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Father hopeful as son tells him: 'I'm ready to come home'

Brief encounter: Father and son Giovanni Burrows and Jasai Swan-Burrows at a US airport where they were briefly reunited last week after nine years apart.

Dedicated father Giovanni Burrows believes he is a step closer to getting his son back after hearing him say: “I'm ready to come home.”The father got to spend just 24 hours with his 13-year-old son Jasai Swan-Burrows after searching for him for approximately eight years.But unfortunately just moments after the emotional father and son reunion, Jasai once again disappeared with his mother Kim Sakena Swan.It meant Mr Burrows had to make the heart-breaking journey back to Bermuda on his own when he thought he would have his son sitting next to him.But he told The Royal Gazette he remained hopeful for the future, as his son “now knows the truth about everything”.Mr Burrows estimates that he has spent $300,000 looking for his son, who was illegally taken from him in 2003, but he has vowed to continue with the search.Talking about seeing his son again, he said: “It was fantastic. He's identical to me. It's unbelievable really as he has all the same mannerisms and habits as me.“We really enjoyed each other's company, he's a great boy.”Bermudian authorities awarded Mr Burrows full custody of his son in 2001, but Ms Swan fled when she had temporary custody of five-year-old Jasai in January 2003.They left Bermuda and headed to the States and had not been seen since.An anonymous tip-off to the support group gave details of Ms Swan's online criminal record for theft.This led police to track down Ms Swan and Jasai at a homeless hostel in St Petersburg, Florida early last week.Jasai was reunited with Mr Burrows, who works for Marine & Ports, at the airport on Thursday. They spent time at the home of Mr Burrows' lawyer and also got the chance to go swimming and to the shopping mall.Mr Burrows said one of the first things he had asked his son was if he knew what was going on and Jasai said he understood he had been kidnapped when he was younger.Mr Burrows then showed his son several Royal Gazette articles from over the years and the Facebook page appealing for Jasai to come back home. It was then that Jasai was said to have said: “I'm ready to come home.”Mr Burrows said: “Seeing him has taken a lot of weight off my shoulders. I got the chance to talk to him and tell him the truth. He had been bought up on lies, he had no choice but to believe what his mother had told him about me. He now knows different, no more lies.“I'm relieved he knows the truth, it feels good. I feel like I'm one step closer to having my son back with me.”Jasai could remember “very little” about Bermuda but he did recall playing football with his dad and had memories of some Bermudian relatives.US authorities had put Jasai back in the care of Mr Burrows and a court appearance had been planned to discuss legally transferring Jasai back to Bermuda.But Ms Swan did not present herself to the court and it was discovered that she had tracked down her son, who had been staying with a family friend, and once again fled with him. Their whereabouts are unknown.Mr Burrows, who flew back to Bermuda on Sunday evening, said he had run out of funds so he is appealing for donations to help pay for his lawyer and private detective in the States.Donations to help fund Mr Burrows' search for his son can be made to HSBC, account number 010-465235-012.Further information can be found on the ‘Find Jasai Swan Burrows' Facebook support group.