Cold Case Files — I SURVIVED: But I Was Not Going To Stay On That Floor...

Date: December 27, 2025
Host: Paula Barros for A&E / PodcastOne

Episode Overview

This episode of Cold Case Files features three harrowing survivor stories, demonstrating resilience, instinct, and the will to live in the face of violent crime and natural disaster. Through first-person accounts, survivors detail encounters with a pregnant woman targeted by a sociopath, a couple fighting to stay alive during Hurricane Ike, and a woman brutally attacked in her own home. The stories explore trauma, survival instincts, and the process of turning from victimhood to empowerment.

1. Sarah Brady: The Impostor Pregnancy Attack

[00:53–14:47]

Key Points & Events

• Sarah, nine months pregnant, is contacted by a woman ("Sarah Brody") who claims a mix-up with baby shower gifts.

  • The woman shares personal stories and insists on meeting multiple times, cultivating trust.
  • Sarah's family expresses unease, but she dismisses their concerns.

• Strange Behavior and Red Flags

  • On Sarah's second visit, the woman locks the door, contrary to her earlier claims that her husband would be home.
  • Sarah notices inconsistencies: an inhaler labeled "Katie Smith" (not "Sarah Brody"), and coupons addressed to "Katie Smith".
  • In the bedroom, Sarah observes a disturbing, vandalized Sex and the City magazine cover with names scratched out and "Sarah" written on it.

• The Attack

  • The woman fakes going into labor, prompting Sarah to drop her guard.
  • Suddenly, the woman becomes aggressive:
    • “[She] just looked up with this almost demonic look in her face. And it was just like everything changed.” (Sarah Brady, [06:29])
  • The woman attempts to keep Sarah from leaving; eventually pulls a knife and attacks.
  • Physical struggle ensues. Sarah, despite being nine months pregnant, fights back:
    • "I'm gonna die. I'm going to lay here on this ground, and I'm gonna die ... I'm not gonna lay on this ground and die, and I am not letting her take my child's life." (Sarah Brady, [08:46])
  • In the chaos, Sarah manages to disarm her assailant, only to have the woman attack repeatedly.
  • At the climax, Sarah stabs her attacker in self-defense and escapes the apartment.

• Aftermath

  • Sarah learns from police that the woman was not pregnant at all and had planned to perform a forced extraction of Sarah's unborn child.
  • Authorities discover the impostor (Katie Smith) had faked numerous pregnancies over years, holding baby showers and collecting money for non-existent children.
  • Sarah is exonerated as the killing is ruled self-defense.

Notable Quotes

• “Every hair on my body stood up. And I just thought, my God, something's really bad wrong. I don't know what it is, but I gotta get out of here.”
  — Sarah Brady ([06:32])

• “I wholeheartedly believe that I survived because of my daughter. I believe that she gave me the strength with God to prevail.”
  — Sarah Brady ([14:47])

2. Sherman & Deann: Trapped by Hurricane Ike

[15:29–26:50]

Key Points & Events

• Hurricane Ike Approaches

  • Sherman and Deann prepare to evacuate but are caught as water rises too quickly.
    • “The ocean was in our yard.” (Deann, [15:58])

• Stranded in the Storm

  • The couple, with two dogs, two cats, and an aviary of birds, are trapped as 20-foot storm swells smash through their home.
  • Forced into their attic, they watch waves break inside the house.
    • “You could see like two or three foot breakers like you would see at the beach in the hallway… It was the ocean right there in your house.” (Sherman, [17:25])

• Survival Through the Night

  • They cling to attic rafters as the house is partially destroyed.
    • “I told him then I said, it's been a good 25 years. I love you and I'll see you in heaven. And we were pretty sure we were going to die at that point.” (Deann, [20:25])
  • They endure the storm’s eye and the terrifying “backlash” as the winds intensify again.

• Aftermath and Rescue

  • When morning breaks, their home is gutted—only the foundation stands:
    • “It was just total devastation. It was kind of a cross between Disneyland and Vietnam.” (Sherman, [21:40])
  • Sherman injures his hand but sets out in search of water; they ration what little they can find.
  • A low-flying helicopter spots them after repeated attempts to flag down rescuers, eventually leading to their retrieval by a rescue boat.

Notable Quotes

• “It made you feel like you were the only person left alive on earth.”
  — Deann ([22:02])

• “We survived because we worked at it. We worked at it real hard.”
  — Sherman ([26:50])

3. Ellen: Attack in the Hills Above Austin

[27:08–39:17]

Key Points & Events

• Home Intruder

  • Ellen, home alone, discovers a man in a “ninja suit” with a large knife in her bathroom after she takes a shower.
    • “At first I thought it was a joke. … Then I rolled into thinking, well, this is a nightmare. … He began screaming at me to get on the floor.” (Ellen, [28:29])

• Terror, Rape, and Assault

  • The intruder binds, threatens, and interrogates her. He reveals he’s been hiding in her attic, observing her family’s schedule.
  • He assaults and rapes her at knifepoint:
    • “He kept telling me, you're going to have a bad accident, lady. A bad accident. He told me he was a Drifter ... I remember begging him. I remember crying and sobbing and begging him, please don't do this. I’m a Christian. Please, please, please don't do this.” (Ellen, [31:49])
  • Afterwards, he showers, makes her sign a $600 check, and leads her to the bathroom, where he attacks her brutally with a hammer and knife.

• Clinging to Life and Escape

  • Despite severe wounds (including a knife hammered into her skull), Ellen slithers down the stairs and calls her parents.
  • An ambulance rushes her to hospital; she survives after over 600 stitches.
    • “I remember hearing the EMS personnel talking and they said they didn’t think I was going to make it. I couldn’t say anything, but I remember thinking to myself, oh you bet I’m going to make it. That was the first time I knew absolutely I was going to make it. This man was not going to take my life.” (Ellen, [38:00])

• Aftermath

  • Her attacker, Troy Eugene Wigley, is convicted and sentenced to life. Ellen becomes the Director of the Victim Witness Division for the DA’s office in Austin.

Notable Quotes

• “But I was not going to stay on that floor. I got up and I went over and sat on the edge, the bottom edge of my bed.”
  — Ellen ([29:19])

• “I survived because I wasn't ready to go. I had the strength to make it and I pulled on that strength many, many times during this ordeal.”
  — Ellen ([39:17])

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “[She] looked up with this almost demonic look in her face. And it was just like everything changed.” (Sarah Brady, [06:29])
• “It was just total devastation. It was kind of a cross between Disneyland and Vietnam.” (Sherman, [21:40])
• “But I was not going to stay on that floor. … I survived because I wasn’t ready to go.” (Ellen, [29:19]; [39:17])
• “We survived because we worked at it. We worked at it real hard.” (Sherman, [26:50])

Important Timestamps

• [00:53] — Sarah Brady’s ordeal begins
• [05:26] — Red flags and fake identity details emerge
• [08:38] — Physical attack and Sarah’s fight for survival
• [13:15] — Sarah escapes and police investigation
• [15:29] — Hurricane Ike’s landfall begins for Sherman and Deann
• [17:25] — Water floods their house, survival in attic
• [21:24] — Aftermath and devastation
• [24:29] — First rescue attempt
• [25:58] — Final rescue
• [27:20] — Ellen confronts her masked attacker
• [29:19] — Ellen refuses to stay down
• [33:47] — Ellen is forced to write a check
• [35:06] — Hammer attack and critical injuries
• [37:53] — Ellen escapes and calls for help
• [39:02] — Ellen’s recovery and attacker’s conviction

Tone and Style

The episode is intense, matter-of-fact, and deeply personal, centered on the survivors’ own voices. The narrative honors the emotional and physical realities of these crimes and disasters while emphasizing the strength and resourcefulness of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

Conclusion

This episode of Cold Case Files offers compelling, firsthand accounts of survival against criminal violence and catastrophic disaster. Each story is a testament to the unexpected ways in which victims access strength and resourcefulness, ultimately refusing to be defined by their attackers or circumstances. “I survived” is not just a statement, but a declaration of transformation.