Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli hostage released last week by Hamas as a supposedly good will gesture to U.S. President Donald Trump, got to thank the president personally in a phone call Tuesday that went viral after being released by the White House.

Smiling, and with his voice shaking slightly, the 21-year-old IDF soldier said, “Mr. President, you’re the only reason I’m here. You saved my life.”

Very graciously, the president joked, “I’m very nervous talking to you, Edan, because you’re a much bigger celebrity than I am.”