Brittney Griner Pleads for Help in Letter to President Biden: 'I'm Terrified I Might Be Here Forever'

Mar. 15, 2025

Brittney Griner in Russian court on July 1.Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty

Brittney Grineris pleading forPresident Joe Biden’s help amid her arrest and detention in Russia.

“… as I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends,Olympic jersey or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” she wrote.

Griner reflected on the 4th of July holiday and what it has meant to her family, including her dad Raymond Griner and his military service.

“On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those men who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran,” another excerpt read. “It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”

For more on Brittney Griner, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

The letter to President Biden was handwritten, perESPN. It is unclear how the letter was transported from Griner to the White House.

KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images

Addressing President Biden directly, Griner acknowledged that he has many important matters at hand at this time, but begged him to help her, as well as the other detainees in Russia.

“I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don’t forget about me and the other detainees,” she pleaded. “Please do all you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore.”

“I missmy wife! I miss my family! I missmy teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home,” she added.

Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty

On Friday, she began her trial in Russian court and will remain in custody until hearings are complete, her lawyer Alexander Boykov toldThe New York Times. If convicted, Griner faces up to 10 years in prison.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In aninterviewwith Rev. Al Sharpton last week, Griner’s wife, Cherelle, gave an update on the situation and said she’s very concerned about her wife’s wellbeing.

“Because I’m her person, she will always try and write persuasively to make sure I don’t break because she knows I’m studying for my bar and she knows I have all these things going on and she’s trying to always be my strong person,” Cherelle said.

Cherelle noted how Brittney has told her she’s “hardened” and is not “on her knee right now” and will need time after she gets home to get back to herself. “But I’m holding on and I won’t break until I come home,” Griner wrote in a letter to Cherelle, which has been their only form of communication.

Gregory Shamus/Getty

As for what the government is doing to help, Cherelle said she doesn’t have any concrete answers yet.

“I’m definitely being told a lot of persuasive statements that [Griner] is a priority and that they’re doing everything that they can and that it’s already at the highest point of the chain of command,” she said. “That’s leading me to believe that this matter is sitting right in front of Biden.”

But so far, Cherelle claimed she isn’t seeing any changes actually happening. “Nobody seems to be at a point where they can tell me anything, so I can only go off of what I see and what I see is my wife isn’t here,” she added.

source: people.com