Original subtitles

It was like any other normal trip I had been to the Philippines before.

I told him how nice the people are.

But then we were kidnapped.

One wrong movement and I could have a bullet go straight through

my head.

What do you want from us?

I'm dealing with religious fanatics.

How could these people do this to us?

You die.

I had to find my way out of here. I had to escape.

It was summer of 2011.

Have you got the charger?

I was going to the Philippines with my 14 -year -old son, Kevin.

Heiko, could you get a pretty?

My husband, Heiko, he's from Germany.

He doesn't come with us.

The idea is that Kevin and his cousins can spend time together.

Come on, you'll love it. It's beautiful.

I know, but...

I just don't know what anyone's saying.

I really didn't want to go to the Philippines at this point.

They're your cousins, Kevin.

They don't mind.

Yes.

I've been there before, and I like going, but I just wanted to stay home

with my friends, enjoy my summer before I became a freshman.

Let's go.

We're going to have a good time.

It's going to be a fantastic vacation.

My cousin recently built four huts in a peninsula.

It is isolated. It is remote.

There is no schedule.

Just spending time with the family.

Oh, Mom, I'm just going to play over there, okay? Okay, have fun.

Most of my holidays consisted of checking out the scenery, the coral

I had never seen crystal clear water like that before.

Eating was a big part of our vacation.

Tell me if you like it.

We were going to fly out the following day.

I was looking forward to going home to see my father. I hadn't seen him in two

weeks.

By the end of the holiday, I had felt like I had accomplished a wonderful

I woke up 2 .30 in the morning.

The whole place is so quiet.

You can see the moon, so bright.

It was full, just stars.

I heard something fast moving, footsteps,

running.

I saw two guys.

One looked like he had some kind of rifle.

At first I thought it was some kind of robbery.

So I screamed for help.

Too long!

Mom, don't knock out!

Too long!

Trying to wake up everybody.

Kevin! Wake up! Wake up! We need to go!

I tried to make out what she was screaming.

Kevin! I think I made out the words, run for the mangroves.

Run for the mangroves.

We need to go!

There was no sign of my family.

Not kids, not nothing. I was like, did they do something with my family

Run!

I saw lights being flashed around.

I saw someone close to the shore.

We are now surrounded by several men with heavy assault rifles.

I couldn't think straight. I was terrified.

Someone kicked Kevin from behind.

This man grabbed my hair.

What's your name?

Screaming at me, he said, What's your name?

He pulled my hair back and shined this light into my eyes.

What's your name?

Kevin.

Kevin! Kevin!

They were saying something to each other.

It's them. It's them.

It's like this must be some kind of mistake.

There's no reason for them to come after us.

They pushed us towards this boat that was waiting on the shore of the beach.

Our journey in the boat lasted around three hours.

I tried to stay strong.

But I didn't want to make it to our destination.

I didn't know what awaited us there.

I was thinking, just jump out of the boat and just run.

But there were so many of them.

The age range could have been from around 15 to almost 40.

I was shocked.

How could people who looked close to my own age have a military -grade assault

rifle?

They had gave me these camo clothes.

I felt like they were trying to make me look like, just, uh, just like them.

They said we had to walk.

That we were going to walk far.

We were walking in fields. There were no trails.

And suddenly, everybody stopped.

There were

so many fear going through my head.

The fear of death was very scary and the fear of unknown.

I thought, this is where I'm going to die.

I lived a good 14 years.

This is it.

I began to realize that they were starting to pray.

I knew right then it's religious.

I'm dealing with religious fanatics.

I heard of the Islamic group Abu Sayyaf.

They ask for ransom and they do behead people.

At this point, we weren't told where we were going.

I imagined some place far from civilization where nobody would find us.

Then suddenly, from the distance,

I saw a light.

I could hear a car in the distance.

That light kind of terrified those guys.

And I felt something brush against the back of my head.

one wrong movement and I could have a bullet go straight through my head.

I took a deep breath.

And then it was gone.

I felt the cold metal being removed from my head.

I wanted to just stay in that spot and just breathe.

But that wasn't the case.

I had to follow him.

noon the next day, we got onto some kind of dirt road.

I have no idea where they're taking us.

And then I saw what looked like stick huts.

We passed also an area that looked like a makeshift kitchen.

I wasn't sure to think this was a village, some type of military outpost.

And then I saw a group of men waiting there.

Most were in camo -type outfits.

There was also a man sitting there.

He struck me as someone who could have been in charge.

Go.

He pointed toward what looked like a cage to me.

I did not want to go in.

The cage itself was very small.

If I was to stand inside it, my head would stick out of it.

What went across my mind was Kevin.

I told him how beautiful the Philippines is.

how nice the people are, and for him to be treated like that.

How could these people do this to us?

I don't know what time we woke up, but when I opened my eyes, I see just

branches and branches.

There was no roof.

I realized, like, why am I sleeping outdoor?

The reality hit me.

I wasn't dreaming.

We were taken.

We were kidnapped.

The man that we thought could have been the chief strided toward us.

I would have loved to yell at them and say, everything you're doing is wrong.

But I couldn't do that.

I was terrified.

What do you want from us?

I want $100 million.

At that point, I was just like shocked.

It was like the amount of money.

I'm just a simple person. I can't give you $100 million.

Even if we sell everything we have, we cannot get near what they're asking.

Okay.

$10 million.

I was like, I'm going rock here. There's no way I can pay this man.

I looked up.

See that star in the sky?

And I said, if you can get that star, my husband can give you $10 million.

Get out now.

I was so afraid that they were going to kill us and behead us because we cannot

pay.

Stop there.

Stop.

He walks up to us saying, you're going to make a phone call.

Tell your husband.

He called someone, I'm not sure who.

From there, it was connected to my father.

I put the phone up to my ear.

I tried to figure out what I would say.

I tried to put it together, but I couldn't.

Hello?

Hello.

And he said, hello, Kevin, are you doing okay? Are they feeding you?

Yes.

They're feeding us.

Are they hurting you?

We're doing fine.

I didn't want to worry him.

But you need to send the money.

I know, but the money they ask you for is impossible.

He was very concerned.

He sounded confused.

It's what they want.

You have to send it.

They surrounded Kevin, then someone striking from behind.

The pain was excruciating.

I

thought

that would be the place where I died.

I was yelling, begging to tell his men to stop.

Kevin,

what's happening?

Kevin!

We

were

crying and they're just like enjoying.

how terrified we were.

We were

like

dogs.

They treated us as if we had no feeling of anything.

After that had happened, we heard nothing more of any negotiations.

The only way that will solve our problem is to get away from this man.

We're on our own.

Beside our cage is a cliff.

The escape plan was if there is any disturbance, we were to run toward the

and slide down.

hoping they will not find it.

Eight weeks after we got there, we heard a gunshot.

Everyone was scrambling to go get their guns and put their gear on.

This was our chance.

I was expecting a full -blown firefight.

Can we make it down the hill without being shot?

I look up and I saw an armed man.

Everybody run and stood just looking at us.

I cannot believe I'm going back to that cage again.

After that, they did not leave our site anymore.

The disappointment was too great to handle.

I missed my chance.

Two days after the gunshot...

We heard a major gunfight from the distance.

It sounded like a war zone.

I hoped that it was a rescue party.

Maybe they were coming to find us.

And then I heard a chopper. It must be military.

They're coming to save us.

This guy just stood in front of us and he said,

It's a terrible feeling.

They're going to put us and hide us somewhere else again.

I believe that they were just as nervous as we were.

that a fight could happen, so that was the reason they were moving us.

As

we

walked, we were waiting for a gunfire, a firefight, but there was none of that.

I realized how exhausted I was.

My body had become weak.

Hurry up.

By the early morning, we had reached the house.

All right.

We go here.

Move.

There was an older man in the house as well as a somewhat older woman.

They directed us into a room that was very small.

I realized that this house was built to conceal us.

That's what the purpose was.

The next day, the old man, he's starting to close in the windows.

My mother tried to communicate with him.

What happens if we don't pay the ransom?

And he said, if the ransom is not paid, then we will send you to the next

island, and you will be beheaded there.

You die.

My heart just sunk.

One night, one man came to the door.

All he said was, you're leaving tonight.

And he pointed at my mother.

Is my son not coming?

No, just you.

My thought was, they're going to kill me.

I know ransom was not paid.

I know they're going to take me.

And I'm never going to see Kevin again.

And I prepared him.

If I don't come back, I want you to escape.

You've got to get home to your dad.

You have to.

It's about him now.

It needs to get away.

I love you.

Come on!

Let's go!

This was goodbye.

It made me feel empty.

What did I had left

Yeah

After

she

had left I felt hopeless sitting in that room

There wasn't going to be a next time I saw her.

Those short words, get back home to your dad, were enough to make me realize I

had to find my way out of here. I had to escape.

In the middle of the jungle, the motorcycle stopped.

They pick up another man with a machete.

I knew then he was my executioner.

He was going to kill me.

I thought they're going to kill me and they're going to throw my body in the

ocean.

I was starting to shake.

At that point, they put a plastic bag on my

head.

It was just a matter of time.

Any minute now.

I was ready. Go ahead and do it.

Don't look around.

I heard them paddling backward, moving away from me.

I realized I was alone.

No. No.

No.

They let me go. I was free.

But it was not a celebration.

No. They're not going to release Kevin.

I've been waiting for

rescue this whole time, and Beth still hadn't came.

So I knew it was up to me to get out of there.

I started to train physically, do a few sit -ups, push -ups.

Anything I could do to store a little bit of that muscular strength that I was

losing.

I also had a backpack that I had kept prepared in case

there was a moment that I followed it.

would give me a chance to escape.

As soon as I recovered, which is within two days, I was working with the

FBI agent.

I found out that my husband paid ransom more than...

$20 ,000.

And Kevin was supposedly released with me.

Hello?

Is this Jerifa?

Yes.

He said, give me $10 million.

Every time he asked, he said, give me $10 million.

One day the house was abnormally quiet.

I could only hear one thing, which was hammering and sawing.

I tried to look up and see if I could see anybody in the tower, but I couldn't

see inside.

If I went to go wash my clothes, that I could see the area around there if there

were any people around.

I couldn't hear any other movement around the house.

I couldn't see anybody in the distance.

And from every direction, I couldn't see a single person.

As I returned to my room, I realized this was it.

I picked my backpack up.

I noticed a knife.

I placed it into my backpack.

I was terrified the whole time that somebody would walk up on me and catch

the act.

I could still hear thawing and hammering.

I ran with everything I had.

I stopped in the creek.

I still heard hammering, and I still heard sawing.

Whoever was up there hadn't realized that I got down all the way down here.

My goal was to get somewhere close to ocean, and hopefully from ocean I could

reach a major city.

After cutting through different brush for almost an hour, I heard someone like

bird noise.

It was a noise I had heard the terrorists make when they were signaling

another.

They had found out that I had escaped.

From that moment, I didn't stop.

A search party would soon be happening.

I just kept running.

It didn't matter what type of vegetation I had to run through, what type of

brush. I cut through it and I kept going.

My only goal at this point was to make it out.

I reach this dirt road when I hear what

sounds like a motorcycle.

This could have been part of the search party that was tracking me down.

At that point, I realized that the consequences of being sighted could put

jeopardy.

I couldn't trust anyone.

I could be found.

and taken back to the same cage I had been in.

As I was sitting there trying to think of a plan, I saw someone pass in front

me.

It looked like a rifle on his back.

I thought this was it.

And then he began speaking to me.

It's okay.

He was asking who I was and why I was there.

I'm a good mother.

I will help you.

I'm trying to think optimistically.

What he's saying sounds so great to me.

You are kidnapped?

Yes.

Come with me.

This way.

He seems so genuine.

At this point, I was running out of options.

And so I put my trust in him.

Close to half an hour later, we reached the village.

I see these people.

They had logos on their outfits.

It had, like, Philippine military on it.

It was at this moment I could breathe for a second.

He wasn't lying.

I saw this woman.

She was smiling.

Welcome. What is your name?

Kevin Luntzman.

Welcome, Kevin Luntzman.

I knew that I was safe.

Follow me.

Finding that I was going to be able to go home was incredible. I couldn't

comprehend the feeling of the joy.

But there was still the worry of, where is my mother?

I didn't know if she was even alive.

Two months after I was released, we got a phone call from the FBI.

They said, yes, they have Kevin.

I was like, okay, is this real?

I was just so excited.

I want to see his body, make sure everything is fine, make sure he's

complete.

As I walked up to this group of people, I could see this woman that stood

out. I could see these tears rushing out and hair messed up and

face distorted.

I realized it was my mother.

That moment, I felt like I started breathing again.

To be back with my mother was the happiest feeling I'd felt at any point

this experience or in my life.

We can enjoy life again.

The world was colorful.

I can hear music.

I feel like dancing.