By Steve Stockman
Sam Goodwin was taken hostage in Syria… at the 4 Corners Festival he will tell us his story… in Syria and getting out… uncertainty, faith and safely home…
Sam Goodwin is telling his story at the 4 Corners Festival 2026. It is quite the story.
Sam was just a young man from St Louis, a former Division 1 hockey player and co-founder of a tech company and NGO in Singapore. He also happens to be the brother of Belfast Giants’ ice hockey captain David Goodwin.
Sam might also have been described as a naive adventuring tourist. His story of visiting every country in the world would have been worth hearing in itself. I am sure many of us would love to hear about Somalia, North Korea, Yemen and Saudi Arabia among other countries less travelled.
BUT THEN… Syria. While in Syria, Sam was taken at gunpoint and found himself plunged into a frightening Syrian prison system where some have never reappeared. He found himself in a dungeon – literally.
Now we have quite the story.
Imagine being taken hostage at gun point. Imagine being shoved in a van. Imagine being lost in a prison system not known for its comforts or welcome. Imagine the threat of being handed over to ISIS.
Come and hear how a young man felt at that point of his life.
Hear also how Sam’s family back in Missouri dealt with the devastating news or the lack of it. How did they deal with the fear? Then what they had to do across a lot of relationships and diplomacy at very high levels of governments to bring Sam home after 62 days.
You can only imagine that the story of his release is as joyous as the despair of being taken.
Sam Goodwin’s faith is important to him too. He says, “But I knew that no matter what, my faith was absolute. And that’s what I had to hold on to when I had nothing else.”
Faith when there is nothing else. Now that is a story. Come and hear Sam Goodwin tell it.
Hear SAM GOODWIN tell his story at 4 Corners Festival, 7:30 PM – Monday 2nd February 2026 at St Comgall’s – Ionad Eileen Howell, Divis Street, BT12 4AQ