Husband of Sherri Papini, Abducted for 22 Days: ‘Relief and Revulsion’

Keith Papini, husband of Sherri Papini, the Redding, California woman who was found earlier this month after being missing for 22 days, released a statement to Good Morning America on Tuesday that described the circumstances in which she was found.

In the statement, Papini describes his “relief and revulsion” as he saw his wife for the first time in weeks, after she had been allegedly abducted and tortured. He was extremely happy to have her back, and horrified at what had been done to her.

The statement reads, in part:

The first thing I would like to address is the overwhelming amount of gratitude our entire family has for the thousands of people that have been on this torturous journey with us. I cannot possibly name each and every person, although their names are eternally etched in our hearts. Thank you to our strong family, devoted friends, the entire Redding community, and countless communities around the world.

…

Rumors, assumptions, lies, and hate have been both exhausting and disgusting. Those people should be ashamed of their malicious, sub human behavior. We are not going to allow those people to take away our spirit, love, or rejoice in our girl found alive and home where she belongs. I understand people want the story, pictures, proof that this was not some sort of hoax, plan to gain money, or some fabricated race war. I do not see a purpose in addressing each preposterous lie. Instead, may I give you a glimpse of the mixture of horror and elation that was my experience of reuniting with the love of my life and mother of our children.

…

My reaction was one of extreme happiness and overwhelming nausea as my eyes and hands scanned her body. I was filled with so much relief and revulsion at once. My Sherri suffered tremendously and all the visions swirling in your heads of her appearance, I assure you, are not as graphic and gruesome as the reality.

See the full statement here.