Cold Case Files – "I SURVIVED: This Is My Chance, I Have To Get Out Of Here"

Date: December 6, 2025
Host: Paula Barros

Overview

This gripping episode of Cold Case Files features the stories of three ordinary people—Maggie, Gary, and Barbara—who each survived extraordinary, near-fatal ordeals. Through raw, firsthand accounts, these survivors recount their harrowing experiences with shocking violence: Maggie was abducted and assaulted on a morning run, Gary fought off a rogue chimpanzee during a trip in Africa, and Barbara endured a workplace shooting. Their stories, intertwined throughout the episode, reveal not only the darkest corners of the human experience but also the courage and resourcefulness required to survive the seemingly impossible.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Maggie’s Story: Abduction and Survival

(Gallion, Ohio, September 1994; timestamps: 01:48–04:16, 09:00–11:45, 16:49–19:23, 23:41–26:58, 31:03–33:00, 40:00–41:21)

• The Abduction

  • 15-year-old Maggie, a cross country runner, leaves practice early for school and is violently grabbed off a city sidewalk before dawn ([02:02]).
  • "All of a sudden it was like I was just clothesline I was grabbed from behind...I had my headphones on...and I was up on the sidewalk." (Maggie, 02:02)
  • She is dragged at gunpoint into a ravine and sexually assaulted.
  • “The pain was horrible, the blood afterwards...that was traumatizing to see.” (Maggie, 09:09)

• Survival Instincts and Ordeal

  • Maggie tries to stall her attacker and mentally prepares for any chance to escape, keeping her composure and noting every detail she can about her assailant ("long, stringy red hair, glasses… skinny" [10:07]).
  • He repeatedly threatens to kill her, placing a knife over her heart and later a gun to her head.
  • “When I looked in his eyes, it was just, you know, I just saw evil.” (Maggie, 11:30)
  • She recognizes her mother's voice calling for her during the police search but stays silent to protect her parent from the armed man ([24:16–25:35]).
  • She tries to reason with her kidnapper: “What you've done is awful, but I can walk away from this. Just get out of here.” (Maggie, 26:01)

• The Shooting and Rescue

  • The attacker shoots Maggie five times (twice in the head, twice in the back, once in the arm), yet, miraculously, she remains conscious and is found by searching police ([31:03–33:00]).
  • “Wow, wow for two reasons. Wow, I'm still alive. And wow, he actually shot me.” (Maggie, 31:37)
  • She spends 13 days in the hospital, undergoes multiple surgeries, and later receives significant recognition for her perseverance, winning the NCAA Inspiration Award ([40:00–41:11]).

2. Gary’s Story: Chimpanzee Attack in Africa

(Sierra Leone, April 2006; timestamps: 04:16–06:39, 11:45–13:57, 19:23–20:26, 27:07–29:13, 33:00–35:54, 38:34–39:54)

• Initial Encounter with Bruno

  • Gary and four friends visit a chimpanzee sanctuary when a massive chimp named Bruno (6 ft, 270 lbs) escapes and attacks their vehicle ([04:28–06:39]).
  • "The fangs on this thing were huge. And his eyes...you could...They have expressions." (Gary, 05:21)
  • Bruno smashes through the car's window, terrifying the group.

• Violent Confrontation and Escape

  • The chimp bites and severely injures Melvin, nearly severing his hand. The group narrowly escapes by ramming through a security gate ([12:56, 13:06]).
  • “He took Melvin with him...the chimp had a hold of his hand and that's why he's trying to get him to let go. It bit his hand.” (Gary, 12:56)
  • They find themselves trapped in a clearing, pursued by Bruno and a pack of escaped chimps ([13:57, 28:58]).
  • Surrounded by unseen chimps, Gary arms himself with a tree trunk and charges Bruno, stopping the attack ([27:07–28:39]).
  • "When I fought, I took down the alpha male and that stopped all attacks on humans." (Gary, 39:16)

• Aftermath

  • Melvin survives but loses fingers and part of his foot. Their driver, Issa, flees but is killed by the chimps ([38:34–39:11]).
  • “His jaw was missing. Both hands, feet, groin, and he was disemboweled. Just a bloody mess.” (Gary, 39:00)
  • Gary reflects on the importance of not abandoning a friend in need:
    “I survived because how could you turn your back on somebody yelling for help?” (Gary, 39:38)

3. Barbara’s Story: Workplace Robbery and Shooting

(Davie, Florida, March 2002; timestamps: 06:39–09:00, 13:13–14:38, 22:10–23:41, 29:13–30:23, 36:02–38:34)

• Robbery Turned Hostage Situation

  • Barbara and two coworkers are forced at gunpoint into their café’s freezer by two men she knows—one, Chip, a former coworker ([07:23–09:00]).
  • She senses deep trouble when Chip returns unsatisfied with the money they handed over.
  • “I was looking around and stuff, you know, I'm a fighter, I've always been that way. And all I could think about was I have to do something.” (Barbara, 14:14)

• Shooting and Awakening

  • Chip orders them onto their knees; Barbara resists, pleads for their lives, and is shot in the head ([14:41–15:26]).
  • “I just kept saying, barb, turn around. And I was like, come on...and on one of those come ons and turn your head, he shot me.” (Barbara, 15:26)
  • She drifts into a white, dreamlike state, convinced she’s dead, before regaining consciousness ([22:10]).
  • Wounded and surrounded by the bodies of her friends, she realizes the urgent need to escape to survive ([23:41]).

• Escape and Justice

  • Barbara crawls from the freezer, stumbles out of the café, and makes her way to a gas station where she is rescued ([36:02–37:19]).
  • Chip and Jimmy are swiftly arrested. Chip receives the death penalty; Jimmy, five life sentences ([37:45–37:50]).
  • Barbara struggles with survivor’s guilt and the randomness of her survival:
    “I don't know why I survived. To this day. It bothers me, you know, why Christina didn't live and Willie didn't live. But really, I don't know why I survived. But people tell me all the time that I have a purpose. I don't know.” (Barbara, 38:15–38:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Maggie’s composure:

  • "My perpetrator wasn't going to win. I survived because there was no other choice. That was who I was raised to be." (Maggie, 41:11)
  • “Why do you have to shoot me?” “I have to shoot you because you can identify me. And if I get caught for this, I'll go to prison for the rest of my life.” (Maggie, 25:35–25:44)
  • “When I looked in his eyes, it was just, you know, I just saw evil.” (Maggie, 11:30)

• Gary’s determination:

  • “What better way to go than someone lives, even if you have to pass away?” (Gary, 39:45)

• Barbara’s will to live:

  • “I need to get out of this situation that I'm in... I'm going to bleed to death if I stay here.” (Barbara, 23:12)

Important Timestamps by Segment

• Maggie’s attack begins: 02:02

• Maggie’s detailed recollection of assault: 09:00, 16:56, 23:51

• Air search and police involvement: 24:16

• Maggie talks down her attacker: 26:01

• Shooting and police rescue: 31:03

• Hospital/sentencing aftermath: 40:00–41:11

• Gary’s chimpanzee encounter: 04:28

• Bruno attacks the car: 05:21

• Physical confrontation: 27:07

• Melvin’s rescue/Issa’s fate: 38:34–39:16

• Barbara’s robbery/kidnapping: 07:23

• Freezer shooting: 14:41, 22:10

• Escape: 36:02

• Reflection on justice/survival: 37:45–38:34

Conclusion

This episode powerfully highlights the will to survive against overwhelming odds. Each survivor’s account is given space, with significant detail on their emotional and physical responses, and significant reflection on why and how they survived. The episode closes on notes of both gratitude and unanswered questions, underscoring the lasting impact of these traumatic experiences on those who live through them.