Cherelle Griner is speaking out about her wife’s WNBA Star, Brittney’s mental health, as she remains locked up in a Russian prison.
Per reports by LoveBScott, Cherelle recently had an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, where she spoke about her conversations with Brittney. “We’ve only had two calls,” she said.
During the first call, Cherelle felt that Griner was doing okay and that they “could survive this.”
However, the second call was more distressing: “I think I cried for about two, three days straight. It was the most disturbing phone call I’d ever experienced…I didn’t have words.”
“You could hear that she was not okay. If you think about just a person’s suffering and when they have suffered to a max…she was at the max that day,” she told Gayle.
Cherelle also revealed that Griner worries that she will be forgotten in Russia. According to her, Brittney said, “My life just don’t even matter no more. Like, y’all don’t see me? Y’all don’t see the need to get me back home? And just nothing?”
As previously reported, Griner, 31, is serving a nine-year sentence after a drug smuggling conviction. While there have been talks of having a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, it is still unknown when or if Griner will be released.
Cherelle fears Griner could be transferred to a labor camp if she is not released before her appeal hearing on Oct 25. Russian labor camps have been described by many as “torturous” and “notoriously harsh.”
Cherelle also said that President Joe Biden is doing all in his power to help, but “we are dealing with the need for Russia to have mercy on B.G (Brittney Griner) as well.” However, Cherelle believes it will take the mercy of Russian President Vladimir Putin to release her wife.
Cherelle hopes that Putin will acknowledge that Brittney frequented Russia for over eight years and put a positive spotlight o the country by playing basketball for UMMC Ekaterinburg and paying taxes.
She also noted that there had been other reports of Americans being detained for cannabis-related issues, but those American were released after paying a fine. She believes Russian officials are using Griner’s star status to make a point.
However, Cherelle hopes that both governments will come to an understanding and that Brittney Griner will be able to celebrate her 32nd birthday on Oct 18 back home in the United States.
Watch the CBS interview below:
