I SURVIVED: I'm Holding My Stomach Like It's A Football

Summary

Cold Case Files Podcast Summary Episode: I SURVIVED: I'm Holding My Stomach Like It's A Football
Release Date: July 19, 2025
Host: Paula Barros

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of Cold Case Files, host Paula Barros delves deep into harrowing survival stories that underscore the resilience of the human spirit. Through firsthand accounts, Paula explores the harrowing experiences of individuals who faced life-threatening situations and emerged victorious against all odds. This episode not only highlights the brutality of these encounters but also emphasizes the strength and determination required to survive.

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Tika's Terrifying Ordeal in Washington, D.C.

Location: December 2009, Washington, D.C.
Survivor: Tika
Timestamp: [02:02] – [18:20]

Tika's story begins with her life on the streets and her subsequent attempt to rebuild it by moving into a shelter. Her journey takes a dark turn when she is brutally attacked by Veronica deramus, a woman she initially believes is there to help her.

Key Moments:

• The Attack:
  “I'm bleeding everywhere from my side where she cut me.” — Tika [02:02]
  Veronica begins by violently beating Tika, leaving her bloodied and desperate to escape.

• Desperate Escape:
  “I know I can't [escape].” — Tika [02:34]
  Despite being severely injured, Tika's determination to survive drives her to find a way out, leading to a harrowing escape attempt while enduring unimaginable pain.

• The Final Push:
  “I'm holding my stomach like it's a football...” — Tika [14:48]
  In a moment of sheer willpower, Tika manages to unlock the door and flee her attacker, though not without sustaining life-threatening injuries.

• Aftermath and Recovery:
  Tika's attacker, Veronica, eventually turns herself in and is sentenced to 25 years in jail. Tika survives her injuries and gives birth to a baby girl she names "Miracle," symbolizing her own survival.

Insights:

Tika's narrative is a powerful testament to human endurance and the will to survive against relentless violence. Her story underscores the importance of having a support system and the role of faith in overcoming trauma.

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Robert's Deadly Encounter with a Bear in Alaska

Location: June 2010, Alaska
Survivor: Robert
Timestamp: [20:50] – [30:08]

Robert, a geologist working in the remote terrains of Alaska, shares his terrifying encounter with a bear that nearly cost him his life. Prepared yet caught off guard, Robert's survival hinges on both his training and sheer luck.

Key Moments:

• Encounter with the Bear:
  “When the bear first stepped into the opening, I realized I'd never been that close to a bear before.” — Robert [21:49]
  Robert describes the initial sighting of the bear and the immediate sense of danger it brought.

• The Attack:
  “I shoot when he's about three feet away.” — Robert [23:17]
  Despite firing his weapon multiple times, the bear continues its assault, forcing Robert to rely on his training to stay as still as possible.

• Second Charge and Close Call:
  “He was moving like a cat.” — Robert [24:46]
  The bear's relentless aggression pushes Robert to his limits, resulting in severe injuries but ultimately survival.

• Rescue and Reflection:
  “I survived because I received the training necessary to handle that situation.” — Robert [29:27]
  Reflecting on the critical role of his survival training, Robert acknowledges that without his preparation, the outcome could have been fatal.

Insights:

Robert's experience highlights the unpredictable nature of wildlife encounters and the paramount importance of proper training in survival situations. His story serves as an educational account for those venturing into remote areas, emphasizing readiness and caution.

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Debbie's Christmas Eve Nightmare in Indiana

Location: December 1984, Merrillville, Indiana
Survivor: Debbie
Timestamp: [31:54] – [40:27]

Debbie recounts the harrowing events of Christmas Eve when her boyfriend’s brother, Brett, violently disrupted her family's peaceful holiday, leaving her with life-altering injuries and deep emotional scars.

Key Moments:

• The Escalation:
  “When he put the gun to my head, I was probably for the first time in my life, really afraid of him.” — Debbie [33:45]
  Tensions escalate between Brett and Debbie, culminating in a violent confrontation that leaves Debbie critically injured.

• The Assault:
  “I have cuts in my abdomen, and, you know, I've been beat in the head.” — Debbie [16:51]
  Brett's aggression results in Debbie being shot multiple times, leaving her fighting for her life amidst chaos and fear.

• Calls for Help:
  “I believe I called them 12 or 15 times because for some reason, I was afraid they weren't going to come.” — Debbie [35:39]
  Despite her severe injuries, Debbie's determination to seek help underscores her resilience.

• Aftermath and Healing:
  “I survived because I was determined to survive. From my kids, I knew that I was all that they had.” — Debbie [39:54]
  Debbie not only survives the physical trauma but also finds strength in her role as a mother, facilitating her emotional and physical recovery.

Insights:

Debbie's story is a poignant illustration of maternal instinct and the lengths one will go to protect loved ones. It also sheds light on the impact of domestic violence and the enduring strength required to overcome such personal tragedies.

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Conclusion

This episode of Cold Case Files masterfully weaves together the harrowing survival tales of Tika, Robert, and Debbie, each illustrating different facets of human resilience in the face of extreme adversity. From escaping a violent attacker and surviving a bear mauling to overcoming a life-threatening shooting, these stories highlight the indomitable spirit that drives individuals to survive against all odds. Paula Barros provides not only a platform for these voices but also insights into the psychological and emotional fortitude required to endure such traumatic experiences.

Through meticulous storytelling and compelling firsthand accounts, this episode serves as both a tribute to survivors and a sobering reminder of the fragility of life. It emphasizes the importance of preparedness, support systems, and inner strength in overcoming life-threatening challenges.

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Notable Quotes:

• “I'm holding my stomach like it's a football.” — Tika [14:48]
• “I survived because I received the training necessary to handle that situation.” — Robert [29:27]
• “I survived because I was determined to survive. From my kids, I knew that I was all that they had.” — Debbie [39:54]

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This summary encapsulates the essence of the episode, providing a coherent and detailed overview for those who haven't listened while highlighting the key moments and emotional depths of each survivor's story.

Transcript

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[Tika]

I was bleeding everywhere from my side. Blood was gushing from my side where she cut me.

[Narrator]

Real people.

[Robert]

He was on a full run at me. I could see his hands grabbing dirt. He was moving like a cat. I mean, for a 500 pound animal, they move like a cat who faced death.

[Debbie]

Brett came into the doorway with his marine gear on and a bandana over his face with a shotgun and said, I'm all talk, huh?

[Narrator]

And live to tell how.

[Tika]

I'm just asking God to just give me some type of strength from somewhere because if I can stand up, I know I can get out of here. I know I can't.

[Narrator]

This is I survived. It's December 2009 in Washington, D.C. teeka is living on the streets.

[Tika]

I was living a very rough life. I was very rebellious. I didn't want to go or abide by anybody's rules. But I got into some rough spots out there, and that's when I chose to just get my life together.

[Narrator]

Tika moved into a shelter in an attempt to start a new life. She met a man there and they got married.

[Tika]

I was pregnant at the time. I was about seven and a half months when I started receiving phone calls from an unknown number. When I answered it, the lady sounded really nice. She was very soft spoken. She told me that she worked for a program that helped out pregnant women and who are in need. She said, we have clothes and we have a storage area where we keep the clothes and car seats, and you can come and pick out whatever you want. I was really excited, really excited. My husband, P.J. was pretty concerned. His main worry was that he didn't know the individual. And he just was like, don't rush into anything that you really don't know about.

[Narrator]

Tika met the woman who called herself Stephanie outside the shelter.

[Tika]

She looked about 35 years old. She was really nice. And when I got in her car, we talked, and I was just telling her about me. I was telling her about how my pregnancy was going and that I just got married and how happy I am.

[Narrator]

The woman drove Tika to her apartment. She invited Tika to have a seat in her unfurnished bedroom.

[Tika]

So I got comfortable, and she came in and she turned some movies on. She had put on a movie. Then my husband called me and he's like, man, where you at? So I'm like, I'm fine, because at this point, I don't really know where I'm at. After I hung up with my husband, we were sitting there and we were talking, and she put on Precious, the movie Precious. It was a bootleg copy of Precious. And we were watching that and. And all of a sudden she threw this heavy quilted blanket. She threw it over the back of my head and started beating me in the head. After she hit me about 10 times, I jumped up and I threw my hands up, you know, in a motion like this, and all I could see was blood. The only thing that runs through your mind is, I got to go. I got to get out of here. I ran out of the bedroom and I ran for the front door. But the front door had the bolt lock on it, the chain lock, and the bottom lock. By that time, she had jumped on my back, and we're wrestling. I'm wrestling with this 216 pound woman. There's blood everywhere, and I'm just. I don't really. I can't really see. My eyes are burning, my head is pounding. She was trying to put her hands over my mouth and she was trying to choke me. And I was just fighting her off the best way that I could. And all of a sudden, she picks up this heavy steel. It's long, it's a fireplace pogo. And she was just swinging it, just swinging it. She had to hit me about almost 40 times in my head. And I passed out. About two minutes later, I feel her grab my ankles and she's pulling on me. She's pulling me down the hall toward her kitchen area. She pulled me into the kitchen and I heard her rattling through a couple of dishes and things in the kitchen. And all of a sudden, she knelt down on the side of me. And I felt this sharp pain go up my side. When I looked over, I saw she had a box cutter in her hand. I was bleeding everywhere from my side. Blood was gushing from my side where she cut me. She rolled off of me and laid on the floor. And she started praying, oh, God, forgive me. I'm a sinner, I'm sorry, and all of this stuff. And by this time, I didn't have the energy to do anything. So I'm just laying there. She's grabbing all these towels and she starts cleaning up. All I hear is scrubbing. She came back in the kitchen and she got back down on her hands and knees, and she said, can you get up? I said, I don't think I can. I'm in a lot of pain and I don't think I can move. She said, well, I'm gonna help you.

[Narrator]

The woman carried Tika to her bedroom and laid her on a mattress on the floor. Tika's bleeding eventually slowed and stopped. The woman took Tika's cell phone from her and switched it off.

[Tika]

I'm kind of thinking that maybe if I talk to her, it'll scare her into letting me go. Like, kind of like if I keep bringing up the fact that people are gonna start looking for me. So now I'm talking to her about her kids and my kids and the fact that we both have families. And I won't say anything because I don't believe in keeping people away from their families. She didn't say anything. She just kept pacing the floor. But I could tell by her actions that it was getting to her. She turns on the tv. She's putting on movies. And I'm just laying there watching the movies, watching her. And I'm just watching every move that she makes.

[Narrator]

Tika lay awake most of the night.

[Tika]

And eventually I just fall asleep. And then the next day comes about. She's pacing the floor again. She's doing the same thing she did the day before, but she's a little more relaxed. In my head, I'm saying, okay, I'm going to try something. So I said, why don't you just kill me? I can't do anything. I can't move. I can't walk. There's no point in you holding me here. She said, I gotta get out of here. I gotta find a way to get out of here. Flags go up now. I'm like, all right, she's not gonna kill me now. She wants to leave. But the only thing that's keeping her from leaving is me, because I'm still here. And I know what she looks like, and I know where she lives, and I know what her vehicle looks like. And I know too much about her for her to just let me go. She came in. She had a metal bowl filled with ice, and it had a rag in it. She had another rag on her shoulder, and she had about six towels. And she had two box cutters and a pair of scissors and a knife. She took some duct tape and wrapped it all the way around my face. I could only breathe out of my nose. And she just started cutting. She started at the bottom, right above my pelvis, and just started cutting. And I could feel every single bit of that.

[Narrator]

Tika's hands were tied, and she was weak from blood loss.

[Tika]

I couldn't move. I couldn't go anywhere, you know, but scooting up, scooting up would make it worse. So I just laid there, and I took it. And every once in a while, she would stop and go in the living room and get on the phone and come back, and then she would start cutting away. But she's picking now. She's not like, just cutting. She's kind of just, like, nipping at the skin to break the skin. So she's going through all the layers of my skin, all of them. She's going through the muscle, everything.

[Narrator]

The woman cut Tika's bladder, thinking it was her water sack.

[Tika]

She said, I already cut the water sack, so all I gotta do is just reach in there and get the baby. Do you want me to do that right now, or do you want to go to sleep? I just told her I was in a Lot of pain. I couldn't take it, you know, I just wanted to just take a break, you know, I just wanted to take a break. She said, all right. She had Michael Jackson's this Is it movie on the whole time. If he started talking, she would rewind it to the part where they're dancing and it's music and all that stuff. And she had it up loud. She had the volume up loud. And she just kept playing it over and over again, you know? I mean, I got to the point even while I was laying there cut wide open, I'm like, why is she playing this? Cause I hate Michael Jackson anyway. So I had to lay there and listen to it, you know, and taking all the pain and just knowing that you got somebody cutting at you against your will, just. It blew my mind.

[Narrator]

Tika eventually passed out, woke up, and.

[Tika]

The nightlight was on, and she was laying on the floor kind of in a fetal position, where I would have to step over her to get out of her bedroom door. And the bowl is sitting right next to me. So I roll over on my side, my ring knocked up against the bowl, and I'm looking at her like, is she gonna do anything? But she didn't move. So I'm on my elbows and my knees, and I got my hands in this prayer position. And now I'm just asking God to just give me some type of strength from somewhere. Because if I can stand up, I know I can get out of here. I know I can. When I went to step over top of her body, the blood from my stomach, it was dripping in little drips, and it dripped on the blanket. So now I'm like a mouse surrounded by cats. And I'm just stuck, you know, I got one foot over top of her and one foot not. And I'm like. You know, because I'm in shock. I'm like, I hope she doesn't move. I really hope she doesn't. But she didn't move. So then I got my other foot over top of her, and now I'm working my way down the hall toward the front door. When I get to the middle of the hallway, my whole entire stomach falls out. From behind. The skin, my intestines, everything just comes out. So now I'm holding my stomach like it's football, and I'm holding onto the wall, and I'm just walking, and I'm trying not to breathe heavy, but I'm just. You know, I'm just breathing slowly as I'm walking, because with every step is pain. So Then I started unlocking the door, all the locks, real slow, real calm. And when I opened the door, it made kind of like a creaking noise. So then I walk. I, you know, walk around slowly to the backside of the apartment building. And now I'm screaming, help. And I'm knocking on people's doors, and I'm going from apartment to apartment because, you know, nobody's answering the doors.

[Narrator]

Tika collapsed on the stairs. Her attacker came out of her apartment and saw Tika lying there.

[Tika]

And she gets behind me and puts her arms underneath of my arms, as in a position to lift me up. So now I'm kicking and I'm fighting, and I'm biting her fingers because she's trying to put her hands over my mouth to cover my mouth. Then this guy comes running downstairs from the third floor. He's like, what's going on? What's going on? So she's trying to over talk me and tell him that I'm delusional and crazy, and she's trying to help me. So he's looking, you know, because he's trying to hear both sides of what's going on. And you can't see the blood that's underneath the shirt because the shirt is navy blue. So I said, please help me. She's trying to kill me. And I lifted up the shirt. And when he saw whatever it was that he saw that I couldn't see, he was like, oh, I'm calling the cops. When he said that, he immediately turned around and ran up the stairs back to his apartment. And she just gave me this look like, I should have killed you.

[Narrator]

The woman ran off, and I'm laying.

[Tika]

There, and I didn't know what to do. Any other person would have been like, thank you, Jesus. But I didn't know who to thank. I just was glad that I was alive. The next thing you know, I remember a lot of firemen and EMTs were there, and I was. I didn't have anything on, so they were trying to get someone, you know, to get me a sheet or a blanket or something. I had somebody stand on the side, and he was asking me a lot of questions, and I'm answering them. And he's like, ma', am, are you hurt? And I'm like, yeah. And he's like, well, where? And I said, I have cuts in my abdomen, and, you know, I've been beat in the head. And he was like, what? So when he lifted up my shirt, he just kind of was like, okay, okay. You know, he just. He looked like he wanted to throw up.

[Narrator]

Tika was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.

[Tika]

When I came to, the first thing I asked about was my baby. My husband was sitting there. He was the first face that I saw when I was coming out of all the medication that they gave me. And the nurse came in just to kind of check and see if I had came out of, you know, what I was in. And she said, you gave birth to an eight pound, two ounce baby girl. And I said, I'm gonna name her Miracle because she survived. And I survived. She was balled up in the top of my stomach. And that's why she was pretty hard to get to.

[Narrator]

Tika's attacker, Veronica deramus, turned herself in. Later that day, she pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to 25 years in jail.

[Tika]

And I was healing pretty fast and pretty good. But then that's when they told me that it's a possibility that I wouldn't be able to have any more kids, you know, due to the damage. And I just, I got really emotional. I got real sad because I want more kids, you know, I wanted more kids.

[Narrator]

Tika and her family now live in an apartment in Washington D.C. i survived.

[Tika]

Because I was coming to a point in my life where I started to love myself and respect myself and cherish life. And I also survived because of God and my support system. I know a lot of people love me and I know that God loves me. And like they say, God looks after babies in full. And at that time, I had a baby and I was a fool.

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[Robert]

Most of the time we're in places where it's only accessible by helicopter. It's pretty steep terrain. Sometimes there are small villages within 100 miles, but most time we're far enough away that you're extra careful because of what could happen to you. We see bears a lot when we're out there. Most time we see them from a distance and usually if they make any approaches towards you, you just call the helicopter and he comes and picks you up. Before every field season, we take a safety course and mostly it's about bears. Actually, it scared me this year for some reason, I just took it a little more to heart. I rearranged my whole vest to have more safety equipment with me. I had a helicopter signal cloth. I had a fire starter, of course, your radio and your weapon.

[Narrator]

Robert usually carried a powerful.44 Magnum, but on this day he had only a smaller.357 caliber pistol.

[Robert]

We have these what we call soil traverses where you just have a particular line on the map and you're collecting soils at regular intervals along that line. Well, that day I had just finished up one line and so the helicopter pilot picked me up and took me to my next line. But now it's later in the day, so that's why there's no one else working around me. I found myself in some pretty deep brush. I take my last soil sample and then I stumble into this clearing and I looked at my clock and I didn't have enough time to go to my next sample site. And I Thought, well, I'm just going to stay here and wait for the helicopter. And that's when the bear stepped into the clearing, about 25ft away. When the bear first stepped into the opening, I realized I'd never been that close to a bear before. I have seen lots of bears in the wild. I've never seen one that close. I mean, his hair was perfect, he was one color all the way. He was just a real beautiful bear. But these little, little beady eyes and I just, you know, I said to myself, oh, I got to my knees trying not to startle him, although we were already close enough that something was going to happen. But he moved slow while I moved slow. As soon as I went to grab for my weapon, he ran. I've risen to my knees and he's charging and I'm pulling, I'm drawing my weapon. I shoot when he's about three feet away.

[Narrator]

Robert's shot hit the bear but failed to slow its charge.

[Robert]

I then immediately spun around and my training, you know, I could hear the words of the instructor, you know, lay fully prone, keep your feet slightly spread so he can't roll you over, because if he can roll you over, then he can get a bite into your side or into your chest and that's going to be damaging, you know, life, it's gonna take your life. So, and then cover your neck.

[Narrator]

The bear began mauling Robert on the ground. His training had taught him to lie still so the bear wouldn't persist with the attack.

[Robert]

I could hear him ripping, like my pant leg. I could hear, I could feel him ripping my flesh. But I knew it was gonna be over soon. If I didn't know that, your survival instinct would kick in and you would. And if you try to fight a 4 or 500 pound bear, you're going to lose. He chews on my leg for just seconds and then he's gone. And I thought, wow, it's just like they taught us. It's over that quick. I'm laying there and I must have only laid there for about 20 seconds. And the thoughts running through my head are just, you know, how bad am I injured? Is he to going well? I don't hear anything. It's safe. I can look up now. And I rolled over and sat up to find out he had only got about 40ft away.

[Narrator]

The bear saw Robert sit up. It charged at him a second time.

[Robert]

He was on a full run at me. I could see how broad his shoulders were. And unlike the first attack where he showed no emotion whatsoever, I mean, no snarl, no growl, no teeth just coming at me. This time he was showing all his teeth and, you know, I could see his hands grabbing dirt. He was moving like a cat. I mean, for a 500 pound animal, they move like a cat. And he covered that 40ft in the time it took me to fire twice. That's, you know, barely two seconds and he's crossed 40ft of ground.

[Narrator]

One of Robert's shots hit the bear but again failed to stop it.

[Robert]

He's got me by my arm and just flailing me around in the bushes. And during that time, he hooked me with his claws and pulled me back towards him. He grabbed my face once.

[Narrator]

Robert put his arm up to protect his face from the enraged bear. The bear clamped its jaws around Robert's arm.

[Robert]

I could feel him, the pressure on my arm, and I felt like I was just a rag doll in a dog's mouth. You know how they just kind of shake it back and forth and it's flopping around? And that's exactly what I felt like. I mean, I found myself thinking, wow, this guy is powerful. I mean, to just be flailing me around was just. It was incredible to me. And then he just dropped me.

[Narrator]

Robert's arm was broken and he had deep gashes on his leg and arm.

[Robert]

I was laying there. I was more on my side than on my face, but my eyes were closed and I just waited and waited. I'm wondering, you know, is he gone? I knew that if I looked up too soon, I was gonna have to go through this all again. And I couldn't do that again. But then, you know, the thoughts run into your head. You know, am I bleeding to death? Is there another bear, you know, coming into the clearing? You can only wait so long before you have to pick your head up and take stock of what's going on around you. And I bet you I laid there for three to five minutes before I opened my eyes. And then I listened again before I actually put my head up. And then my first thoughts were, where's my gun? It wasn't in my hand anymore. And if there was one more bear or anything else going on, I needed that weapon. And it has a fluorescent orange handle on it, but I couldn't see it. But then I couldn't move much. My whole right side of my body seemed paralyzed. I thought, did he bite my spine? Am I paralyzed? And that was a really scary thought to me that, you know, if I did need to get to my 20ft away, there was no way I was going to get to it, my radio was in my vest pocket. And I grabbed my radio and made a mayday call and got no response. And that was terrifically disheartening. I knew there was two other geologists working in the area. I know the helicopter's flying somewhere, and he usually has better range, but nobody answered my call. I'm still calling on the radio, and. And I decided that, well, you know, maybe this radio's not working. So I turn it on and off a couple times, listen for the test beeps, and it seems to be working. I wanted to make sure it was on the right channel, so I turned it all the way to channel one, and then click once back to channel two and then try again. Mayday, Mayday. And that's when I decided, whoa, what time is it? And I look, and the helicopter is not going to be back for 40 minutes. That's when I found myself screaming, mommy. And when I realized what I just said, I laughed out loud. And, you know, that actually made me feel good that I could laugh. And then I did hear a little static on the radio, and I called, mayday, Mayday. And then I heard the pilot come back. Hey, Bob, I'm on my way to pick you up. Where are you at? So I realized he hadn't heard my mayday, but that static must have been him from just a little ways further out. Not getting quite. And so I, you know, Mayday, Mayday. I've been eaten by a bear.

[Narrator]

It takes seven hours to evacuate him from the mountains to a hospital.

[Robert]

In my hospital bed, I realized that it was the training that I had received from the survival school that really saved my life that day. And so I called them up and told them, you know, to thank them for what they had taught me.

[Narrator]

Robert recovered from his injuries and was soon able to walk again.

[Robert]

I survived because I received the training necessary to handle that situation. I had been taught many times about what to watch for bear activity. This was the first course I had ever taken that taught me what to do during an actual bear attack. And the most important thing that they taught me was that it was going to be just seconds long. If I didn't know that, my survival instinct would have kicked in. I would have fought back, and I would have lost.

[Narrator]

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. For weeks now, New Jersey residents have been plagued by unexplained drones flying overhead.

[Robert]

Is there intelligent alien life? And if so, has the government been covering it up?

[Debbie]

All right.

[Narrator]

UFO sightings the military can't explain, Congressional hearings, Pentagon whistleblower. What does it all mean?

[Marissa Pinson]

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. The evidence is all around us. 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 December 1984 in Merrillville, Indiana. Debbie lives with her boyfriend Bill and their two girls.

[Debbie]

My boyfriend at the time had a brother named Brett. He was in the service in the Marines and he got kicked out of the Marines. He could be the sweetest guy in the world and we got along very well, but when he got mad, it was like a whole other person. He had a wife named Rose that was getting, they were getting divorced. She was divorcing him at the time. Bill and I were financially okay, so Bill didn't have to work. And there was a of jealousy there because he was losing everything and his brother, in his eyes, had everything.

[Narrator]

On Christmas Eve, Debbie went with Bill and Brett to their mother's house.

[Debbie]

Brett had gotten a ear piercing and Bill told him he looked like a sissy with it. So he got mad. Bill told Brett that you're all talk and no action. You know where I live, you know, don't be doing this at mom's house. You know, we'll settle this later. And we were going to get our coats and leave again. And then Bill said, no, we're not leaving this time. You leave. So he did leave and went to his uncle's house.

[Narrator]

Brett bought a bottle of liquor and spent the rest of the day drinking.

[Debbie]

We Stayed at his mother's for a while and then went to my aunt's house. And when we left my aunt's house, we came home. Brett came into the doorway with his Marine gear on and a bandana over his face with a shotgun and said, I'm all talk, huh? I had seen Brett Madd before a lot of times, but this time I could tell by the look in his eyes that this time was different. He meant business this time, and he was serious.

[Narrator]

Debbie's two girls, aged 8 and 13, ran to their bedroom.

[Debbie]

I just thought, I gotta get the police here because he is really lost. At this time, Bill and Brett were arguing, and I figured that they. Brett was distracted enough that I could go over to the phone and call the police and get them there. And when I got to the phone, Brett met me at the phone with the shotgun and put it to my head and told me to hang up the phone. When he put the gun to my head, I was probably for the first time in my life, really afraid of him. So I did hang the phone up. And when I hung the phone up, he did put the gun down. And then I figured because the gun wasn't to my head anymore, maybe I could say something to him. My kids were in the bedroom, and my motherly instincts took over, and I told him to get out of my house. And that's when he took the shotgun and shot me in the leg. When he shot me, my leg pretty much went all over my whole living room. And the blood was coming out of my leg like somebody had turned the kitchen faucet on and it was splashing up off the floor. There was a hole, and then there was white. And then it hit me that, oh, my God, that's the bone. Everything has gone out of my leg. And I didn't see how I could possibly survive with all that gone and all that blood that I lost. At that time, he had walked back over to where Bill was standing by the other door, and they started arguing again. And Bill was trying to tell Brett that he needed to let an ambulance come in there and get me. I picked up the phone and turned around and walked back across the living room.

[Narrator]

Debbie called 911 and raised the alarm.

[Debbie]

I believe I called them 12 or 15 times because for some reason, I was afraid they weren't going to come. And I knew that the injury to my leg was serious and I needed somebody to get there, so I just kept calling them. I probably stood there for maybe a minute or two. It seemed like eternity, but and then my leg gave out and I fell onto the couch. But I still had the phone in my hand.

[Narrator]

Debbie's two girls were hiding in their bedroom. Brett ordered them to come into the living room.

[Debbie]

That's the part that scared me the most, because I did feel like, you know, whatever you do with me, you know, is going to be. But don't do anything to my kids. Bill stood in front of the girls and told him, just please let the girls go. Do whatever you want to me and her, but just let the girls out of here. And he stood there and thought for a minute, and he told them to go ahead and get out. So they did. They ran next door to the neighbor's house. And then Brett proceeded to the couch to tell me to call his ex wife, Rose, and get her over there. Right now he was gonna just kill us all because he said the police would never take him alive. When you have somebody that overreacts all the time anyway, and they're very drunk with a shotgun in their hand, there's really not a whole lot of reasoning that's going to be done. I got on the phone trying to call Rose. It was Christmas Eve. I had no clue where she was really at. I wasn't really calling her to tell her to come over to my house. I was calling her to tell her to get away because he was looking for her.

[Narrator]

A police SWAT team arrived on the scene in response to Debbie's 911 call.

[Debbie]

They did call into the house to try to talk to Brett, and he talked to the police for a little while and told them that they weren't going to take him alive and that he knew that he was in a lot of trouble and they just weren't going to take him alive. In the meantime, Bill kept trying to convince him to let me out of the house because he told him that she's going to bleed to death if you don't let her go. He was going back and forth from, like, lucid moments where he knew what he did. And then, you know, getting back to the hateful part where he just wanted her there and he just wanted to get rid of everybody. Brett was very up and down the whole time. It was like, for a minute, he would talk to them and be halfway calm, and then he would get mad again. It was like what he had done had hit him. And, you know, he wasn't getting out of there anyway, so he was going to get his ex wife over there and take her with him.

[Narrator]

Debbie's leg has been shredded by the shotgun blast and she was rapidly losing blood.

[Debbie]

Bill knew that it was only a matter of time before it was going to be too late because of all the blood. That he asked Brett one more time, please, just let me take her out of here. I'll come back. Just let me get her outside to the ambulances and I will come back in. Brett, you can do whatever you want with me. And he got that lucid look for a minute, but then the crazy look too at the same time, and told him, well, you can take her out, but you come back. Bill opened the front door and when he opened the front door, there was an ambulance at each end of the yard. There were county police, state police, local police, the SWAT team, the fire department. It looked like we were walking into the set of a movie. Bill carried me down the stairs as quickly as he could because we both felt like, you're not quite sure if he's really going to let you go or if this is just a trick. So we both were thinking, you know, he's just going to shoot us on the way. Before we ever got to the ambulance, we heard gunshots from the house. And Bill commented to the police before we even got to the ambulance that you can go in because he killed himself. Being that there was nobody else left in the house and he had been threatening since he was 17 years old to commit suicide, we pretty much knew that he had shot himself.

[Narrator]

Debbie was in the hospital for 12 days and and nearly lost her leg.

[Debbie]

I still have probably between 100 and 150 pellets in my leg from that shotgun. He had seven shells in his pocket which were enough to kill me and Bill, my two kids, himself, his wife and his son. I'll live with this scarred up leg and the little limp I have if that's all that came out of it. I survived because I was determined to survive. From my kids, I knew that I was all that they had.

[Marissa Pinson]

This summer, Pluto TV is exploding with thousands of free movies. Summer of cinema is here. Feel the explosive action all summer long with movies like Gladiator, Mission Impossible, Beverly Hills Cop, Good Burger and True Transformers. Dark of the Moon. Bring the action with you and stream for free from all your favorite devices. Pluto TV stream now pay never.