Mark Swidan GoFundMe raises over $44000 as former Chinese hostage details struggles following return to US

Mark Swidan, an American who was detained in China over charges that were deemed ‘wrongful,’ is readjusting to life in his home country after 12 years in a foreign prison. Swidan, who returned from China after a prisoner exchange in November 2024, is opening up about how he is starting life anew.

After the 50-year-old Swidan returned to the U.S. soil, his mother, Katherine Swidan created a GoFundMe page to help her son’s rehabilitation. Today, the fundraiser has collected more than $44,000 and has reached 45% of its target of $100,000.

In a note attached to the fundraiser, Swidan’s mother recalled the tragic story of her son’s long detention, and stated,

“Mark Swidan, my son, endured 12yrs wrongfully detained American Hostage in Communist China. One look at his blue US passport he was detained. He has been at Brook Army Base since being rescued day before Thankgiving! We are trying to help him get his life back after this horrible ordeal. He lost everything and came back with just the clothes on his back.”

Recounting the ordeals suffered by Swidan while in detention, his elderly mother appealed to prospective donors and wrote,

“Please help my son recover by donating and sharing. He endured torture and starvation. Please help me get his life back! God bless you, Ambassador Roger D Carstens and SPEHA ,Congress for never giving up!…My prayers were answered after 12 yrs of torture, starvation, and horrific punishment. He stayed strong, refused to denounce his country or faith. He paid the price dearly...now he needs help”

Mark Swidan on the tormenting 12 years he spent in a Chinese prison

Mark Swidan, a native of Houston, Texas, was on a trip to China in 2012 to hunt for cheap paraphernalia when he was arrested in Guangzhou on his last night in the country, as per The Free Press.

He was held in the country for a total of 12 years and 14 days on charges of allegedly conspiring to manufacture drugs, and sentenced to death, noted the news outlet.

His imprisonment was labelled as a wrongful detention by the State Department, and was labeled as a “deprivation of liberty” by the United Nations, as per ABC News.

In his first television interview after returning home in November 2024, Swidan recently opened up about the conditions he faced while detained.

Speaking to Elizabeth Vargas of Newsnation, Swidan shared that he was kept in a small cell with 30 other individuals. He said,

“There’s no running water in there, there’s no windows, there’s no outside time, there’s no toilets, there’s no facility. They don’t give you any clothing to wear.”

As per Newsnation, Swidan also told Vargas that lights were on 24 hours a day in the cell, and he was forced to sleep on the bare floor. In addition to these inhumane conditions, Swidan also lost a 100 pounds while in detention.

The news outlet revealed that his only meal consisted of a bowl of rice with a small pice of pork fat two times a day.

In attempting to retrieve her son from prison in China, Swidan’s mother sold his house to hire lawyers, most of which proved to be “useless.” Now, Swidan is looking at rebuilding his life at the age of 50.

While speaking to Vargas, he said,

“I came home to basically nothing. I’m still recovering. I’m just trying to get it together.”

After his return, Swidan reconnected with an old love, who is now his girlfriend, according to The Free Press. He admits that his return to the U.S. is like a “rebirth.”