Cold Case Files – I SURVIVED: I Felt Like It Went From A Color Day To A Black And White Day

Podcast: Cold Case Files
Host: Paula Barros (plus I Survived host Marissa Pinson)
Date: October 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This emotionally charged episode of "Cold Case Files" presents three gripping survival stories, each narrated firsthand by survivors of harrowing events: a missionary kidnapped and shot in Haiti; a woman subjected to domestic violence and rape in Yonkers, New York; and tunnel workers narrowly escaping death during a catastrophic flood in a Massachusetts worksite. The episode centers on the will to survive, the choices people make in life-threatening moments, and the resilience it takes to overcome trauma. Each account details not only the dangers faced but also the crucial split-second decisions and flashes of hope that spelled the difference between life and death.

Key Stories, Discussion Points & Insights

1. Philip’s Kidnapping and Survival in Haiti (2001)

[Starts: 02:03]

• Background:
  Philip, an American missionary, was driving with a local man and his 5-year-old son, Shelton, toward Port au Prince to get a medical visa.
• Ambush & Attack:
  • At the outskirts, a group attacks their vehicle—gunfire erupts, and Philip is badly shot ([04:06]).
  • He’s forcibly removed from the car by a mob, robbed, and left bleeding as life around him carries on as normal.
  • Memorable Quote:

    "It felt like it went from a color day to a black and white day that I was driving into no man's land and I was dead."
    — Philip (03:01, also echoed at 06:20)

• Seeking Help:
  • Injured and losing blood, Philip seeks aid and is taken by young men to a house where Red Cross workers treat his wounds ([07:35]).
• Kidnapping:
  • He and Shelton are handed off to an armed gang, then held as hostages. Philip’s captors demand a $300,000 ransom.
  • He contacts his son, Chad, who coordinates with the US Embassy and Haitian police ([10:12]).
• Negotiation & Faith:
  • Over negotiations, the ransom lowers to $3,000, but darkness falls before an exchange is possible. The night is punctuated by gunfire from both slum gangs and UN forces ([14:09]).
  • Philip faces psychological torment from a particularly violent captor, “Trashmouth.”
  • Memorable Quote:

    "You can threaten to kill me. In fact, you can kill me, but I choose to love you. Whatever happens, I choose to love you. And if you kill me, I will forgive you."
    — Philip (12:07)

• Release:
  • A local community leader intervenes, drinks rum with Philip, and announces his release ([15:24]).
  • Philip and Shelton eventually make it to the US for Shelton’s surgery. Philip continues his mission work despite lingering injuries.
  • Reflective Quote:

    "I believe that I survived because God's hand is on my life...it would bring him more glory for me to survive than it would have brought for me to die."
    — Philip (16:49)

Key Insights

• The randomness and chaos in countries with political and economic turmoil.
• The role of faith as a lifeline for hostages.
• Psychological battle between fear and hope, and the ability to humanize even one’s captors.

2. Karen’s Escape from Domestic Violence and Rape (1994, Yonkers, NY)

[Starts: 19:17]

• Background:
  Karen describes her relationship with her husband Ron, which seems to deteriorate after she receives a call from Ron’s ex and learns of his double life ([19:52]).
• Escalation:
  • Confrontation over Ron’s infidelity turns abusive.
  • She senses danger and physically runs out of her house to the police after Ron threatens her with a knife ([23:09]).
• Temporary Safety:
  • Karen returns home with police presence; Ron is removed and a restraining order issued ([23:51]).
  • Believes the ordeal is over, but Ron breaks in two weeks later ([24:36]).
• Attack & Survival:
  • Ron physically restrains, gags, and rapes her at knife point.
  • Karen’s focus: “keep your eyes open and watch everything...the police are gonna want details” ([26:36]).
  • She cleverly convinces Ron her pocketbook is at a friend’s house to delay him, gets him to let her make a phone call, and conveys to her friend Brenda that she is in danger ([27:30]).
• Aftermath & Justice:
  • Using quick thinking, Karen suppresses panic, contacts police as soon as she is able, and survives the ordeal ([29:32]).
  • With the help of detectives and a ruse involving Ron’s Workman’s Comp claim, police are able to apprehend him ([31:30]).
  • Ron receives a nine-year prison sentence.
  • Karen becomes associate director of the Bronx Sexual Assault Response Team, using her experience to help others.
  • Empowering Quote:

    "I survived because I refused to close my eyes, that I stayed awake and I watched everything. And I think I survived because I refused to be silent about it. I told right away."
    — Karen (32:21)

Key Insights

• Survival strategies during domestic violence: presence of mind, deception as self-defense, trusting one’s gut.
• The importance of speaking out and seeking justice.
• How becoming an advocate for others can be a form of personal recovery.

3. Ali and Tunnel Workers’ Near-Drowning (2007, Fall River, MA)

[Starts: 33:17]

• Background:
  Ali, Kenny, and Johnny are tunnelers, working 120 feet below ground.
• Disaster Strikes:
  • A sewer pipe bursts, sending in mud and water at a critical rate; all power and communication are lost ([34:08]).
• Immediate Chaos & Survival Instincts:
  • Ali details the terror as water rises rapidly—he cannot swim and nearly panics ([35:54]).
  • Quote on Authentic Fear:

    "I know I can't swim. Even if we could float to the top...I probably would just panic in the water. I know I'm from Jamaica and I'm supposed to know how to swim...But I don't think there was time to panic. You know, you just...do whatever you think it is that you're going to survive."
    — Ali (35:54)

• Rescue:
  • Ali is accidentally hoisted alone to the surface in the rescue cage, only for his horror to realize his colleagues are still trapped ([37:46]).
  • He insists on being lowered back down, flashlight in hand, to find and rescue Kenny and Johnny as water fills the shaft ([38:53]).
• Teamwork & Escape:
  • Despite communications blackout, the three coordinate to get into the rescue cage and are brought to safety just before the shaft fully floods ([41:02], [41:19]).
  • Celebration & Relief:

    "When I came up and they saw me in the cage, that's where they know we had a problem. Because when they saw me, it's almost like they saw a ghost, because they're expecting three people and there was only one."
    — Ali (37:46) "I never been kissed by so many men in my entire life. It's unbelievable...it was good, it was real good. It's almost like you could have a heart attack and die from being so happy."
    — Ali (41:19)

• Reflection:
  • The group did not have time to follow safety protocols but relied on quick thinking and mutual trust to survive.
  • Lasting Lessons:

    "If anyone had thought about what we're supposed to do, two guys would have been dead. But no one thought about what we're supposed to do. We just do what we had to do."
    — Ali (42:02) "I survived because everybody stayed into their safety game. We try to stay on our game. We look out for one of another. That's why I survived, because everybody stayed on their game."
    — Kenny/Johnny (42:13) "I survived because luck, the guys up top and God. That's the three reasons why I'm here today. It's the only three reasons why I survive."
    — Ali (42:28)

Key Insights

• Dangers and isolation of underground work.
• Importance of improvisation, teamwork, and decisive action in emergencies.
• The camaraderie and bond formed in surviving together.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “It felt like it went from a color day to a black and white day...” — Philip (Missionary), [02:03] & [06:20]
• "You can kill me, but I choose to love you. Whatever happens, I choose to love you. And if you kill me, I will forgive you." — Philip, [12:07]
• “I survived because I refused to close my eyes...and I think I survived because I refused to be silent about it.” — Karen, [32:21]
• “I know I can't swim...But I don't think there was time to panic. You do whatever you think...to survive.” — Ali, [35:54]
• “I survived because luck, the guys up top and God. That's the three reasons why I'm here today.” — Ali, [42:28]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Philip’s story (Haiti kidnapping): [02:03] – [17:19]
• Karen’s story (domestic violence): [19:17] – [32:21]
• Ali and the tunnelers’ story (workplace flood): [33:17] – [42:28]

Tone and Style

The episode lets survivors narrate in their own voices with unfiltered emotion, immersing listeners in their trauma and triumph. The hosts and producers maintain a respectful, empathetic tone, giving survivors full agency over their stories.

Conclusion

This episode stands as a powerful testament to human endurance and ingenuity in the face of lethal danger. Each survivor’s story underscores a central theme: the refusal to give up, and the courage to take action—whether by relying on faith, using clever deception, thinking fast, or trusting in others. Their voices carry deep emotion, hard-won wisdom, and, ultimately, hope.