Travis Timmerman, an American who was reported missing by law enforcement earlier this year, was flown out of Syria by the U.S. military on Friday, a day after he was spotted in the streets wandering barefoot following what he claimed was a monthslong imprisonment.

The 29-year-old said he was detained earlier this year after crossing into Syria on foot from Lebanon and held in prison until the fall of Assad. Timmerman's family called it a "Christmas miracle."