Evan Gershkovich Released: A Joyous Reunion at The Wall Street Journal

Joyous Reunion: The Release of Evan Gershkovich

At 11:16 a.m. on Thursday, an email from Emma Tucker, the esteemed top editor of The Wall Street Journal, reverberated throughout the newsroom: “A few moments ago, Evan walked free from a Russian plane. He will shortly be on a flight back to the U.S.” The announcement was met with exuberant cheers and shouts of joy. The Journal’s newsroom had been eagerly awaiting this moment for an astonishing 491 days, marking the release of Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old foreign correspondent for the publication.

“I cannot even begin to describe the immense happiness and relief that this news brings, and I know all of you will feel the same,” Ms. Tucker expressed in her email. “This is a day of great joy for Evan and his family, and a historic day for The Wall Street Journal.”

Almost immediately, staff members converged in the heart of the newsroom, champagne bottles popping, some wiping away tears of joy, as they gathered to hear Ms. Tucker deliver a heartfelt toast celebrating Mr. Gershkovich’s freedom and the collective effort that led to this moment. Much of the gratitude was directed towards Paul Beckett, the former Washington bureau chief, who dedicated the last nine months to the mission of securing Mr. Gershkovich’s release.

Similar scenes of jubilation unfolded in The Journal’s London bureau. “He’s off the plane!” Gráinne McCarthy, a leading international editor in London, exclaimed after witnessing a livestream of Mr. Gershkovich disembarking from the plane that had brought him to Turkey. Journal reporters in London celebrated by cheering, hugging one another, and uncorking Prosecco, overwhelmed with a mix of giddiness and tears of relief.

“It feels like the end of a nightmare,” remarked Eliot Brown, a finance reporter and a close friend of Mr. Gershkovich.

During an all-company video call at noon, Almar Latour, the chief executive of Dow Jones, the publisher of The Journal, informed employees that Mr. Gershkovich was en route to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. From there, he would continue to San Antonio, where Ms. Tucker, Mr. Latour, and several other executives awaited to welcome him home.

“There is so much to be said, and we will share a fuller story when we can. Most importantly, Evan will have the opportunity to share his own story, and that’s what truly matters,” Mr. Latour stated, according to a recording of the call. “For now, I simply want to express my profound gratitude to everyone on this call.”

Jason Conti, Dow Jones’s general counsel, detailed the “thousands and thousands of hours” his team invested to find a viable path for Mr. Gershkovich’s release, commending both Mr. Gershkovich and his family for their unwavering strength: “Truly remarkable, the way he handled himself over these last 491 days,” Mr. Conti reflected. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

In a poignant moment, Mr. Conti removed the #IStandWithEvan pin he had worn on his lapel for 16 months. “We don’t need the buttons anymore, but I certainly need the tissues,” he quipped, evoking laughter and applause from the assembled staff.