LUTHER, Okla. (KFOR) – After being trapped in Turks and Caicos for months, Ryan Watson said he's grateful to be back home.
The Oklahoman and his wife, Valerie, visited Turks and Caicos in April and were detained by authorities for carrying ammunition in his luggage.
Valerie Watson was allowed to return without Ryan after he admitted the duffle bag the ammunition was found in was his.
"Trying to like single parent back here, not really knowing what his fate was going to be down there, you know, in the very beginning," Valerie said when asked about coming back to Oklahoma without her husband.
Valerie said it was hard to wrap her head around the 12 years in prison Ryan could have served for the crime. Instead, Ryan was sentenced to 13 weeks imprisonment suspended for nine months and a $2,000 fine.
He traveled back home to the metro June 21, after his fine was paid.
"It was such a surreal feeling," said Ryan. "Just overwhelmed with emotion and trying to kind of process, I get to see my kids, but also trying to get a message across that we still have another American on that island that we need to pray for."
That American is Sharita Grier from Orlando, Florida, who's currently waiting to be sentenced in Turks and Caicos as well for similar charges.
The Watson's say they're keeping tabs with Grier and expect a decision to come soon.
Ryan told a News 4 employee he's still tried his best to move forward with his life a week after his return, including going back to work.
"I went back to work on Monday," said Ryan. "There's a lot of people that have been picking up the slack for me while I've been gone; and I'm just forever indebted to those people."
Valerie said she was surprised by Ryan's decision to go back so soon, but understands.
"I think sometimes that's maybe the best thing to do when you've gone through something like that," said Valerie. "Just get back to your routine and try and keep living life, you know?"
The Watson's said their support system was massive, from friends and family, to complete strangers and even elected leaders.
"If it wasn't for Senator [Markwayne] Mullin and Senator [James] Lankford and Governor [Kevin] Stitt, like I would be in prison right now, without a doubt," said Ryan.
News 4 employees asked the Watson's about what they described as a swath of support from across the country, including fundraising to raise money for their expenses. Valerie got visibly emotional while relaying her gratitude.
"We had so much love and support and people praying for us," said Valerie. "The amount of support we had, it was unbelievable."
The financial support, the Watson's said, was appreciated considering how expensive their ordeal was. Ryan said the couple estimated the experience had cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"That was a huge blessing because, I mean, it is very expensive down there," said Ryan.
Ryan said that although the place he was stuck in was beautiful, every day felt like trying to "put together the world's largest puzzle" as he worked on ways to get back to his family.
"You learn to resent it, you know. I could care less about seeing another palm tree or having my feet in sand," said Ryan.
A News 4 employee also addressed criticisms with the Watson's, a lot of which has circulated online. They say they've tried their best to avoid some of it and called a lot of it hateful.
"We're human," said Ryan. "We are bound to make mistakes. I pray that they receive the grace and the support that we received when they make their next mistake."
Ryan was also asked to address feedback from some alleged gun owners who say that it was irresponsible for him not to check the bag that he admitted he had used for a previous hunting trip. He said the bullets were found in the zipper lining of the bottom of his bag, that the bullets made it through TSA in Oklahoma and that it was an honest mistake.
"I've never zipped the lining out of a bag in my life," said Ryan. "And so if they do, I mean that's next level; good for them."
Ryan said while some can criticize him for his actions, he thought long and hard about the moment he would have put ammunition in the bag and couldn't recall doing so. He said while the bag is used for hunting, he doesn't normally put ammunition in the bag.
Ryan and Valerie also shared their biggest learning lessons from their experiences.
"I think a simple learning lesson is maybe have different bags for traveling abroad," said Valerie.
Valerie said she and Ryan left all of their old luggage in Turks and Caicos and don't want it back.
"I think I'm going to do a heck of a lot more research if I go international at this point to try and talk to somebody that is there and immersed in it," said Ryan.
The Watson's said their future vacations aren't likely to include a return trip to Turks and Caicos. adding that they felt targeted as Americans.
"I think there's a lot of other great places to go, and that's not one we need to go back to," said Valerie.
