I SURVIVED: I Was Sure He Was Eating My Brain

Summary

Cold Case Files: Episode Summary – "I SURVIVED: I Was Sure He Was Eating My Brain"

Hosted by Paula Barros

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Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "I SURVIVED: I Was Sure He Was Eating My Brain", hosted by Paula Barros on Cold Case Files, listeners are transported into the harrowing experiences of three individuals who faced life-threatening situations. Through their vivid recounting, the episode delves deep into themes of survival, resilience, and the human spirit's capacity to overcome unimaginable horrors. The narratives are interwoven with moments of intense fear, strategic defense, and ultimate justice, providing a comprehensive look into the complexities of each cold case.

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1. Susan and Mike’s Home Invasion: A Battle for Survival

[01:21 – 14:58]

Setting the Scene: August 1997, Jacksonville, Florida. Susan and her family reside on a rural property, just ten minutes from town. On a seemingly ordinary evening, Susan awaits her 18-year-old son's early return home.

The Invasion Unfolds:

• Susan’s Realization: At [02:21], Susan hears her son’s doorknob jiggling late at night, signaling his unexpected early arrival. As she approaches the door, a [02:49] loud boom announces the arrival of three armed robbers who smash through the front door.

• Immediate Threat: Without making demands, the intruders instill panic. Susan’s immediate instinct is to seek safety, leading her to run toward the bedroom ([03:03]) in hopes that her husband, Mike, can assist her.

The Struggle and Self-Defense:

• Attempt to Hold Back Traitors: Once in the bedroom, Susan fights to keep the door closed while Mike bravely confronts the intruders in the living room.

• Susan’s Critical Injury: During the struggle, Susan is [03:37] shot in the chest, experiencing excruciating pain but prioritizing her husband's safety over her own.

• Heroic Actions: At [05:08], driven by survival instincts, Susan retrieves her husband's .22 caliber pistol. Despite fears of accidentally harming Mike, she makes a conscious decision to defend herself and her family. She fires multiple shots, successfully incapacitating one of the gunmen ([07:18]), but is then shot again, severely injuring her chest ([07:33]).

Escalation and Escape:

• Continued Danger: With Mike critically injured, Susan faces the remaining intruder who threatens her life ([09:52]). Demonstrating remarkable courage, she navigates the dangerous layout of her home to eliminate the threat.

• Police Intervention: [11:48], after enduring immense pain and bleeding, Susan finally sees the flashing blue lights of approaching police. She manages to contact emergency services despite her injuries.

Aftermath and Justice:

• Capturing the Culprits: The surviving gunmen are apprehended ([14:47]), with Robert Walls receiving five life sentences. The getaway driver, Louis Wright, serves three and a half years in jail.

• Susan’s Reflection: Battling trauma, Susan shares her enduring pain and determination to support others, emphasizing the importance of sharing her story to potentially save lives ([15:07]).

Notable Quotes:

• Susan at [05:34]: “If I run out and I shoot, I'm gonna kill my own husband. And I wouldn't be able to live with that.”
• Susan at [14:58]: “He was sentenced to five life terms and has to fulfill 100% of his sentence so he will never be out to hurt anyone else again.”

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2. Brent’s Grizzly Bear Attack: Nature’s Ferocity

[18:10 – 29:25]

Setting the Scene: May 2008, Bella Coola, Canada. Brent Wright, a surveyor for a hydroelectric company, is working alone in a remote valley known for its high population of grizzly bears.

The Encounter:

• Unexpected Aggression: As Brent concludes a day’s work and begins his trek back to the truck, he senses an ominous presence. At [18:37], a massive grizzly bear confronts him, leading to a violent attack.

Survival Tactics:

• Playing Dead: Despite the immediate threat, Brent realizes that fighting the bear would be futile. At [19:51], he adopts the "play dead" strategy, hoping to minimize further aggression.

• Terrifying Assault: The bear inflicts severe injuries, including tearing Brent’s scalp and arm, and attempting to consume his flesh ([20:14]).

Moment of Resilience:

• Opportunity to Escape: After enduring four minutes of brutal assault, Brent senses a momentary lull ([24:30]) and seizes the chance to flee toward his truck, despite his debilitating injuries ([25:00]).

• Final Push for Life: Battling intense pain and near unconsciousness, Brent manages to reach his vehicle and seek help, calling his former wife for support before collapsing ([28:24]).

Aftermath and Recovery:

• Bear’s Demise: The attacking bear is shot dead by conservation officers six days later ([28:53]).

• Brent’s Reflection: He credits his will to live and the strength drawn from loved ones for his survival ([29:03]).

Notable Quotes:

• Brent at [20:12]: “This is a massive animal. This is £700 of brute force. And his head is massive.”
• Brent at [28:53]: “I survived because I played dead. I survived because I had the will to live.”

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3. Denise’s Ordeal: Overcoming Sexual Assault

[31:37 – 41:58]

Setting the Scene: May 1999, Houston, Texas. Denise returns to her apartment after a shopping trip, eager to attend her nephew’s seventh birthday party.

The Assault Begins:

• Suspicious Encounter: At [31:44], Denise notices a maintenance man acting suspiciously. When she questions his presence at her doorstep, the man infiltrates her apartment without her realization.

• Aggression Unleashed: Denise is forcibly restrained and subjected to a violent sexual assault. The attacker employs both physical brutality and psychological torment, making her fight for survival ([35:01]).

Struggle and Escape:

• Desperate Defense: Despite the overwhelming fear and aggression, Denise uses whatever means she can to resist, including using an iron to defend herself ([33:14]).

• Final Attempt to Flee: After a prolonged and traumatic assault, Denise manages to escape her attacker, only to confront him again outside, leading to further confusion and fear ([38:27]).

Pursuit of Justice:

• Identifying the Attacker: Motivated by determination, Denise collaborates with friends to identify her assailant, leading to the arrest of James Lawrence Stringer ([40:58]).

• Ongoing Vigilance: Denise actively opposes his parole, ensuring that justice remains served and preventing further harm ([41:07]).

Denise’s Reflection:

• Strength and Hope: Denise emphasizes the importance of her children and loved ones in her survival, highlighting the maternal instinct that fueled her fight ([41:07]).

Notable Quotes:

• Denise at [35:24]: “The hardest part about thinking that I was being killed was definitely my kids. To not know who’s going to raise them, if they’re going to live their dreams, how it would be to live without a mother.”
• Denise at [41:07]: “I've got five wonderful kids. A lot to live for.”

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Conclusion

The episode "I SURVIVED: I Was Sure He Was Eating My Brain" masterfully intertwines the raw, unfiltered experiences of Susan, Brent, and Denise. Each story, while uniquely harrowing, showcases the indomitable human spirit's capacity to fight against insurmountable odds. Whether facing human malice or the unforgiving forces of nature, these survivors exemplify courage, quick thinking, and unwavering determination. Paula Barros skillfully navigates these narratives, offering listeners not only a window into these cold cases but also inspiring lessons on resilience and the quest for justice.

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Notable Inspirational Takeaway:

• Susan at [15:07]: “I believe I survived because one reason is telling my story for other people so that somebody else that was as scared as I was before this happened, may act and react the way that I did and save their own life.”

End of Summary

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Susan]

I actually pushed the safety off, cocked it and then that's when I really started thinking if I run out and I shoot, I'm going to kill my own husband.

[Mike]

Real people There was a mammoth grizzly. It was just huge and his hair was standing on edge and he was.

[Narrator]

Coming at me who faced death.

[Brent]

That was not a regular something's wrong kind of scream or a surprise scream. It was a, it was a cry.

[Narrator]

Of death and live to tell how.

[Susan]

At that point I think reality set in that I really was shot and that I would probably lay there and die and I wouldn't make it.

[Narrator]

This is I survived. It's August 1997 in Jacksonville, Florida. Susan and her family live on a rural property 10 minutes from town. She's waiting up for her 18 year old son to return home.

[Susan]

I was watching something on TV and I heard my doorknob jiggle and I thought, wow, my son's actually home early. I looked at a clock and it's 12:40 and I said he's home early, which is very unusual for this child. And I got up and was going to let him in because I thought he was trying to put his key into the door. And when I got close to the door I'm thinking why didn't he set his alarm on his Car.

[Narrator]

Susan's husband Mike, was asleep in the bedroom.

[Susan]

All of a sudden, I heard this very loud boom noise.

[Narrator]

Three armed robbers smashed down the front door. Before the masked men could make any demands, Susan ran towards the bedroom.

[Susan]

As I ran, one screamed for me to lay down, ma'am, or get down, ma'am. And I kept running. I wanted to get where my husband was so he could help me because I knew we were in trouble. One of the people tried to jump over my couch to stop me from making it to the bedroom where I was going. But I made it. He fell, and I actually made it to the room. So I had my whole body against the door, trying to hold them out, screaming for my husband to help me.

[Narrator]

Susan struggled desperately to keep the door closed.

[Susan]

And they're beating on the door at this time, and I think my husband's, like, in a dead sleep, but he's at the door with me, and the door just bust. And I know that I was shot once then because it, like, pushed me back. It got me right in my chest, and it was like fire going through me. I knew at that point I'd been shot, but I couldn't worry about that at the time because I knew at that point my husband was fighting these people, and I knew I needed to try to help him.

[Narrator]

Mike was shot in the shoulder, but continued to fight the intruders.

[Susan]

My husband is a very small, maybe 5, 5, 5, 6, but very muscular. So he, like, had a hold of these guys pushing and shoving, and they were hitting him on the head with guns, and he just. He just kept manhandling and pushing, and he wouldn't let go of them. I think he figured if he let go of them, they could get to me. So he was, I think, trying to protect me as well.

[Narrator]

Susan was left alone in the bedroom as the fight continued in the living room.

[Susan]

That gave me time to grab my telephone, and I called 911. I said, we're being shot. Get here now. And I gave my address, and I hung the phone up. I don't know why I didn't leave the phone off so they could hear, but I just hung it up. And my next thought was, what do you do?

[Narrator]

Susan was bleeding from a serious gunshot wound to her chest. Her husband's.22 caliber pistol was in the bedside gun cabinet.

[Susan]

My husband had always taught me to take the gun if I needed it and take the safety off and cock it. And I, immediately after calling 911, grabbed that gun, and in the dark, I actually pushed the safety off, cocked It. And then that's when I really started thinking, if I run out and I shoot, I'm gonna kill my own husband. And I wouldn't be able to live with that.

[Narrator]

Mike had already been shot in the shoulder at close range. He was now being beaten and pistol whipped in the living room.

[Susan]

And I said, well, if I shoot over their heads, they'll run. I mean, if somebody's shooting at me, I'm gonna run. So I ran out and I shot over their head either two or three times, thinking they would run, but they didn't. One of them actually jerked away from my husband and started running towards me. And I spun around and ran back to the bedroom. And when I made it to my room, I spun with the gun, thinking that he was there and I could shoot him. And he wasn't there. So I peeked out my door and I could see him squatted in my kitchen by my refrigerator. I couldn't actually see his body, but I could see his arm and the gun. And so I knew he was waiting on me to come back out. And what these people wouldn't know is that next to my bedroom is a dining room that leads back around to that same living room. So I slid across the wall. It's just about 4 inches, 5 inch wall. I slid across it, ran into my dining room, which put me out back into that living room with the one guy that I had seen him with his gun with his back to me, and I just opened fire. When I made it to my room, I spun with the gun, thinking that he was there and I could shoot him. And he wasn't there.

[Narrator]

The gunman was crouched outside the bedroom door. But Susan ran through a side door and she was now behind the gunman.

[Susan]

I don't know how many bullets I shot, but I just opened fire on him. He jumps up and he says, the effing bitch shot me. Killer.

[Narrator]

Two of Susan's bullets struck the gunman. He staggered outside.

[Susan]

And about that time, I look over at the other guy and he's put the gun to my husband's side and fires point blank in his side. And I watch my husband drop.

[Narrator]

Mike did not move or cry out. Susan thought he was dead.

[Susan]

I knew it was perfect opportunity for me to start shooting this guy. And when I tried to pull the trigger, I had no bullets, so I spun around to run and he actually shot me again, right in the shoulder. But I was trying to run to save my life because he emptied his pistol. So there was probably. I ran through about nine bullets, and he Got me with one.

[Narrator]

The bullet passed through Susan's chest, collapsing her right lung. She ran back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

[Susan]

And everything got quiet in my living room. And I look down, and I see that I'm bleeding everywhere, and I know I'm getting ready to die.

[Narrator]

There was now only one gunman left in the house. The third intruder fled in the gang's getaway vehicle.

[Susan]

My mother always said, make sure that you ask for forgiveness of your sins so that you'll go to heaven. And I prayed out loud, asking for forgiveness and asking, you know, the Lord, to make sure my husband was okay.

[Narrator]

It was now five minutes since Susan.

[Susan]

Had called 911, and everything was still very quiet. I'm wondering if my husband's dead or alive. But I knew I couldn't go back out there yet. I just was praying that the police would come. I stood against my closet in fear, knowing these guys were getting ready to come get me, because I knew my husband couldn't help me. At this point. He was down, and there was nothing he could do.

[Narrator]

The intruder, shot by Susan, had staggered outside and collapsed. The gang's driver had fled in the getaway vehicle. Only one gunman remained in the house.

[Susan]

And all of a sudden, I hear somebody scream at my husband, where's the effing keys to that truck? At that point, I knew my husband was still alive because I heard him answer. The keys are in my hat, in the bedroom, on the gun cabinet. And I was in that bedroom, and I knew he was getting ready to come into the bedroom for me. And so I was still praying, but I was praying quietly.

[Narrator]

Mike was lying in the living room unable to move. He was bleeding profusely from two gunshot wounds.

[Susan]

And all of a sudden, I hear somebody at my door say, where are you? And it was still dark and the doors busted. And I was very quiet because I didn't want to answer. And I was hoping he'd leave, but he didn't. He clicked my light on, and I am probably about four foot from him, and he puts a shotgun right to my temple, and he says, give me the effing keys to that truck. And what I don't think he realized is that his mask was on his head and not over his face. So I could see his face at that point. And I did try to look at him so that I would know how to tell the police if I lived long enough for the police to get there. And he's got this gun to my head, and he's screaming at me. Had I called 911? Because when I hung up the phone with 911, they kept calling back, and they would hang up and call back. So I think. I think he must have known that. And I just lied to him and I said, no, but you've already shot us. Just take our truck and go. And about that time, my hand comes out of my purse with the keys. He grabs them out of my hand and he takes off.

[Narrator]

Desperate to get away, the gunman drove over his accomplice lying in the yard. Susan ran back into the living room.

[Susan]

I was really afraid to look at my husband. He wasn't talking and he wasn't moving. And I think that's what scared me, that he might be dead.

[Narrator]

Mike was shot in the torso and shoulder. His injuries were life threatening.

[Susan]

And the phone was still ringing. So I grabbed the telephone and it was 911 calling back. And they were trying to talk to me and tell me that help was on the way and was anybody still at the home. And I told them no. I told him my husband was shot and he needed help really, really bad.

[Narrator]

It was now more than 10 minutes since Susan had called 911.

[Susan]

And I remember looking down at my chest and being covered in blood and saying, yes, I am shot. And at that point, they asked me to lay down on the couch and put my feet up. I guess because they were worried I would go in shock or whatever. I was really, really having a hard time breathing. And that's why I thought I'd been shot a third time lower down. But it was just the pain from the lung collapsing. At that point, I think reality set in that I really was shot and that I would probably lay there and die and I wouldn't make it. And all of a sudden, while I'm laying there, I start seeing blue lights in my house, I guess from where the police were pulling up. I jumped up and I ran to the door and I'm screaming, help us. Help us. And he said, is it just you and your husband here, or is there any more intruders here? And I'm like, no, they left. They left. And about that time, I watched him almost trip over the guy in my yard. I didn't know that the guy was out there. He, like, startled, you know, and he took his gun and he pointed it at the ground and he goes, I can't come in and help you yet, but help. More help's on the way.

[Narrator]

Paramedics arrived and rushed Susan and Mike to the hospital. Susan did not know that the gunman in her yard was dead.

[Susan]

When I got to the hospital, all I kept telling him is, I want to talk to him. I want to know why he did this. And it took him probably about four hours before they finally would say, you shot and killed him.

[Narrator]

Susan discovered the man had been run over by his accomplice.

[Susan]

We don't know if he did it to make sure that he didn't talk, if he lived for the police to get there to tell him who was with him, or if he just did it out of fear trying to get out of there before the police arrived. Because I think he knew in his heart the police were on their way with my phone ringing back to me. So I think he just wanted out of there.

[Narrator]

An autopsy confirmed it was Susan's bullets that killed the gunman.

[Susan]

I took a human life and I, I took his life in self defense, but I still took human life. And that bothered me for a long time because, you know, I just believe that that's. You're not supposed to take a human life, but, you know, everybody says it was self defense, you know, they had already shot you. And that is true. But I still have to live with knowing that I shot him and that he has a child now that, you know, one day may come to me and say, why did you kill my dad? And I would have to be honest and tell him that he didn't give me no other option.

[Narrator]

Susan and Mike gave police a detailed description of the gunman who shot them. Robert Walls was on the run for six weeks before being arrested.

[Susan]

He was sentenced to five life terms and has to fulfill 100% of his sentence so he will never be out to hurt anyone else again.

[Narrator]

Louis Wright, the getaway driver who fled the scene, served three and a half years in jail. For Susan, the trauma continued. When she got home from the hospital.

[Susan]

I couldn't even almost walk through my front door. My legs would not let me through my front door because of the bullet holes and the blood and everything that was still there. There was 40 something bullet holes in my home. Everything was just blown. There was holes in everything. My curio cabinets, my microwave. We even found bullets in my freezer months later that had went through the freezer that the police didn't even see. I believe I survived because one reason is telling my story for other people so that somebody else that was as scared as I was before this happened, May would act and react the way that I did and save their own life. And I think in some ways that's why I have survived is to tell My Story.

[Narrator]

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[Mike]

It's populated with some of the highest populations of grizzly bears in British Columbia. There's over 70 in the valley. Generally they they tend to keep their distance from people and briefly they'll look at you. They're inquisitive and they'll watch you and see what your intentions are. And then they'll carry on in their business and we carry on with our work.

[Narrator]

Brent spent four hours taking photographs of river boundaries. It was now late afternoon And I said, that's it.

[Mike]

It's time to go home. I decided to walk up a cut trail to the truck, which is about 300 meters away at that point. And I started up the trail. And as I got up about 50 meters from the canyon ledge, I felt the hair in the back of my head go straight up. And it was very unusual. And I looked over, and there was a mammoth creature. Grizzly was just huge, and his hair was standing on edge, and he was coming at me. It was just terror. It was like a ghost, this massive animal. You know, I'm looking up at it and I'm just saying, you know, he's huge. You know, this is. His head is about this big. I was just saying, oh, is this for real? And I looked again, and he was coming at me, and I saying, this is real. And is this happening to me? And yes, this is happening. And that's when I put my arm up and he bit it and ripped into my arm here. And that was the first excruciating pain that I felt. I can't express the pain, but it was just like somebody sticking something in your heart.

[Narrator]

Brent decided his only option was to play dead.

[Mike]

That was my six answers, as I had to play dead. And if I don't play dead, he's going to maul me and kill me. My thoughts were, hit him with the axe. You know, if I hit him with my axe, then I can do something. But these animals run at 40 km an hour.

[Narrator]

There was no opportunity to use the axe.

[Mike]

This is a massive animal. This is £700 of brute force. And his head is massive. So in order to inflict enough force on an animal like that, I would have to have more time. He was just too big. I would just make him mad, and he would just come at me with even more vigor.

[Narrator]

The bear now had Brent's arm in his jaws.

[Mike]

When you're looking at the eyes of a grizzly bear this close, and he's got his teeth on your arm and there's steam coming out of his mouth, and you. You have a sense of the size of these animals. When his ears and his head are this high above your arm and you know he's ripping onto you, it's just the sheer power of the animal. And you feel it when you have something gnawing on you like that and you're so vulnerable, you have no defense. I was looking for a place to dive, and at that point, he let go. And then he ripped into the elbow and tore a chunk right out of the elbow. And that's when I dove down into the mud. And there was a spring in skunk cabbage and a bit of a log there. I said, well, if I can get under the log with my head, I can protect my vitals and keep my face away from. Because I've seen so many people that have had their face ripped off or they get to your vitals and then your toast. So I just dove into the spring, and I tried to get my head under a log, and I was successful at that. And I pulled my shoulders up over my head. This arm is damaged now, and it's in severe pain. So I was trying to get into a crouch position, which you do when you get mauled by a grizzly bear and you're trying to play dead. This grizzly was quick. He came down and grabbed me by my back of my right arm here and lifted me right out like I was a feather. And then he dropped me into the mud again. And at that point, I was trying to get my hands to go behind my head, but because of the damage he's done, I couldn't move. And they're starting to shake so bad because of the pain. So what I did is I just tucked my head into my shoulders and tried to kneel down and bend down. And that's when this massive animal came up from behind me and started ripping the scalp off my head. It's like peeling something off mactac or peeling a duct tape off something, and just rip. And that was sort of the sounds and just rip. And then he started gnawing on my head. It just sounded like when you grab a walnut and you crack it with one of those steel crackers. It's on a cracking, and it was licking and snorting. And I can hear him licking and snorting, and you can feel his tongue on my head, licking the blood up. I was just saying, well, he's gonna crack me open here any second. And I just says, God, I hope he gets over quick. At one point, I was sure my brains were hanging out, and he was eating my brains. I didn't know how that was possible, but it seemed that way. And it was just flashes of different things in my life. And I just said, God, I hope it gets over soon.

[Narrator]

In spite of the intense pain, Brent remained silent.

[Mike]

By playing dead and by mustering up enough nerve and enough fortitude in your body and. And in your mind, the thing to do is not to say anything, not to scream, try to say nothing, play dead. As the bear was pouncing on me with his front paws and pushing me into the dirt and swatting the ground. I could smell something and it was a foul smell. This animal was defecating around me and on me and marking me as his territory, as his meal.

[Narrator]

The attack lasted four minutes.

[Mike]

The grizzly had surgically scalped me. The skin was just hanging, you know, in different parts of my skull and gaping open. I was starting to lose consciousness and I knew that if I did that, that that would be the end of me. He would come back and finish me off and eat me.

[Narrator]

Brent was struggling to keep his head above the mud and water.

[Mike]

At that point it went silent. It was just deathly silent. And it was like the ghost that came into my life to maul me had all suddenly disappeared. I could see his feet walking away. And I was watching him and I was saying, so he thinks I'm dead. And I says, that's good. He thinks I'm dead.

[Narrator]

Brent realized this was his chance to escape. His truck was 160 yards away up a steep hill.

[Mike]

My heart is pounding at about 200 beats per minute and I can feel my whole body is just vibrating. So at that point I can see the animal again. I see him now, he's about 30 meters away. His head is going from side to side. And looking back at the log where he left me, I instinctively said I have to muster up enough strength and get out of here without being noticed. Basically I used my elbows and my knees to sort of get along, but I basically crawled for the first 25ft.

[Narrator]

The bear was circling the log where he had left Brent for dead.

[Mike]

So I crawled for another 15ft when he moved his head and I kept my eyes on him and he kept on looking back at the log and I was saying, this is good. He's looking at the log. He doesn't see me moving. So I get up and I can't get fully up, but I'm on my feet now and I can see stars and I'm starting to black out and I'm just saying I've got to run.

[Narrator]

Brent staggered up the hill taking cover where he could.

[Mike]

I've got to do it and I've got to get enough strength to get up this next hill and to the truck, which I mustered up enough strength and I made it to the truck. At that point I'm shaking so badly I can't get my keys out of my pants. And I kept on looking over my shoulder because that grizzly was, I'm sure, hot to trot to find his Meat, and that was panic, was to get in the truck. I couldn't get rid of that idea that I'm not going to make it. He's going to find out I've left. He can smell the blood now, and as soon as he gets that scent of me, he's going to come running out.

[Narrator]

Brent's arms had been badly mauled and his scalp ripped open.

[Mike]

I was able to get my hands into my pants and pull up my keys, but I had no strength in my fingers. And then I dropped the keys on the ground. I mustered enough strength up, picked up the keys, and I was shaking so bad, I couldn't get the keys in the truck. I can't remember how I did it, but I managed to get enough shaking under control. I was able to get the keys in and I got the truck open. It's like I can't explain the relief. And it was like a safe zone. It was like feeling completely safe again. And then I said, well, I've got to get out of here now. I knew I was going to have to drive 15 miles down this road to get to a gas station, and that was my goal.

[Narrator]

As he drove, Brent was slipping in.

[Mike]

And out of consciousness many times along the road. I said, I can't do this. I've gotta just call it quits. I was blacking out. I lost control of the vehicle and I was pulling over and I said, this is it. And then I started saying, no, this can't be it. I've gotta go on.

[Narrator]

The gas station was 15 miles away.

[Mike]

There was an attendant there, a young fellow, and I said, can you call an ambulance? I've been mauled by a grizzly. His eyes went as big as saucers. And he looked at me and started to run away. And I said, no, no, no, come back, come back. I need an ambulance.

[Narrator]

Brent then phoned his former wife, Darlene to tell her what happened.

[Mike]

I thought I was going to die, so I said, thank you and I love you and I'm sorry. And then I said, I can't talk right now. I gotta go. I left my wife about three years ago, and we weren't really the best of friends. And I wanted to. If I was going to die, I wanted to leave on good terms. And that's why I said, sorry.

[Narrator]

Six days after Brent was attacked, the bear was shot dead by conservation officers.

[Mike]

I survived because I played dead. I survived because I had the will to live.

[Narrator]

Brent's head and arms needed 160 stitches.

[Mike]

I kept the people that were important to me in my life, foremost my mind. And that's what kept me going. People give you strength, and that was the strength that gave me that day, is that it was not only the will to live, but it was the people in my life that I wanted to live for.

[Narrator]

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[Susan]

Is there intelligent alien life?

[Mike]

And if so, has the government been covering it up?

[Susan]

All right.

[Narrator]

UFO sightings the military can't explain, Congressional hearings?

[Brent]

Pentagon whistleblower. What does it all mean?

[Susan]

What does it all mean? We are here to try and figure it all out with our new Ancient Aliens podcast. There is a doorway in the universe. Beyond it is the promise of truth. It demands we question everything we have ever been taught.

[Brent]

The evidence is all around us.

[Susan]

The future is right before our eyes. We are not alone. We have never been alone. Listen to the Ancient Aliens Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator]

It's May 1999 in Houston, Texas. Denise is returning to her apartment from an afternoon shopping trip.

[Brent]

I drove by the mailboxes, and I saw a man off in the distance that looked like he was a maintenance man. He looked very hot and lost. He was looking around like he didn't know exactly where he was going. So there was actually no eye contact made. And I got my mail. I got back in the car and went to my apartment and proceeded to go upstairs. I remember taking off my shoes immediately because my feet were hurting. And I was just going to change clothes and go to my sister's home right away.

[Narrator]

It was her nephew's seventh birthday, and Denise was excited about going to his birthday party.

[Brent]

I heard a knock at the door, and a man called out, maintenance. And so I walked back to the door, and I turned off the alarm and opened the door to see what he wanted. The man that I had seen at the mailbox was standing there at the doorsteps, and he told me that he was there to repair a leak under my sink. He definitely was wearing the colors of the apartment maintenance men. And being a large complex, there's several. So I pushed the door closed just so that it was closed and not all the way. And I turned around and walked back across the apartment to a wall phone to dial the office number. I was going to call to find out what kind of work exactly that they wanted and if it was that he was at the right apartment.

[Narrator]

The apartment door was left slightly ajar. While Denise dialed the office, the man walked in.

[Brent]

I turned around, and I was very surprised that the man was now in my apartment and very close. I had not heard him open the door or walk across the apartment at all. I saw him look up, and I immediately looked up to see what it was he was looking at. And at that point, I felt his hands on my throat. And it was painful, but I thought he was trying to move me out of the way of danger or something. And I stepped a little bit closer to him, but the pain continued. And then I heard this terrible, terrible screaming. And I realized it was myself at that point was a fight for me to survive. I thought he was killing me. He started cussing me, and he continued to cuss. And he was trying to get control of my arms, and I was just trying to get away. He. They hit me several times. There was a lot of hair pulling. I actually had a bald spot on the left side of my head from a loss of hair. He would punch me. He slapped me. He was doing whatever it took to get control. And there was One point where I saw the iron that I had ironed my dress with that morning, and I picked it up and I hit him with it. And before I knew what happened, he took that iron away and really smashed me in the head. I remember feeling very weak and very nauseated and thinking, I have to keep fighting. I've got to get out of here. I went down on my knees, and that's when he got on top of me and told me, now let's get these pants off. And at that point is when I realized it was going to be a rape.

[Narrator]

Denise fought desperately as her attacker tried to gain control.

[Brent]

When he got me to the ground, he put his hands on my thighs, just above my knees, and he raised his body up and he would drop back down on me. And he did that several times, and it was very painful. And I realized he was trying to knock the breath out of me because I was fighting so hysterically.

[Narrator]

Denise's husband was at work and her children in daycare.

[Brent]

The hardest part about thinking that I was being killed was definitely my kids. To not know who's going to raise them, if they're going to live their dreams, how it would be to live without a mother. Those thoughts constantly just race through, and that by far is the most difficult part. During the attack and the rape, I constantly felt like he was a monster. He was very, very cruel during the rape, you know, as he hit me and he would lick me and do these strange things, it just sounded so much like an animal. It was not anything human whatsoever. I tried to remember every detail I could about him. I remembered his hair color, and I certainly knew his face. I had talked to him at the door, and we had for such a long period, he had done nothing to disguise or cover his face. It was broad daylight, and so I was trying to just remember every little detail. He constantly called me a bitch. I think I was called every name that I could think of. You know, he kept telling me to shut up. He was not happy with the fact that I continued to scream. And I know without a doubt it was a very piercing, terrified scream.

[Narrator]

Denise broke free and decided to jump through the window.

[Brent]

I was on the second story, and I knew that below, the only thing down there was air conditioned units. And I just assumed that that was a better option.

[Narrator]

Her attacker dragged her back down.

[Brent]

There was no way I could get away from him. He was very strong. So for me, this was a fight for my life.

[Narrator]

Denise struggled until she was completely exhausted.

[Brent]

I was laying on my stomach on the floor, and he started wrapping and covering my T shirt. In my head, he was trying to cover my head. And I remember thinking that at this point, he was going to stab me. And, you know, I asked him why he was doing that, because he was telling me to stop. You know, as he was trying to tie it up, I was trying to take it down. And he told me he did not want me to see what he looked like. And I remember thinking how crazy that statement was, because I knew exactly what he looked like.

[Narrator]

Denise never stopped screaming.

[Brent]

That was not a regular something's wrong kind of scream or a surprise scream. It was a. It was a cry of death. I could not believe this man was doing these things to me. In addition to hurting me, he was violating many areas. And he began to sound like a starved animal. He licked and bit me from my knees to my navel. He continued to cuss and hit and bite the entire time.

[Narrator]

After the rape, the man stood up and calmly walked to a mirror.

[Brent]

He affixed his hair in the mirror, mirror. He straightened himself and zipped and fixed his belt, buttoned his belt. And he asked me, he said, what are you gonna do about it, bitch? And he smiled. He smiled at me. And I was so confused. I thought, oh, my gosh. And he just walked out of the apartment. And I assumed at that point he was gonna go and get a weapon out of his truck or car or what have you and come back and still kill me. The thought in my head was still that he was going to kill me.

[Narrator]

Naked and in shock, Denise ran to an outside balcony.

[Brent]

I remember being embarrassed that I was standing outside naked. I was just very stunned that he was just walking away smiling. And I got back inside the apartment and secured it and immediately went to the phone. I thought he left the apartment to go get something to kill me with. I didn't know if it was going to be a gun or what, but I just assumed that I was dead. I had a fractured skull, a fractured wrist. My ribs were very beaten and bruised. I didn't even like looking at my legs because there were so many bruises and bites and stuff. It just. I felt quite mangled.

[Narrator]

Denise was convinced the man was a local and would attack again.

[Brent]

I was very determined that he get caught and arrested. And I knew nothing about the law. I'd never been in any type of trouble. And to me, this felt like I was in trouble. And it became necessary just to find him.

[Narrator]

Denise began making her own inquiries.

[Brent]

My best friend Pam and I drove through the apartment complex a couple days later. We Were just looking to see if we happened to see him. And in the course of doing that, I ran across a neighbor. My neighbor told me that there had been a man arrested five years prior for several rapes on the same complex right in the same area. And he had gone to prison. And she told me that she thought it would be in my best interest to find out if he was still in prison or if he had been paroled.

[Narrator]

The neighbor called her back with a name, and Denise phoned police. She was asked to view a series of mugshots.

[Brent]

And I looked at the first one, the second one, third one, and fourth, and I went back to the third one. And all of a sudden I felt like I was being choked. I was afraid of the picture. And I saw the rapist there.

[Narrator]

James Lawrence Stringer was arrested a few hours after Denise had identified him. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to life in prison. Imprisonment.

[Brent]

He's come up for parole twice. And I write letters and my friends and family write letters stating why we think that he should not be released. I do not think that he has changed. I think that the only thing that may have changed is I think he won't leave someone to speak next time. I really think a lot of the survival incident instincts came because I did have children. I think that the mother in me definitely came out in the fighting. I always try to remember that only a part of me was killed on May 25. I look forward to things each day. There are many things that I love. I've got five wonderful kids. A lot to live for.

[Susan]

Are you looking for your next case?

[Narrator]

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[Brent]

You're gonna need some backup, which means suspense is free. Very cool.

[Narrator]

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[Susan]

You can't outrun this. Someone is gonna pay for all this crime.

[Narrator]

But it's not gonna be you.

[Susan]

Take care of business, fellas. Watch all the cases all for free from all your favorite devices we got you feel the free Pluto TV stream now pay never.