Graham McMynn said Thursday he had never seen a gun until one was pointed at him a week ago during a brazen daylight abduction which saw the 23-year-old student held for more than a week.
Although a smiling Mr. McMynn told reporters he couldn't discuss the details of his abduction or the investigation, he said the question of survival had immediately flashed through his mind as the event unfolded.
"That's the first thing you think when a guns pointed at you," he said. "Up until that, I had never seen one."
Speaking with the media, he also said words would never be able to express his gratitude to Vancouver Police, RCMP and emergency response teams who freed him.
"There's no way to express that," he said.
"I won't ever be able to thank them for what they did, for all the hard work they put in and dedication. Most of all, I'm just happy to be alive, at home and well."
Asked what he went through during his period of captivity, Mr. McMynn said: "I can't say anything about what I actually went through. I was kidnapped. It wasn't very fun."
Mr. McMynn was kidnapped on April 4 at gunpoint in a daring daylight abduction that stunned the nation.
The University of British Columbia computer science student had been driving with his girlfriend near the family's home in Vancouver's exclusive Southlands neighbourhood when he was blocked by two other cars and pulled from the vehicle at gunpoint.
His girlfriend was not abducted, but her cell phone was taken during the incident. Police said that the abduction was witnessed by several people in the area and that a suspect vehicle and its owner were quickly identified.
The motive for the kidnapping remains unclear. Police say no ransom request was ever made and no money was paid to the abductors.
In the days following the kidnapping, Mr. McMynn's parents released a pair of tearful videos. In the second, his father bypassed police and made a plea directly to his son's abductors by dropping a tape off at local radio and television stations. In it, he disputed reports that debts and mortgages had overwhelmed the family.
Mr. McMynn was rescued Wednesday in a raid on what police called 14 residences "of interest" in various regions of the province.
Mr. McMynn's parents joined him during Thursday's news conference, also offering their thanks for the safe return of their son.
"We, as a family, will be eternally grateful and forever thankful to the police officers," Mr. McMynn's mother, Joanne, told reporters.
"We also want to thank the multitude of family and friends from all over the country and further who supported us and who prayed and hoped for Graham's safe return. We are really ecstatic that he has returned safely to us.
"We now wish to forget this horrible incident and get some normalcy back to our lives. We hope that the public and the media will respect our privacy during this disturbing time so that we can get on with our lives."
His father called the experience life-altering.
"It will our change our lives forever," Robert McMynn said.
"We have many things to consider. That will be an ongoing problem for us."
From here, Graham McMynn told reporters he hopes to graduate from university this year. He was supposed to write two exams on the day of this rescue. He also said he's supposed to see a psychologist to help him cope with the aftermath of the experience.
"I'm supposed to graduate this year," he said. "I'm hoping it's a good excuse. I guess I'll find out soon enough."
Police said Thursday six people from B.C.'s Lower Mainland have all been charged in the kidnapping. One of those, Sgt. Les Yeo said had been on bail for a similar offence.
He described the accused as being "not overly sophisticated" but suggested they had planned out the kidnapping.
"It would be safe to say we surprised them and others," he said.
Charged are Anh The Nguyen, 20, Tuan Nguyen, 21, Joshua Ponicappo, 22, Jose Hernandez, 20, Sam Taun Vu, 21, and one person who is a juvenile.
Deputy police chief Doug LePard also said it's possible more charges may be laid and other suspects might be identified.
With a file from Canadian Press
Terry Weber