( CNN ) -- With the news of a video showing their son Bowe Bergdahl is alive , his family sent out a statement they hoped his captors would let him see . Stay strong , be patient , it said . It 's been more than four tormenting years since he was taken captive while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and there again are concerns about his well-being . The so-called proof-of-life video that was provided to the U.S. military is the first of him in nearly three years . It has a reference to December 14 , 2013 . CNN has not seen the video , but a U.S. military official told the network that the clip apparently shows the Idaho native in diminished health . That 's a picture that 's hard to envision for family and friends . For them , strong has been a word often associated with Bergdahl . In June 2009 , after he was taken , CNN spoke to friends of his , including a fishing boat captain who hired Bergdahl two years earlier . Bergdahl spent 10 weeks on the vessel near Bristol Bay , Alaska , pulling in sockeye salmon for 18 to 20 hours a day . Dan Collins said it was hard , grueling work . `` But he was up to it , '' Collins said . `` I am at times not the easiest guy to get along with , being a fishing boat 's captain . But I imagine I am easy compared to what he is dealing with every day now . '' Now Bergdahl , 27 , is believed to held by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network in Pakistan , the U.S. military official said . Bergdahl has been in captivity so long he has been promoted twice and is now a sergeant . In Hailey , Idaho , many residents still have yellow ribbons around trees . It was there four years ago that Sue Martin , owner of Zaney 's Coffee Shop spoke glowingly of her former barista . `` Bowe is not somebody in the corner , '' she said . `` You engage , and he engages very well . '' `` He captures you , '' Martin said . Bergdahl was a well-rounded , well-grounded young man , people told CNN . He was a seeker , a hard worker , a man raised and home-schooled in a small town , an avid outdoorsman who did ballet . He could talk to anyone . He toured Europe before joining the Army . He also did n't care for cars , choosing to ride a bicycle to and from the odd jobs he worked to pay for his travels , friends said . And he was polite , very polite . One rainy evening the sheriff in his Idaho community stopped to offer him a ride . Bergdahl , who was drenched and walking his bike , said he would n't want to get the car wet , so no thanks . And he kept walking . `` Kind of tells you a little bit about the person , '' recalled Walt Femling , who knew Bergdahl through renting him an apartment the sheriff owned . `` I do n't usually rent to 20-year-olds , '' Femling said . He trusted Bergdahl . `` There 's not many young people who have the kind manners he has , '' said neighbor Minna Casser . `` He 's a gentleman and a sportsman . '' The Bergdahl family has n't spoken much publicly about their son . His father , Robert Bergdahl , posted a YouTube video in May 2011 and a year later he spoke at a Memorial Day event in Washington that was attended by more than 100,000 people . `` Bowe , your family has not forgotten you , your hometown has not forgotten you . Your state of Idaho has not forgotten you , and thanks to all of you here today , Washington D.C. has not forgotten you , '' Robert Bergdahl told a cheering crowd . `` We love you , we are proud of you . Stay strong , never give up . We pray for the day that we welcome you home , '' he said . CNN 's Ed Lavandera , Paul Vercammen , Ashley Fantz and Barbara Starr contributed to this report .
John who grew up in Idaho , was home schooled . He did n't like cars so he rode his bike a lot , even in poor weather . Former boat ##man in Alaska remembers him as good worker under tough conditions . Family made statement asking for Bergdahl to stay strong .