this is "nightline." >> tonight, in his own words, trevor reed speaking about his captivity. >> from prison, i had been coughing up blood for several months. >> the marine veteran held behind bars in russia for 985 days, finally home. >> i remember thinking like, is this real? >> his new mission, bring home wnba star brittney griner and paul weland. >> i knew as soon as i was able to, i would fight for him to get out and i would do everything i could to get him out of there. and once a song writer to the stars -- ♪ ♪ behind mega hits like "timber."

now stepping into her own spotlight. >> just the name it serves the person i was. >> putting in hours and hours to top the charts. ♪ ♪ >> "nightline" will be right back.

i'm gonna earn 3% on dining including takeout with chase freedom unlimited. that's a lot of cash back. are you gonna stop me? uh-oh... i'm almost there... too late! boom! earn big time with chase freedom unlimited with no annual fee. how do you cashback? chase. make more of what's yours.

good evening. thank you for joining us. we'll begin with the american marine finally reunited with his family, after being held for more than 2 1/2 years by authorities in russia. trevor reed is free after a high-stakes prisoner swap. now he's sharing his story and his hope for others left behind. here's abc's correspondent. >> i remember thinking, like, is this real? it feels like you're in a dream, maybe i'm still going to wake up right now in solitary confinement. it takes several days for that feeling to leave you. >> reporter: former u.s. marine trevor reed describing the moment he finally flew out of russia, after spending more than 2 1/2 years there behind bars as a hostage. now he's back in the u.s. after being freed this month in a

prisoner exchange. for the first time he's giving interviews describing his ordeal. >> this is the first time we have sat across from each other and been talking and we're not looking through the bars of a cage. how are you doing? >> good. i like this situation a lot better than the last time. >> reporter: for nearly three years, the 30-year-old has been in russian prisons, sometimes for weeks in solitary confinement. >> they used this solitary confinement cell as a weapon to get you to comply. it's cold there. there's hot water pipe basically that you have to use to stay warm, so you lay on the floor in that cell, lay against the pipe. >> reporter: he says it was punishment for refusing to punishment in the russian government's forced labor camp. >> ethically, i thought that would be wrong to work for a government who was kidnapping americans and using them as political hostages.

>> reporter: reed is one of at least three americans caught up in what the u.s. says is a kremlin campaign of hostage taking. reed saying the u.s. government needs to do more to get americans home. >> why are you doing this interview now? >> i thought that i needed to do this interview as soon as i could, in order to make the american people aware that this is not an isolated situation. we do have political prisoners all over the world in multiple countries who are suffering, and who need our help. >> reporter: reed and his family pleading in particular for the biden administration to free americans brittney griner and paul whelen, also held by russia. >> it's embrarrassing that all administrations are reluctant to bring our people home. we're super thankful that

president biden made the decision to trade for trevor, and what we want is we want that to continue. don't wait until they've been there for 20 years or near death, do it as soon as you can. >> reporter: reed's ordeal began in the summer of 2019, when the then 28-year-old was in moscow visiting his girlfriend. after a late night of heavy drinking, she said reed became unmanageable and forced them to pull over. reed's friends called the police, who agreed to take the texas native to the station to sober up. but things changed after agents from russia's intelligence agency arrived. >> i knew as soon as i saw fsb agents where this case was headed. >> reporter: police abruptly charged reed with assaulting the officers who had brought him, claiming he seized the wheel, causing the car to swerve dangerously. he was arrested on the spot and

put on trial. but in hearings, the police's case was filled with holes. the police making contradictory testimony. reed saying the trial was a sham, orchestrated by the fsb. >> i had spoken to the police officers. i said, why did you write this false accusation against me. he looked around at the door to make sure there was no one there. he looked at the other police officer, and he said, we didn't want to write this. they told us to write this. >> so you understood that meant the kremlin or the fsb this >> yes, someone at a higher level ordered them to do that. >> reporter: reed's lawyers said traffic camera footage showed the car never swerved and the investigators never handed over other security camera footage that could have bolstered his case. after a year and a half long trial, reed was sentenced to nine years in a russian prison camp, the maximum sentence possible for the offense. >> the defense was absolutely

overwhelming, and unfortunately, i underestimated how corrupt and how dedicated the russian government is to taking americans as hostages. >> reporter: reed appealed his sentence, maintaining his innocence and calling the charges against him fabricated. those appeals were denied. reed's family launched an extraordinary fight to release him. his father, joey, even moving to moscow to be closer to his son, spending over a year there alone. reed's parents repeatedly picketing the white house, lobbying the u.s. to act. but as relations with russia deteriorated further, hopes faded. reed went on a hunger strike last fall, and his family feared he had contracted tb this spring. >> in prison, i had been coughing up blood for several months, and the russian, you

know, prison penitentiary system was refusing me tb tests. when i came back to the u.s., i weighed 131 pounds. when i went to russia before prison, i had weighed 175. >> reporter: with the war in ukraine raging, reed's sudden release came as a stunning surprise. on april 27th, he was traded for constantine yarashenko, a russian pilot that had served ten years in connecticut for drug smuggling. but there was guilt over who was left behind in russia. what did you think when you heard paul wasn't coming home? >> sorry, i thought that was wrong. that they got me out and not paul. and -- sorry. i knew that as soon as i was

able to, that i would fight for him to get out and that i would do everything i could to get him out of there. >> reporter: 52-year-old former marine paul whelan and 31-year-old wnba star brittney griner are still caught in the diplomatic tug of war between russia and the u.s., complicated by putin's war in ukraine. in december 2018, whelan was in moscow for a friend's wedding when he was accused of being a spy by russian authorities. >> i've got a medical condition that prohibits this. >> reporter: after a year and a half behind bars, he was convicted in june 2020 of espionage, and sentenced to 16 years in a russian jail. u.s. authorities and whelan himself have said this is a hostage situation. in a rare interview, whelan talked with abc news shortly after he was sent to a prison camp. he denies all allegations made against him, saying it was a

show trial, something even the judge in his case knew. >> right after he read the verdict, i went back to his chambers, and, you know, he speaks english. we had a discussion. he knows it's -- he knows the whole case is crap. he told me and my attorney, he said it was a provocation, but telephone justice, he cannot say anything against what the fsb says. >> the message we received was, the u.s. government itself isn't taking action because we haven't made enough noise. it's outrageous. >> reporter: greiner, the 6'9" center for the phoenix mercury, has spent off-seasons playing pro ball in russia. in february, she was detained at a russian airport on allegations of drug smuggling, accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil. marijuana is illegal in russia. u.s. officials in march were granted access to her. >> and the officer who visited

with britney gripetney griner wo verify she was doing as well as could be expected. >> reporter: she remains in pretrial detention, with the court extending her detention until june 18th. russian media reported that the u.s. is in talks to exchange perhaps both for victor boot, the notorious russian arms dealer, nicknamed the merchant of death. currently about halfway through his 25-year prison sentence. >> how important do you think victor boot was to russia? >> he clearly was very important. my understanding that, you know, president putin himself was involved in trying to get him home. >> reporter: whelan himself says from the beginning russia made it clear it had taken him for a trade. >> from the moment i was arrested, i was told that russia wants viktor bout. >> reporter: but retired agent

robert shevitz who arrested bout, feels such deals are not the answer. >> i have tremendous sympathy for those families. that said, i don't think that's the right answer for how to do that. i think it sends a really bad message to make that keep of a trade. i think it encourages that type of activity from foreign adversaries. >> reporter: bill richardson helped with reed's release, even flying to moscow the night russia invaded ukraine to urge russia make a deal. he says blanket rejection is wrong. >> do it on a case by case basis, but send a signal, we're not going to tolerate these wrongful detentions any more. >> viktor bout has been in prison for 15 years, he's no longer a threat. but the fact of the matter is, paul has another 13 years left in prison, and brittney griner,

who knows how long she will be sentenced for? she may have ten years. >> reporter: reed's health continues to improve, helped in part by an army reintegration program. his family just looking forward to doing the small things, but together again. >> he's missed almost three years of his life. he has to get that time back. we're not going to get that time back. i just want to cherish every moment we have with him while he's here. >> our thanks to patrick. up next, from writing the hits to performing her own, how muni long spent hours and hours finding success. ♪ ♪ before treating your chronic migraine— 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting 4 hours or more you're not the only one with questions about botox®. botox® prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine before they even start—with about 10 minutes of treatment

once every 3 months. so, ask your doctor if botox® is right for you, and if a sample is available. effects of botox® may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. don't receive botox® if there's a skin infection. tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. in a survey, 92% of current users said they wish they'd talked to their doctor and started botox® sooner. plus, right now, you may pay zero dollars for botox®. learn how abbvie could help you save on botox®. (♪ ♪) (♪ ♪)

(vo) purina one has the inside story onit starts inside the gut... with purina one with new microbiome balance. natural prebiotic nutrition promoting gut health and immune support. purina one with new microbiome balance. if you haven't tried dawn powerwash dish spray, what are you waiting for? it's dawn's fastest and easiest way to clean everyday dishes. on simple messes... just spray, wipe and rinse. on tough messes, its spray activated suds have five times faster grease cleaning power to break down grease without water. plus, its targeted spray cleans even hard to reach places better. so, replace your dish soap with dawn powerwash and spray your dishes clean.

muni long spent a decade writing hits for some of the biggest names in music. now, it's her own name and her own voice. and she tells abc there's no limit to what she can accomplish next. ♪ ♪ ♪ let me school you how ♪ >> reporter: muni long might seem like an overnight success, but she's made quite a name for herself after spending 12 years of writing top charting songs. ♪ love so soft ♪ >> reporter: now it's her time.

♪ ♪ she released hours and hours in january, quickly viewed by tens of millions on tiktok and other social media. it put her exactly where she wants to be, out front, on top, and singing her own songs. >> i'm a fan of writing about perspectives, and describing how that feels. it's pretty easy when you just keep it truthful. >> reporter: her truth turned into hit after hit, co-writing number one songs like -- ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm yelling timber ♪ >> one of my favorite things i've ever written is "california king bed." >> i love that song. >> thank you. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: beautiful heretics,

but the writing credit doesn't list muni long. >> muni long is the name and the character that i created. it was just the person that i always saw myself. >> reporter: born in florida, priscilla started singing at the age of 2, wrote her first song when she was 8. more than two decades later, a prolific gifted song write we are financial success. yet the constant feeling of wanting more. >> i walk into a room and could have all these hits under my belt but the artist i'm working for has no chew. rarely do your co-writers actually know who you are. >> that breaks my heart a little bit. >> it's like speed dating. you have four to eight hours to write a hit song. and you're doing this every day. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: a decade of pitching and selling her songs, chasing her dreams. all while waking up every day in

physical pain. quietly battling lupus, a disease that can be debilitating, even deadly. >> i had a few scares where i thought what if i don't make it? dealing with respiratory issues, i thought, if i die, would i be happy with what i have done so far? and at the time i asked myself that, the answer was no. so i decided that i would stop doing things i don't want to do, and just only do what i want to do, no matter what anybody thinks. >> reporter: and then, an empowering encounter with jay zee at a party. he said what? >> he just motioned for me to lift my head up and came down to my level. he was letting me know that i'm not small. you know, don't make myself small. >> reporter: a powerful sentiment that would turn into a mantra, and eventually transform

priscilla into muni. >> it took me a long time to realize i had a choice about who i wanted to be. >> reporter: confident, taking control of her future, and possibly shaping others. >> the healing part of me is also representation. you know, when you look at all the little black girls that are singing my songs on tiktok, they're loving my music. i could not do that. that is priscilla. >> reporter: and how about this, muni taking calls from and meetings with some who didn't think priscilla didn't have what it takes. >> the plan worked. momma always said don't tell people where you're going, they'll get in your way. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: and that brings us to today. a new album of her songs she sings them all, under a record label she built and runs.

>> i hike to keep my lyrics universal, so like a lot of times i could just be talking about the human relationship. >> reporter: songs about love, relationships, life. prer priscilla's work will always be there, but muni is just getting started. >> there's no limitations. >> our thanks to phil. up next, queen elizabeth ii showing off a royal new ride. meet febreze's miracle spray. febreze fabric refresher. i literally use this every day. to make my house smell amazing. after i make the bed, after my dog jumps off the couch. so i can wear my jacket or jeans one more time, before i wash them again. it even makes shoes smell fresh.

it doesn't cover up odors with scent... but actually eliminates them! ♪ over one thousand uses. febreze fabric refresher. when you really need to sleep. you reach for the really good stuff. over one thousand uses. zzzquil ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. its non-habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil.

♪ ♪ thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer... are living in the moment and taking ibrance. ibrance with an aromatase inhibitor is for postmenopausal women or for men with hr+/her2- metastatic breast cancer as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole significantly delayed disease progression versus letrozole. ibrance may cause low white blood cell counts of ths. both of these can lead to death. tell your doctor if you have new or worsening chest pain, cough, or trouble breathing. before taking ibrance, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection,... liver or kidney problems, are or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. for more information about side effects talk to your doctor.

be in your moment. fantastic! ask your doctor about ibrance. when it comes to cybersecurity, fantastic! the biggest threats don't always strike the biggest targets. so help safeguard your small business with comcast business securityedge™ it's advanced security that continuously scans for threats and helps protect every connected device. the choice is clear. get unbeatable business solutions from the most innovative company. so you can be ready for what's next.

get started with a great deal on internet and voice for just $49.99 a month for 24 months with a 2 -year price guarantee. call today.

and finally tonight, call it the queen mobile. queen elizabeth touring the flower show in london in a souped up six seater buggy, outfitted with leather seats and bluetooth speakers. it is an open design, so the queen was able to stop and smell the roses. and that's "nightline" for this evening. catch our full episodes on hulu. we'll seeand rewarding.k here c. i earn 3% cash back at drugstores with chase freedom unlimited. that means i earn on my bug spray and my sunscreen. you ready to go fishing? i got the bait. i also earn 5% on travel purchased through chase on this rental car. that lake is calling my name! don't you get seasick? we'll find out! come on. and i earn 3% on dining including takeout. so much for catching our dinner. some people are hunters. some are gatherers. i'm a diner. pow!