Brittney Griner has been inside a Russian prison since February. The WNBA superstar was caught at the airport with weed cartridges, which eventually led to her arrest. She was then convicted of drug possession and smuggling, which came with a lengthy 9-year sentence.
It has been extremely difficult for Griner, who has reportedly been experiencing depression while incarcerated. Griner's wife has been adamant about getting her home as soon as possible, and as it stands, the United States government is working on a prisoner swap.
Yesterday, Griner turned 32 years old. It was her first birthday behind bars, and it was an emotional day for her as well as her family. With that being said, Griner decided to issue a message to all of her supporters during this very difficult time.
"Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home," Griner said. "All the support and love are definitely helping me."
At this time, it remains to be seen whether or not a prisoner swap will still be viable. Russia has been accused of negotiating in bad faith, with some claiming that they have no real interest in freeing the basketball star.
Stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest news and updates pertaining to this story.
[Via]