and I celebrated it with them as best I could, in fantasy, I suppose you might say,” he said.

Since his return, Sutherland has listened to his first compact disc recording, a sound “so beautiful, I just broke into tears.” He said he made a special shopping trip Wednesday morning to stock up on CDs.

On Sunday, he is expected to return home to Ft. Collins, Colo., where a gala homecoming celebration is planned.

Sutherland, released Nov. 18 by Iranian-backed Shiite Muslims in Lebanon, had been held hostage since June, 1985. The 60-year-old dean of agriculture at American University of Beirut was released along with British clergyman Terry Waite.

On Tuesday, Sutherland contacted the university’s president to make plans to return someday. Jean Sutherland said she considers Beirut and Ft. Collins as the family’s twin homes.