It was a tale of two families when the negotiations that resulted in the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and three other U.S. residents from Russian captivity Thursday got underway nearly two years ago.

WNBA star Brittney Griner, who had been jailed on drug charges, was heading home in December 2022 to her relieved wife and kin after the Biden administration worked out a deal with the Russians to exchange her for the notorious arms dead Viktor Bout, aka “The…