A sister’s plea behind a wrongfully detained American and Pueblo native by the Taliban

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)--  January 27 marks one full year since Dennis Coyle, a Pueblo native, was detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan. After 365 days in detention, his family says they still don’t know when or if he will come home.

Coyle was taken from his home in Kabul on Jan. 27, 2025, according to his family, who say the detention happened without warning.

Coyle spent nearly two decades living and working in Afghanistan, where his family says he focused on language research and humanitarian efforts.

“One year means he’s missed 365 days of living with all the people who love and cherish him,” said his sister, Molly Long.

KRDO13 sat down with Long on the one-year anniversary of her brother’s detention. She says the past year has been filled with fear, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion.

“We just had no idea what was going on,” Long said. “It was heart-wrenching and painful, scary, confusing, paralyzing...unknown. All of those things.”

Long says one of the hardest parts for the family has been the lack of clear information. She says they’ve received limited updates about Dennis’ condition and have had to rely heavily on advocacy and public pressure to keep his case from being forgotten.

“We’re average Americans living, raising families, working jobs, and then all of a sudden we have an emergency that requires skill sets that none of us had,” Long said.

Over the past year, the family has traveled, organized fundraisers, and spoken publicly in hopes of urging leaders to take action and bring Coyle home.

Long says remembering who her brother is beyond his detention helps keep them going.

“He loves to be out in nature,” she said. “Going on hikes, either with people or alone, just being connected to the land and the beauty that is Colorado.”

KRDO13 reached out to the White House for comment. In a statement, officials said, “The President and his administration have worked continuously and relentlessly to return Dennis Coyle home.”

For Coyle’s family, the one-year mark is not just a milestone; it’s a painful reminder of how long they’ve been waiting and how much remains unknown.

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