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- [00:00]
Verna
I started Ornod in 2013 and we make bike apparel.
- [00:04]
Theo
The best part of Shopify for me is our ability to run the business
- [00:09]
Verna
as essentially non technical people.
- [00:12]
Theo
We're able to admin everything on the back end, front end and sell things online easily.
- [00:17]
Narrator
If Shopify were a bike accessory, I think it would actually be the bicycle.
- [00:22]
Theo
It's the thing that you do the thing on. We run the business on Shopify so start your free trial on shopify.com this
- [00:30]
Narrator
is a paid message from GoFundMe. Meet Juan Naula. When a son was hospitalized for a viral infection, Juan started a GoFundMe to pay for medical expenses.
- [00:40]
Juan Naula
It was 5k to pay the bill for my son and I need only 22 hours. It was amazing. People really trust on GoFundMe.
- [00:48]
Narrator
How did Juan raise $5,000 in less than a day? He posted a short video on GoFundMe telling his story in 30 seconds.
- [00:56]
Juan Naula
30 seconds. Be specific, be quick and tell what are you going to be using the funds for. I was nervous to do it because it doesn't feel okay to ask money. But you shouldn't be nervous. Sometimes you just have to do it and see the results. We were able to save my son's life thanks to gofundme that we still have my son with us.
- [01:20]
Narrator
Start your GoFundMe today at gofundme.com that's gofundme.com gofundme.com this message reflects one person's experience. This episode contains subject matter that may be disturbing to some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
- [01:36]
Verna
If he gets this knife away from me, he's going to kill me. He's going to kill me and then he's going to rape my daughter.
- [01:42]
Deborah
Real people, I heard one of them, one of the guys you know, say shoot her in the head.
- [01:50]
Narrator
Who faced death.
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Theo
The wild dogs and the dingoes were just waiting for me to collapse so that I couldn't fight them off and
- [01:59]
Narrator
live to tell how.
- [02:01]
Verna
Blood's going everywhere and I'm shaking. I'm thinking he ain't gonna stop. He come here to kill us.
- [02:08]
Narrator
This is I survived. It's November 2006 in Ball Ground, Georgia. Verna works as a barber. She is a single mother with a seven year old daughter.
- [02:25]
Verna
I was at work and a friend of mine from high school showed up that I hadn't seen in several months and we exchanged numbers and I told him, you know, if he ever needed to talk or anything, he was more than welcome to call me, which he did later that Evening and I invited him over. Well, he came over. We just kind of, you know, chit chatted pretty much. He was just, you know, crying the blues that, you know, his whole life was falling apart. And you know, he proceeded to cry and I reached over to give him a hug, you know, comforting hug. And when I did, he turned to give me a kiss. Well, I pushed myself away from him and I was like, you know, oh wait a minute, you know, we're not going there. He apologized. He seemed really sincere in his apology and you know, he got in his truck and, and he left.
- [03:13]
Narrator
The next day Gerald called Verna at work.
- [03:16]
Verna
He says, I want to talk to you about me and you dating. I was like, no Gerald. I said, we discussed this last night. And he's like, no, you need to shut up and listen to me. And I was like, do what he says. And I'm the man, you're the woman. He says, then you will do as I say. And I was just like, I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. I'm thinking, you know, where is this coming from? I said, you know, I thought we understood one another, that we could only be friends. He's like, oh, so you're saying you don't want to go out with me? I said, yeah Gerald, that's exactly what I'm telling you. You know, we hung up the phone and I just had this weird eerie feeling come over me like, you know, this ain't going to go away.
- [03:59]
Narrator
Four days later, Verna and her seven year old daughter were alone in the house.
- [04:04]
Verna
It was 8:15. I was cleaning up dishes from earlier that afternoon, just put on a pot of tea and was filling up a water jug. And my daughter, she was on her favorite website. And as I turned to walk into the computer room, I started hearing all this smashing of glass breaking.
- [04:22]
Narrator
A masked intruder was smashing the glass in the kitchen door.
- [04:27]
Verna
Before I could do anything, he come, you know, he unlocked the door and he came charging at me. He had a ski mask on, no shirt, and was pointing a rifle at me. I knew immediately who it was and I started begging him, no Gerald, what are you doing? Why are you doing this? And he smacked me. Then he kept screaming at me, my name's not Gerald. My name's not Gerald. At one point he even turned around, looked at my daughter and said, you got that? My name's not Gerald. I seen him take the battery pack out of the back of the cordless. He threw the phone one way, battery pack went the other. And he proceeded Telling me, start taking off my clothes. And again, you know, I start pleading with him, you know, please don't do this. I'll do anything you want, but just don't do it in front of my daughter.
- [05:10]
Narrator
Gerald ordered Verna's 7 year old daughter into the bathroom.
- [05:14]
Verna
He says, I want you to get in that bathtub. He says, and I want you to stay there till I tell you to come out. And he turns around, looks at me and tells me, start taking off my clothes. And you know, and I'm begging, you know, why are you doing this? You know, you know, what have I done? And you know, so I start taking off my clothes and he rapes me. For the first time, I'm pleading with him, you know, you know, please, you know, don't do this. You know, why are you doing this? And he smacks me. He says, you know what I tell you, bitch? He says, I'm the man, you're the woman. He says, did I tell you to speak? He snatches me up by my hair and he starts dragging me to the living room. I'm thinking, you know, if I just give him what he wants, you know, maybe he'll just go away. We go to the living room, he sits down on the couch and he tells me, you know, perform oral sex on him. And I did. And he smacks me. And he tells me that wasn't good enough. So he tells me to get on top, and I did. And the whole time I'm thinking, you know, he ain't gonna stop. He come here to kill us. And we go back into the bedroom, he tells me to get back up on the bed. And at that point I'm like, I'm not gonna let you do this to me anymore. And he's like, you heard what I said. He says, get up there now. And I was like, no. I said, you're gonna have to kill me first. And he was like, well, if that's the way you want it, then that's the way it's gonna be. And he picked up the rifle, he pointed it at me, and he pulled the trigger. By the grace of God, the gun jammed. And he got mad and he started shaking his rifle and he come charging at me and he hit me right across my forehead with the butt of the gun. I feel, you know, my head split open, blood's going everywhere, and I'm shaking, I'm thinking, you know, oh my God, I'm fixing to die. Then, you know, he throws me down on the ground and he starts stomping on me. And I throw my arms up to protect my head. You know, I'm bleeding everywhere. And I'm thinking to myself, well, Lord, if it's my time, I'm ready to go, but please don't let him hurt my daughter. Don't let him hurt my baby girl. Just make him stop. I mean, it looked like he heard me. And I'm thinking. I'm, you know, praying to myself. He's like, what's the matter, Verona? Do you feel like you're dying? And I didn't say nothing. I just laid there. I seen him start walking towards me. And I've clenched up, thinking, you know, he's gonna start stomping on me again. But instead, he's like, berna, call your daughter out here. Go ahead and call your daughter out here so I can have my way with her before I finish this job. He stepped over me. He went into the bathroom where my daughter was. And at that point, I knew he had his back towards me. And I thought, okay, I'm gonna get up and I'm gonna run. And as soon as he notices I'm gone, he's gonna come after me. So I did. I jumped up. I grabbed his gun. I ran to the kitchen. I took the gun, and I hid it beside some boxes. He's like, where'd you go, bitch? Where the hell did you go? He's like, I knew you'd do this to me soon as I turned my back. And same time, I was coming out with a butcher knife. He comes around the corner, and I just started swinging with the knife, and I stabbed him first time right here. And he starts backing up, and he's, like, mocking me. He looks at me and he's like, ooh. And, you know, and I'm steadily going at him, and he slips on the floor. And he gets up, and he grabs a handful of glass, and he throws it at me.
- [08:45]
Narrator
The glass from the smashed kitchen door cut Verna's face and slashed her left eyelid.
- [08:50]
Verna
And I'm thinking, oh, my God, you know, I'm really fixing to die here. We're rolling around on the floor, and he's using my hands, and the knife just jabbing at me, you know? And I'm trying to dodge the knife, you know, and he's a pretty big man. He's like, you know, I would say about six two. Probably weighs about 210, 220. And, you know, I still have control of the knife and everything, but I feel him take the knife, and he starts sliding it through my hand. And at that point, I'm thinking, oh, my God, if he gets this knife away from me, he's going to kill me. He's going to kill me, and then he's going to rape my daughter. And we're rolling around on the floor, and he's on top of me, and he's, you know, stabbing me with a knife. Stabbed me several times in the head on each side of my head. And I'm trying to, you know, fight to get him off of me. Then I started praying again. I'm like, please make him stop. Make him stop. Don't let him hurt my baby girl. You know, I'm thinking, I'm praying to myself. And again, it's like he heard me, and he asked me. He's like, so you still believe in your God? And I said, yes, I do. He's like, well, where's your God at now? I said, he's here with me. And it's like at that moment, something lifted him up off of me. Seriously, I mean, I cannot stress to you enough. It was like, almost like my guardian angel. Almost, like, lifted him up to his knees.
- [10:14]
Narrator
Verna seized the moment to wrestle the knife away from her attacker.
- [10:19]
Verna
And I stabbed him a couple times in the chest with a knife. We had eye contact for just a minute, and he had that look of fear in his eyes. And I took the knife and I held it right here, holding with all I had blood going everywhere. My hands are killing me, my head's killing me. And then it's like someone just let him go. And he came down on top of the knife, and he started, you know, flopping around on the floor like a fish, you know, going from his backside to his front side.
- [10:46]
Narrator
Bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds, Verna ran to her daughter.
- [10:51]
Verna
I ran to the bathroom. I'm totally naked, covered with blood, head to toe. And I sat down on the toilet, and I'm, you know, trying to cover myself up. My little girl, she's in the bathtub and behind curtain, and I start talking to her. And I was like, baby, I said, I want you to listen to me. She's like, yeah, Mommy. I said, I want you to listen to me. I want you to do what I'm telling you, tell you to do. I said, mommy's gonna try to find a phone. I said, but for now, I said, I want you to run upstairs. I said, I want you to lock the door, get up underneath the bed. I said, I want you to hide there. I said, if Gerald comes looking for you. I said, I want you to be very quiet.
- [11:32]
Deborah
She said, okay, Mommy.
- [11:35]
Verna
She pulled back that curtain. She looked at me. She's like, oh, my God, Mommy, you're bleeding.
- [11:40]
Deborah
You're bleeding.
- [11:40]
Theo
Bleeding bad.
- [11:41]
Verna
I said, it's okay, baby. So Mommy's gonna be okay. I said, but I want you to go do what I say and do it now. So she started running, you know, for the stairs. And I followed behind her, make sure she made it to the stairs, you know, made it upstairs, and I went looking for him. My. My thought at that point was not knowing where he was at, what he was capable of. If he had went to his truck to get another, you know, rifle or gun. I followed this trail. You know, you can tell where he, you know, kind of like slithered across the blood on the floor. I mean, because there was a lot of blood. I mean, there was blood on the ceiling, the cabinets, the walls. And, you know, when I found him, he was crawling on his belly on the back deck. I was so mad at that point, I wanted to kill him. I did. I just, you know, I want to tear him up at that point. And I'm like, come on, get up. Get up, you son of a bitch. He turned around and he looked at me, and he just did like this. And I was like, yeah, that's what I thought. You're done. Turned around, walked away. It took me about 10 minutes to find the battery pack to my phone, and I finally was able to call 911.
- [13:00]
Narrator
Police responded within minutes and called for a life flight.
- [13:04]
Verna
And just as they were putting me in, I heard them pronounce him dead on scene. And I thought, oh, my God. Oh, my God, if I live to see tomorrow, I'm gonna go to jail for murder. But that was okay, because at least I knew at that point my little girl was gonna be okay. And that's all that mattered if I didn't live to see the next day. I was okay with that, too.
- [13:29]
Narrator
Verna was life flighted to the hospital. Her attacker, Gerald Lee, was pronounced dead at the scene.
- [13:36]
Verna
I didn't think he was going to die. You know, that's not what I wanted. I just wanted him to stop. I ended up with 300 stitches in my forehead. Had to sew my eye, my left eye back together where he threw the glass, and it ripped my eye. It took about six months for them to close the investigations, but no charges were brought up against me. Self defense. My daughter's, you know, we went through some intensive therapy for about a year and a half, considering what she witnessed. That night. She's tough, little cookie. She's doing pretty good. If it wasn't for her, there's no doubt in my mind I wouldn't be here today. I survived because of my faith in the will to survive, to keep my daughter alive. Foreign
- [14:28]
Narrator
this episode is sponsored by Better Help. Keeping up with life can be a lot. And while we talk about mental health more openly now, actually asking for help can still feel like a big step. Better Help's 2026 State of Stigma report surveyed 2,000Americans and revealed that 85% of Americans believe getting support is wise, yet 74% say society discourages people from doing so. That gap really stands out. Most of us believe in therapy, but something still holds us back from reaching out. I've noticed it in my own circles, too. It's easy to check in on a friend, but harder to say, hey, maybe talking to someone could really help. The more we normalize that, the easier it becomes. BetterHelp makes that first step feel more approachable. With over 30,000 therapists, it's the world's largest online therapy platform, having served more than 6 million people globally, and clients rate sessions an average of 4.9 out of 5 across over 1.7 million reviews. Their therapists are licensed in the US and follow a strict code of conduct. BetterHelp matches you based on a short questionnaire, so you can focus on what's important, what you want to work on, and if it's not the right fit, you can switch anytime. If you've been thinking about it or you want to encourage someone you care about, it might be a good time to take that step. Don't let stigma stand in the way of support. Start therapy with better help. Sign up and get 10% off@betterhelp.com survived. That's better. H E L P.com survived when your mental health is off, it can affect everything Your focus, your energy, even just getting through the day. Therapy can be incredibly helpful, but sometimes it's not the full picture. That's where something like talkiatry comes in. Talkiatry is a fully online psychiatry practice, which means you're meeting with licensed medical providers who can evaluate what's going on, make a diagnosis, and prescribe medication if it makes sense for you. They support people dealing with things like anxiety, depression, adhd, and more. And what stands out is how personalized it feels. You're not just checking a box, you're working with someone who actually takes the time to understand you and build a treatment plan that evolves over time. It's also designed to be accessible. All 800 plus clinicians are in network with major insurers so you can use your existing coverage instead of paying out of pocket for something separate. Getting started is simple. You fill out a quick assessment, get matched with a clinician who fits your needs and you can have your first appointment within days. More than 300,000 people have already used tochiatry to get high quality psychiatric care from home and you keep seeing the same provider so you're building real continuity. Not starting from scratch every time. Head to to to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. That's tochiatry.com isurvived to get matched in minutes. There are definitely things in life you don't want to be transparent, like your swimsuit or your search history. But your wireless bill, that should be crystal clear. That's what's so great about Mint Mobile. No gimmicks, no surprise fees, just straightforward high speed data and reliable coverage on the T Mobile 5G network. They basically took everything frustrating about wireless plans and simplified it. You get premium wireless for just $15 a month and it actually feels like you know what you're paying for. You can keep your current phone and your number and set up online without jumping through a ton of hoops. And instead of a traditional monthly bill, you choose a 3, 6 or 12 month plan that works for you. And all plans come with high speed data plus unlimited talk and text so you're not sacrificing quality to save money. To get your new wireless plan for just $15 a month, go to mintmobile.com survived. That's mintmobile.com survived. Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at mintmobile.com survived. That'S IT. There's no catch. Upfront payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six months or $180 for 12 months. Plan required $15 per month equivalent taxes and fees extra initial plan term Only greater than 50 gigabytes may slow when network is busy. Includes up to 20 gigabyte hotspot capable device required. Availability, speed and coverage varies. See mintmobile.com. It's July 2008 in the Great Victoria Desert in Australia. Experienced prospector Theo is searching for gold in the Australian outback. He and two friends are camping in a remote area 120 miles from the nearest town.
- [18:53]
Theo
If you've never been to Western Australia, that place is absolutely huge. You could go for 200, 300 miles and not pass a sole. The place is a death trap just waiting to get you if you're not prepared for it.
- [19:12]
Narrator
On the afternoon of the first day, Theo and his two friends each headed out in different directions to search for gold.
- [19:20]
Theo
We were only going to go out for a couple hours. There was no need to take any safety gear or radios and whatnot, even though every other time we've gone out we had walkie talkies. The only things I had on me was my detector pick, my pocket knife.
- [19:37]
Narrator
Theo knew he could use the sun as a compass.
- [19:41]
Theo
The sun was basically directly in front of me, so I knew that when I came back, the sun would have to be behind me.
- [19:49]
Narrator
After three hours of prospecting, Theo decided to make his way back to camp.
- [19:55]
Theo
I looked up at the sky and it had become very overcast to the point where you just couldn't work out where the sun was. And I thought to myself, oh, well, this is going to be slightly difficult. So I took me bearings again and walked off again, thinking I was going in the right direction. Basically, the trees were just like a blanket. You're not tall enough to actually see over the trees and. And if you got down on your hands and knees, you could see underneath the trees, but you wouldn't be able to see for any great deal of distance.
- [20:33]
Narrator
Theo heard a thumping sound in the distance. Knowing there was an Aboriginal community in the vicinity, he followed the sound.
- [20:40]
Theo
You think, well, I've got to follow that sound. And I did that for 20 minutes, just following this thumping sound, until I realized that it was the heart thumping that loud in me chest, that it was coming through me ears as though somebody was thumping a piece of wood. I'd had a heart operation 12 months earlier and I had to take tablets to keep me heart going in rhythm. And because I didn't have the tablets, my heart was starting to go a bit wonky. I came across this track and I thought to myself, well, okay, do I follow it or do I sit here? If I sat there, I'd have to stay there for basically the night. And I wasn't looking forward to that at all. I followed the track for probably two hours, and it became that dark that I just couldn't follow the track any longer.
- [21:35]
Narrator
When Theo failed to return, his friends drove into the bush to find him.
- [21:40]
Theo
I saw a lot of car lights driving around trying to find me. So I basically packed up what I had and went walking towards the lights to try and catch them before they took off, but they didn't see me. I'd be waving me arms and yelling and Trying to get their attention, but they put it in reverse and took
- [22:01]
Narrator
off in the dark. Theo was unable to find his way back to the dirt track.
- [22:07]
Theo
And then I basically just stopped and I thought to myself, oh hell, what am I going to do now?
- [22:12]
Narrator
As night falls, temperatures plunge from 90 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees.
- [22:17]
Theo
When you're wearing nothing other than a cotton shirt, it's bloody cold. Couldn't sleep, you're too cold. And I spent my night basically just shivering and just getting up and walking around just to try and keep warm.
- [22:33]
Narrator
Unable to find Theo that evening, his friends notified the police. The next day, rescue teams and Aboriginal trackers begin searching the uncharted terrain.
- [22:42]
Theo
At dawn, the maximum distance I would have been away from my camp, I would have thought would have been about 8, 9 mile. 8 or 9 miles doesn't sound a lot, but in Western Australia, 8 or 9 mile might as well be a thousand miles.
- [23:02]
Narrator
By mid morning, I a search plane flew directly over Theo.
- [23:07]
Theo
I'd taken my shirt off, waving the shirt at him, waving me detector at them, yelling, screaming, anything to help try and get his attention. But after a couple of days of sleeping in the dirt and lying around under trees, the yellow shirt became rather reddish and melded into the background quite easily, so it was very hard to spot.
- [23:33]
Narrator
Unable to see Theo in the dense bush, the plane flew away.
- [23:38]
Theo
I decided that if I was to be found, the one thing I needed to do was get up high off the ground. I saw this large outcrop of rock and I knew I had to get up to a high area. So I walked to that area and whatever I had at my disposal, I was trying. I'd scraped a big help sign on a flat bit of earth that I was on. I'd broken off branches of leaves so that it was contrast to the ground and laid them into the help sign that I dug out from the hill.
- [24:22]
Narrator
Theo saw the search plane flying over again.
- [24:25]
Theo
The first time he didn't spot me. I said, oh well, okay, next time I'll get him. By the time he came over the next time and didn't see me, I was starting to say a few choice words as he flew over. By the third, fourth time, I was praying to God that he's got to be able to see me. You've got to find me. I don't want to be here anymore.
- [24:49]
Narrator
After three days without water, Theo was dangerously dehydrated.
- [24:53]
Theo
I was basically going around looking at certain plants to see which ones would have moisture in leaves and that sort of stuff and if I came across a plant that had a little bit of moisture, I'd chew on it. My mouth was getting very, very dry. I knew that I could suck on a pebble and that would create a bit more saliva, so I did that.
- [25:18]
Narrator
Unable to find water, Theo desperately searched for food.
- [25:22]
Theo
I knew that certain insects and other type of animals, if I ate them, would give me protein. I'd come across a termite nest and just bash the top of it open. Basically what you do is you grab a little bit of grassy root and you put it in your mouth and wet it. And when you open the top of the termite nest and they're crawling around there, you just get the reed and tap them on the termites and they stick to the root. They're not sour or anything of that nature, but very flowery once they're in the mouth and you start chomping down on them.
- [26:02]
Narrator
Later that morning, the plane resumed the aerial search for Theo.
- [26:06]
Theo
In between scavenging for food, I was also trying to keep an eye on the plane and try and get a signal to the pilot as he was flying over that, you know, I'm here, come and get me. I was. I was totally dejected. He'd gone over me eight times by that stage. I thought, well, what have I got at my disposal? I've got a metal detector. And I knew there was still life in the battery and I knew that if I could arc it up big enough I could start a fire. And once I knew I could get a fire started, it was only a matter of time that they'd come and find me. I pulled the detector coil apart and grabbed the wires out of that and was trying to arc the batteries across so that I'd get some sort of a spot. It did arc and arc quite well, but the stuff that I was trying to burn just didn't, just didn't ignite. I basically cried like a baby. You just yell out to say, for God's sake, somebody do something to come and find me. I'm here, you know, I'm not going anywhere. What else can I do? And you think to yourself, my God, you know, if I stay here another day, I'm a to survive. Sunday afternoon, about 5:30, just on dusk, I was on top of the ridge and I could see some sort of lights way, way out in the distance. And I would say probably around 8 mile away.
- [27:42]
Narrator
The local Aboriginal community had set up lights to guide Theo to safety.
- [27:47]
Theo
I walked all Sunday night to try and get into where I thought the Lights were. I had no torch or anything of that nature. So I'm doing everything in the pitch black and you're tripping over logs, you're falling down creek beds, you're bashing through the bush. The only thing that got me through was the fact that I was using my detector as a walking stick, basically. But by that time, my energy level was getting to the point where, where any more walking was getting very, very difficult. I could only walk a couple of feet and I'd have to stop and have a rest.
- [28:29]
Narrator
Dehydrated, Theo also had a heart condition and was unable to walk any further. He has now been lost for four days.
- [28:38]
Theo
I just had no energy left and I started hearing dingoes and dogs barking.
- [28:44]
Narrator
Theo didn't realize the dingoes or wild dogs had been stalking him for days.
- [28:51]
Theo
I would hear some sort of a rustle out in the bush, but I just thought it'd be a kangaroo or something else. But they would have been just sitting there watching me and just waiting for me to collapse so that I couldn't fight them off. And then that's when they would have come in for the kill. I knew I wasn't going to survive any longer than one more night. You've tried everything that you know that you can do. You haven't got any energy left, you're in pain, you know, this is it, I'm not going to survive this. The dingoes were very, very close to me. I didn't want to be a meal and I certainly didn't to want, want anyone to find me half eaten. I'd found this basically hole in the side of the rocks, and the opening was probably three feet in diameter, and it went in about five feet. And I looked at that and I thought, well, that's a perfect place to die. When I found this actual cave, there's a few rocks nearby and I collected a few more and I was basically just going to go in there, brick this front of this bit of a cave in, and wait to die in there and hope that what I did would keep the dogs and the dingoes out.
- [30:22]
Narrator
On his metal detector, Theo scratched a farewell message to his family.
- [30:27]
Theo
I miss you all, but I haven't got any energy left. You know that I love you and I wish I was there with you.
- [30:36]
Narrator
Theo prepared himself to die in the cave.
- [30:39]
Theo
I heard a gunshot and I knew, well, I thought to myself I was hearing things. To start off with, I heard another gunshot and that followed by a loud yell. I didn't have any energy or I couldn't yell, but I could whistle. He'd yell, I'd whistle, he'd yell, I'd whistle. And I realised every time he yelled, the yell was getting actually closer and closer. When they pulled up, they basically all jumped out of the back of the utility and one of the Aboriginals had a bottle of water and he basically just threw it at me. That first mouthful was like liquid gold. All that searching for gold was nothing compared to that first mouthful of water. They'd been out there tracking me since the night I got lost. But I was crisscrossing my areas and getting further away from where I was to start off with. So the Aboriginals had a hell of a time trying to keep up with me.
- [31:47]
Narrator
Thea was taken to the Aboriginal community where he was reunited with his wife.
- [31:52]
Theo
The tears certainly started flowing. All you want to basically do is just give her a hug and not let go. The only thing that basically keeps you going is the fact that you want to survive to see your family. Nothing else is important.
- [32:10]
Narrator
A severely dehydrated Theo had lost 18 pounds during his five day ordeal.
- [32:16]
Theo
I survived basically because of the Aboriginal trackers and such a big effort from everybody else. I owe my life to this Aboriginal tracker. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here.
- [32:38]
Narrator
I like a good glass of wine at the end of the day, but for the longest time I never really knew what to buy. I'd stand there staring at ladies staples, grab something random and just hope it worked out. Then I found First Leaf and it honestly made the whole thing so much easier. First Leaf delivers premium wine straight to your door and it starts with a quick quiz about what you actually like. Now I get personalized bottles that are matched to my taste, so there's no more guesswork or settling for something just okay. They have a fantastic Italian Pinot Grigio called Maiden's Delight that is bright and fruity without being too sweet. What really helps is that every box comes with simple tasting notes and pairing suggestions. So whether it's a quick weeknight dinner or having people over, I know exactly what to open without overthinking it. Maiden's Delight goes so well with this light pasta I've been making recently, which I never would have known if they hadn't suggested it. They also work directly with wineries, which means you're getting award winning wines, sometimes ones you wouldn't even find in stores at really good prices and you're in control. You can adjust deliveries or skip a shipment, whatever fits your schedule. Plus, if a bottle isn't quite right for you. First Leaf has a 100 satisfaction guarantee. You definitely don't get that buying wine at the store. Stop settling for wines that don't quite hit the mark. Head to try firstleaf.com survived to sign up and you'll get 50% off your first box plus free shipping for an entire year. That's T r y f I-R-S-T l e a f.com survived try firstleaf.com survived I was thinking the other day about how rare it feels to be completely at ease with money. Not waiting on a paycheck, not timing bills perfectly, just just feeling steady. And honestly, a lot of the stress comes from that gap between when you earn money and when you can actually use it. That's why Earn in caught my attention. It's a non bank finance app built around a really simple idea. You earn money and you access it when you need it. With Earn in, you can get up to $150 a day of what you've already worked for, up to $1,000 between paychecks. So instead of waiting for payday, you've got more flexibility day to day. There are no mandatory fees, which is a big deal, and tips are optional. Standard transfers take one to two business days, and if you need it faster, expedited transfers are available for a small fee. It's not about emergencies, it's just about smoothing out your finances so you're not constantly planning around one date on the calendar. Earn in has already helped millions of people feel a little more in control, and once you understand how it works, it just makes sense. Download Earn in on the App Store or Google Play spelled like Earn ing money without the g Earn type in I survived under Podcast when you sign up, it'll really help the show. Earn in as a financial technology company, not a bank. Access limits are based on your earnings and risk factors. Standard cash outs take one to two business days with no mandatory fees. Expedited transfer is available for a fee. Tips are voluntary and don't affect the service available in select states. Terms and restrictions apply. Visit Earn in for full details. Finding the one can feel impossible, and in today's world, it's even harder. False profiles, Inaccurate pictures, incompatibilities, Ghosting on dates. Is this sounding familiar? But if you're ready to make your move to a new place, it doesn't have to feel like dating. All it takes is a simple search on apartments.com to find your perfect match. Whether you're looking for a three bedroom condo downtown, a two Bedroom duplex in a quiet neighborhood, a cozy studio in a walkable city, or even a single family home in a cul de sac. You can find a place that checks all the right boxes. So whichever stage of life you're in, settle down in your perfect home by using apartments.com. no more swiping and awkward first dates. Make it easier to get a place that gets you. Visit apartments.com, the place to find a place. It's August 1998 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Deborah is married with two children and manages a suburban restaurant. At 12:40am she locks up the restaurant and enters the parking lot.
- [36:39]
Deborah
It's a lidded parking lot. I mean, it's fairly big. My car, you know, was the only car out there because I was the last one to leave. I noticed out the corner of my eye these individuals. They all were fairly young. They weren't somewhere in their early 20s, late teens. And as I'm walking towards my car, they're walking towards me before I can even get into my car. One of the individuals was up, you know, right next to me with the gun to my head. He instructed the other. There were two females with him to get into the car. And they put me into the backseat of the car.
- [37:25]
Narrator
The car drove out of the parking lot.
- [37:28]
Deborah
They didn't want money or anything. They didn't take jewelry, you know. So I'm just thinking, what is their. What do they want? From listening to their conversation, they had instructions. If they were to get someone, they need to put them into the trunk of the car before they bring them back to wherever it is they were going. And this dawned on them that they didn't put me in the trunk of the car. I was still in the backseat of the car. So they pulled over.
- [37:59]
Narrator
Deborah was forced into the trunk of her car.
- [38:02]
Deborah
I still could hear muffled voices. You know, they were going through my purse, and of course, I had my driver's license. And they were saying my name, and my last name is not a common name. And that's when I heard one of them said, I know this name, you know, we have to get rid of her. I'm still in the trunk and we're driving. It's about maybe 10, 15 minutes was the drive, and the car came to a stop. More people start to pile into my car. And I could feel just the weight, you know, on the car. Then they take off. We're driving in, and I could feel it was like all these bumps and potholes, and it didn't feel like a road So I thought it had to be some kind of wooded area, dirt road or something. And when they came to the stop, they popped the trunk. And it was dark, but it wasn't dark that I couldn't see other faces. I'm thinking, okay, they. They're gonna let me go. They're just gonna leave me out here and take my car. I'm not thinking that they're gonna do me any harm. One of the guys that was with them, he helps me out of the trunk, you know, like he was this perfect gentleman. I'm just looking there and I'm thinking, okay, what now? One female, she has a gun. That hurt One of them. One of the guys, you know, say, shoot her in the head. She's pointing the gun at me, and I'm looking at her and she tells me to get down on my knees. Something inside of me told me no. I told her no, I was not getting on my knees. I knew by going to my knees she wanted to shoot me in the head, you know, and that was not going to happen. My mom died a year before this, and that was still pretty much on my mind. And I knew what her death had done to my family. And I couldn't let that happen to me, you know, not so soon, you know, that was on my mind, you know, that if this was. If I was to die out there, that that would just devastate my family. I looked at her and I told her no. I was, you know, just as strong and brave. I could. No, I'm not getting down on my knees. If you're gonna shoot me, you're just gonna have to do me standing right here. She didn't say anything. When she went to pull the trigger on the gun, it jammed. And I told her, this is wrong. But as soon as that thought went out, went out my head, she pulled the trigger again. And that's the one that hit me. It hit my right side and it knocked me down. You know, I've never been shot before. You know, I don't know what I was expecting, you know, but it was more like someone just pushed you real hard. The first shot knocked me down. And after that, it was just continuous.
- [41:45]
Narrator
Deborah was shot seven times at point blank range.
- [41:50]
Deborah
Yeah, I could feel the blood just oozing out my body. After the last shot, I didn't move, period. I'm thinking of all those bullets. I'm pretty much sure they probably did. Thought I was dead. So I listened to them getting into my car. I did not move. And, you know, I hear Them drive off. After that, I think, okay, I have to. I have to move. As I'm looking around, you know, I notice there was this tree stump that was not too far from me. It was maybe about 50, 100ft from me. I'm thinking, well, if I can crawl over there and just hoist myself up, maybe someone will see me. As I'm trying to get to this stump, it's not happening. That first bullet broke my femur bone, so I couldn't get up. Once I was able to get to the tree, I could see the road, the sun begin to come up and start to get warmer. I'm yelling for help, and I'm thinking, why doesn't anybody hear me? And just as this was going rattling on in my mind, a car came. Came by. As he was passing by, I raised my head, and that's when he turned around. And when he turned around, he got out the car. There was a sense of relief. I knew I wasn't going to die.
- [43:28]
Narrator
Deborah was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery to remove the bullets.
- [43:33]
Deborah
One of them was near my heart. One of them damaged my liver. I have extensive nerve damage on my right side, and I still have two bullets that I carry around with me now that weren't able to be removed.
- [43:53]
Narrator
Deborah was not the youth's only victim that night.
- [43:57]
Deborah
You know, they had kidnapped two other women that night. Same thing they did to me. Put them in the trunk of their car and they killed these two women. They shot them in the head.
- [44:08]
Narrator
Police arrested nine members of the Cripps gang on charges of abduction, murder, and attempted murder. Deborah's attacker, Christine. Christine Walters, was found guilty of attempted first degree murder. She was also convicted of two other counts of first degree murder. Christina Walters was sentenced to death, but her sentence was later reduced to life without the possibility of parole.
- [44:32]
Deborah
I was not going to die that night. I was not going to have my family attend a funeral that was not going to happen. I survived because it was not my time to die.
- [44:52]
Theo
Hello and welcome to Pluto Foe. If you knew the name of the movie you'd like to see, just stream it for free on Pluto tv, where all your blockbuster favorites are landing all summer long. Catch. Anchorman, the Legend of Ron Burgundy.
- [45:05]
Deborah
Fantastic.
- [45:06]
Theo
Men in Black, one through three. That's what I'm talking about. Mean girls.
- [45:10]
Narrator
Shut up.
- [45:11]
Theo
Titanic. I'm the king of the world. And so much more. For showtimes, press nothing. They're free 24.
- [45:18]
Juan Naula
7.
- [45:18]
Verna
That is so fast on Pluto TV.
- [45:20]
Theo
Stream now.
- [45:21]
Juan Naula
Pay Never.
- [45:22]
Narrator
This is a paid message from GoFundMe meet Juan Naula. When his son was hospitalized for a viral infection, Juan started a GoFundMe to pay for medical expenses.
- [45:33]
Juan Naula
It was 5k to pay the bill for my son and I need only 22 hours. It was amazing. People really trust on GoFundMe.
- [45:41]
Narrator
How did Juan raise $5,000 in less than a day? He posted a short video on GoFundMe telling his story in 30 seconds.
- [45:49]
Juan Naula
30 seconds. Be specific. Be quick and tell. What are you going to be using the funds for? I was nervous to do it because it doesn't feel okay to ask money. But you shouldn't be nervous. Sometimes you just have to do it and see the results. We were able to save my son's life thanks to gofundme that we still have my son with us.
- [46:12]
Narrator
Start your GoFundMe today at gofundme.com that's gofundme.com gofundme.com this message reflects one person's experience. Queen Carvania stood haloed by the morning sun. An army hung on her every word.
- [46:30]
Verna
My champions, I have sold my chariot on Carvana.
- [46:35]
Deborah
Twas a lovely suv, an inexplicably queenly offer. They're even coming to the castle to collect it. Tonight we feast.
- [46:47]
Narrator
An offer you can feast on. Sell your car today on Carvana.
- [46:50]
Deborah
Pickup fees may apply.