On Saturday though came the sweetest news of all: Warren had been released and was safely in the hands of the US military.

It has been a harrowing 15 months for the family of Mr Rodwell, 54, who was kidnapped on December 5, 2011, from Ipil in the southern Philippines where he was living with his Filipino wife, Miraflor.

In that time the group responsible for the kidnapping, Islamic terrorist organisation Abu Sayyaf, released three proof-of-life videos – most recently at the end of January this year – with each more disturbing than the last as Mr Rodwell grew physically and emotionally weaker. For his relatives in Australia it has seemed like an eternity since they first received news of his capture.

Tamworth woman Robyn Perry, whose mother and Warren’s mother were twins, was holidaying on the Gold Coast when she learned of the kidnapping.

“I heard on the news an Australian man had been captured and I didn’t think much about it ... but then when I saw his picture, I was shocked,” she said.

“It just left me feeling cold.”

Yesterday, as Mr Rodwell, a father of three, remained in a secret location in the Philippines, the women were looking forward to speaking to him on his return home.

Cousin Susan, who said she initially expected him to be released within the first month, said it had been a “very tense and very stressful and frustrating time” that often felt very “unreal”. 

“You just don’t expect this kind of thing to happen to your family,” she said.

They both have fond memories of Mr Rodwell’s visit to Tamworth not long before he was kidnapped, where he spent time catching up with family and introducing son Sam to the city where he spent some of his childhood and teenage years.

One of those relatives he took the greatest joy in seeing was Robyn’s mum, Lucy Seymour, who sadly passed away just two weeks ago without knowing her nephew was safe.

It was revealed yesterday a ransom of $93,600 was paid for Mr Rodwell’s release.

The cousins said while they didn’t know the details, the family had been raising money and had even secured a loan.

The Australian government has a policy of not paying ransoms for kidnapped Australian nationals.

Not long into Mr Rodwell’s ordeal, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) advised his family to stay silent if they wanted to improve his chances of release.

Susan, who went public in the early stages of her cousin’s capture in an effort to encourage donations for a ransom, said she understood the government’s position, saying their reasoning was that paying ransoms may encourage more kidnappings.

“When I went to The Leader, I was feeling like ‘we have to do something’ ... but then I was told (by DFAT) that wasn’t the best way to go, that it’s a slow process and you can’t rush it,” she said, admitting she worried at times family members could be targeted by the terrorists.

“We were advised not to talk to anyone, that if (the kidnappers) know you’re raising money, they’ll put the price up.

“They prefer you keep a low profile.”

The ransom, it seems, came just in time, with media outlets reporting on the weekend that Abu Sayyaf planned to behead him this weekend to mark the beginning of Holy Week, an important celebration for the predominantly Catholic Philippines and therefore a perfect time for the Islamic militants to flex their muscle.

It’s a thought that horrifies his family and has them wishing for a speedy return to Australia for Mr Rodwell and his sister, Denise, who flew to the Philippines on Sunday. Just how Mr Rodwell will recover and how he’s been changed by the ordeal occupy the pair’s thoughts as well.

Robyn said she couldn’t bear to look at the images of an emaciated Mr Rodwell after his release – “he looks like a prisoner of war” – but, as they flipped through photos of family catch-ups and Mr Rodwell’s travels yesterday, they hope the “vibrant and optimistic” personality they knew will return, at least in time.

“I don’t know how he is ... but he’s still standing and we hope he will be all right,” Robyn said.

Susan said her cousin’s attitude probably helped get him through his 15 months of captivity, but they know the physical and emotional scars will take a long time to heal.