Austin Tice’s mother voices newfound hope that Syria will release her son [Video]

The mother of American journalist Austin Tice, who was taken captive during a reporting trip to Syria in August 2012, voiced hope on Sunday that upheaval in Syria will lead to freedom for her son.

Debra Tice said news that Missouri resident Travis Timmerman had been freed from a Syrian prison by rebels felt “like a rehearsal.” Her children woke her up when images of Timmerman began circulating on social media misidentifying him as Tice.

Asked if Timmerman’s misidentification was a moment of false hope, Debra Tice instead characterized it as a moment of joy to be shared. Timmerman has said he had traveled into Syria for a spiritual mission earlier this year and was arrested for entering the country illegally.

AMERICAN FREED FROM SYRIAN PRISON AFTER ASSAD’S OVERTHROW TAKEN OUT OF COUNTRY BY US MILITARY

“It was almost like having a rehearsal … an inkling of what it’s really going to feel like when it is Austin walking …