Bryan Stern, founder of the Florida-based nonprofit Grey Bull Rescue, led a daring nighttime boat extraction off the coast of Venezuela. Nobel Peace Prize laureate and opposition leader María Corina Machado was fleeing threats from multiple national intelligence agencies and cartel operatives.
Stern, a combat veteran of US special operations in the Army and Navy, personally accompanied Machado on the 13-hour voyage to Norway. This mission marked Grey Bull Rescue’s 800th operation since launching during the Afghanistan withdrawal.
A Volunteer Force of Elite Veterans
Grey Bull Rescue is staffed by over 80 former special operations and intelligence professionals. They neither accept government funding nor salaries and buy one-way tickets on every mission to ensure full commitment. Stern states, “We don’t come home until they come home.”
Since its inception, the group has aided over 8,400 people across more than 40 countries. Their operations range from jailbreaks in Russia and hostage rescues in Gaza to evacuations during hurricanes and wildfires. The diversity of their clients spans wealthy individuals to those unable to afford conventional services.
Filling the Void Left by Bureaucratic Delays
Most who turn to Grey Bull have exhausted government channels. Stern explains, “We’re the last resort. We’re never the first phone call.” Official rescue efforts often suffer from slow decision-making and limited promises, making timely interventions difficult.
For instance, when American missionary Terry Gately was captured and tortured by Russian forces in Ukraine, the State Department advised surrender. Grey Bull instead orchestrated a complex extraction involving local contacts and overcoming over 50 Russian checkpoints.
Unequalled Tactical Operations with Limited Resources
The organization operates entirely through donations from thousands of individuals and a few anonymous major donors. Despite achievements, Stern admits, “We have cases right now that we can do, lives that we can save, that we cannot afford.”
Unlike the lucrative private crisis response industry—where corporate clients utilize kidnap-and-ransom insurance and elite consultants—Grey Bull represents a shoestring operation filling critical gaps. Their predecessor, Project Dynamo, reported a deficit exceeding one million dollars in recent financial filings.
Notable High-Risk Rescues
Grey Bull’s record includes the rescue of Kirillo Alexandrov, a Detroit farmer arrested and tortured in Ukraine on false espionage charges. Stern recounts that mock executions and beatings followed before Grey Bull orchestrated a jailbreak under threat of assassination attempts. Information from that mission contributed to subsequent US war crimes charges against Russian personnel.
Another key operation involved John Spor, a top Russian target due to his work on US military laser-guided weapons. Grey Bull reportedly navigated Spor across more than 30 Russian checkpoints using elaborate disguises and subterfuge reminiscent of high-stakes intelligence operations.
Humanity and Commitment at the Core
Stern founded Grey Bull Rescue to address systemic failures where official assistance was inadequate, often mobilizing when families faced crises without timely help. During the Venezuela extraction, instead of politics, conversations centered on family—Machado’s longing to reunite with her children after two years apart.
Such moments underline the human cost and motivation behind Grey Bull Rescue’s perilous missions. Stern reflects, “When our phone rings, the conversations are always horrible. No one’s ever called, and I’ve thought, ‘oh, that’s not so bad.’” Their work is defined by taking extraordinary risks to deliver real-life rescues where others cannot.
Read more at: nypost.com
