Cold Case Files – "I SURVIVED: I Had Blood Shooting Out Both Sides of Me"

Podcast: Cold Case Files – I Survived Series (A&E / PodcastOne)
Host: Paula Barros
Air Date: August 23, 2025

Episode Overview

This harrowing episode features firsthand accounts from three survivors—Harold, John, and Lisa—each recounting their stories of unimaginable trauma and extraordinary resilience in the face of violence, accident, and abuse. The episode amplifies survivor voices, delving into the mental and physical endurance required to survive against all odds. The stories span a deadly grocery store robbery, a catastrophic farming accident, and the escape from a notorious serial rapist and killer.

Key Discussion Points & Survivor Narratives

1. Surviving a Mass Shooting During a Robbery – Harold's Story (St. Louis, 1987)

[02:31–13:12]

• Background:
  Harold was managing a grocery store that became the scene of a brutal armed robbery involving two gunmen.
• Robbery Unfolds:
  • The perpetrators took over the store after close, armed and aggressive, and herded staff into the back—a sign to Harold that the situation was abnormal and extremely dangerous.
  • “There was no rush of adrenaline. It was strictly fear.” – Harold ([02:25])
• Moments of Terror:
  • Staff members were ordered onto the floor; both gunmen opened fire indiscriminately.
  • Several staff were killed instantly; Harold feigned death after being shot in the chest and head.
  • He describes lying next to his co-worker Rose as she was killed: “My face was right next to Rose's and I heard her go and… that was it for Rose. She never moved… nothing.” – Harold ([07:28])
  • One of the most chilling moments occurs when the gunmen attempt to reload and execute more staff: “Pulled the trigger. And it clicked... Pulled the trigger the second time, it clicked again... Pulled the trigger the third time, the gun went off, and he shot Mike... right in the head.” – Harold ([08:13])
• Struggle for Survival:
  • Severely wounded, Harold crawled to a phone and made a desperate whisper-call to 911.
  • Called his wife, unsure he would survive: “I told her to give the girls a kiss for me. I was bleeding so bad at that point I really didn’t think I was going to make it.” – Harold ([11:13])
• Aftermath:
  • Five of the six staff shot died. The gunmen were arrested and convicted of murder.
  • The bullet remains lodged near Harold’s heart: “The bullet… is lodged right here on my artery right above my heart.” – Harold ([12:12])
  • Survivor’s reflection: “I survived because I wasn’t paralyzed by the fear. I was trying very hard to stay alive, and that was my driving force.” – Harold ([13:04])

2. Horrific Farm Accident – John's Story (Minot, North Dakota, 1992)

[15:09–25:12]

• Background:
  John, 18, describes the isolation of rural farm life. He was alone one day, operating heavy farming equipment.
• The Accident:
  • His shirt was caught in a fast-spinning power takeoff shaft, pulling in both arms and severing them.
  • “I just had blood shooting out both sides of me and then I knew that I had no arms at all.” – John ([17:53])
• Incredible Calm and Problem-Solving:
  • Regained consciousness, calmed himself by focusing on his loyal dog, Tuffy, who “just said, we're going to get to the house.” ([17:23])
  • Managed to open the house door by biting the doorknob, dialed the phone using a pencil in his teeth, and called his cousin for help ([17:53–18:38]).
  • Went to sit in the bathtub to help control blood loss until help arrived.
• Rescue & Medical Ordeal:
  • Paramedics retrieved his arms (with help from Tuffy) and took him to hospital, where he bled out to the point where “there was no medical reason I should be alive.” ([22:36])
  • After a grueling eight-hour surgery, both arms were successfully reattached.
  • Defied odds during recovery: “They wanted to take the one arm off because it was dead… and I said, ‘No, you’re leaving it on there.’ And miraculously, it just started turning pink…” – John ([24:08])
• Lessons and Tribute:
  • Regained substantial function through perseverance: “My Dr. Van Beek is really amazed with what I can do. I owe it all to him and a lot to my own stubbornness.” – John ([24:49])
  • Deep gratitude for his dog: “The one main reason I survived was because of my dog Tuffy, because he's the one that woke me up...” – John ([25:12])

3. Surviving a Serial Rapist – Lisa’s Story (Tampa, Florida, 1984)

[26:48–37:49]

• Background:
  Lisa grew up enduring severe abuse. The night she tried to end her life, she was abducted and raped by a stranger—later revealed as serial killer Robert Joe Long.
• The Abduction and Attack:
  • She was kidnapped at gunpoint after work and driven blindfolded to an unknown house.
  • “I stood there shaking. I had no clothes on, and I could just feel a gun pointing at my back.” – Lisa ([28:51])
  • Subjected to repeated sexual assault and psychological torment; Lisa used her senses to gather identifying details about her attacker (feel of his face, the car’s nameplate, etc.).
• Survival Through Ingenuity:
  • Carefully left fingerprints throughout the house to aid future investigations.
  • Used psychological tactics—treating her captor “almost like playing out a romantic relationship”—to increase her chanced of survival, feigning empathy and interest to humanize herself ([30:12–33:21]).
  • When asked what to do with her, Lisa told him, “I am willing to be your girlfriend. I'll do whatever it takes. I won't tell anybody what happened...You seem like a nice person.” ([34:13])
• Release and Rescue:
  • The attacker ultimately let her go, dropping her near her home:
    • “He becomes nice. He hugs me, tells me to get out of the car. He also told me he was sorry for what he did to me.” – Lisa ([35:16])
    • Emotional turning point: “It just reminded me of life. Incredible how I wanted to kill myself. And now I'm wanting to live.” – Lisa ([35:31])
  • Returned home, was beaten by her grandmother’s boyfriend, before her grandmother finally called the police.
• Case Solved:
  • Provided crucial clues (“I saw the word Magnum in the car”, remembered two nearby hotels) that led police to Robert Joe Long ([36:30]).
  • “They started searching down in the area where those hotels were. And one name stood out. Robert Joe Long. He was registered a Dodge Magnum, red spoked wheels.” – Lisa ([37:10])
  • Lisa processed survivor guilt: “Why me? Why was I the only one he let go?... I was so close to death I didn't realize it.” ([37:13])
• Aftermath:
  • Robert Joe Long was convicted and executed in 2019.
  • Lisa, now a law enforcement officer, credits her survival to her ability to “outwit and outsmart” her assailant and her coping skills developed in childhood.

Notable Quote:
“I survived because as a child I learned coping skills to deal with my abuse. I also survived because I outwitted and outsmarted Robert Joe Long.” – Lisa ([37:49])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Harold (on surviving the robbery):
  "I survived because I wasn’t paralyzed by the fear. I was trying very hard to stay alive, and that was my driving force." ([13:04])
• John (on resourcefulness after losing his arms):
  "I just had blood shooting out both sides of me and then I knew that I had no arms at all." ([17:53])
  "The one main reason I survived was because of my dog Tuffy, because he's the one that woke me up." ([25:12])
• Lisa (on her shift in will to live):
  “Incredible how I wanted to kill myself. And now I'm wanting to live.” ([35:31])
  “I survived because I outwitted and outsmarted Robert Joe Long.” ([37:49])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:31] – Start of Harold’s robbery and shooting ordeal
• [07:28] – Gunmen open fire, Harold's co-worker Rose killed beside him
• [10:09] – Harold's escape and call for help
• [15:09] – John’s farm accident and realization of catastrophic injuries
• [17:53] – “Blood shooting out both sides of me” – John’s critical moment
• [22:36] – John reaches hospital; extreme blood loss
• [24:08] – Decision to keep both reattached arms
• [25:12] – Tribute to John’s dog Tuffy
• [26:48] – Lisa’s background; the abduction begins
• [28:51] – “I stood there shaking…” Lisa describes her terror
• [34:13] – Lisa pleads for her life, feigning empathy
• [35:31] – Epiphany under the oak tree: choosing life
• [36:30] – Lisa helps police solve the Robert Joe Long case
• [37:49] – Lisa now a police officer, on her survival and coping

Themes & Takeaways

• Resilience: Each survivor demonstrates extraordinary resourcefulness and a deep well of inner strength, adapting mentally and physically to their situations.
• Survivor Guilt & Reflection: All grappled with “why me?” but find purpose—whether protecting others, gratitude for life, or supporting future victims.
• Importance of Small Details: From Lisa’s fingerprint strategy to John’s use of a pencil in his mouth, minor actions meant the difference between life and death.
• Lasting Impact: The psychological aftermath remains with all survivors, but they seek meaning in their survival—whether by helping others, treasuring loved ones, or reclaiming personal agency.

This episode stands as a testament to human resilience and the unyielding instinct to survive—even when faced with overwhelming trauma.