SA Collection Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………. 4

Chapter One—–Gerald Coffee……………………………………………………… 12
“I ejected at 680 miles per hour and was knocked unconscious by the impact of the jetstream.”

Chapter Two—–Jackie Pflug……………………………………………………….. 18
“Thirty minutes into the flight, three men stood up with guns and grenades.”

Chapter Three—–Drew Pearson……………………………………………………. 23
“In just over one month, my charmed life had been turned upside down.”

Chapter Four——Brenda O’Quin…………………………………………………… 28
“I ran to the door and found a police officer standing on my front porch.”

Chapter Five—–Chuck Negron…………………………………………………….. 34
“I was living a fantasy life that seems unreal to all except those who have lived it.”

Chapter Six—– Nora Lopez………………………………………………………… 40
“I saw the barrel of a rifle pointing out of a car that had pulled up beside me.”

Chapter Seven—–Robert Grimminck……………………………………………… 46
“I quit that day, horrified that my secret might become known.”

Chapter Eight—–M’liss and Chuck Switzer…………………………………………51
“The abuse started on the first night of our honeymoon, and got worse over time, culminating with Chuck taking a rifle to bed.”

Chapter Nine—–John Hiller………………………………………………………… 57
“I sat down at the table and lit a cigarette, and then it felt as if someone was sitting on my chest.”

Chapter Ten—– Geraldine Ferraro………………………………………………… 63
“Gerry, I hope you are serious, as you are taking a man’s place you know.”

Chapter Eleven—–Mitch Berger……………………………………………………. 68
“I had been released or put on waivers five times in two years.”

Chapter Twelve—–Jason Weber……………………………………………………. 72
“When I opened the door there was a guy holding a gun. In Spanish, he said that he was a guerrilla and told me to come with him.”

Chapter Thirteen—–Janet Guthrie………………………………………………….. 78
“I knew that being a woman was irrelevant in terms of my ability to race competitively, but no one else seemed to.”

Chapter Fourteen—–Bill Rinaldi…………………………………………………….. 83
“It was billed as the greatest political upset in Lackawanna County in over a decade.”

Chapter Fifteen—–Bob Love………………………………………………………… 88
“I was alone, broke, and unable to walk without a cane. I had neither a job nor any prospect of getting one.”

Chapter Sixteen—–LuAn Mitchell-Halter………………………………………….. 94
“We were told that we would never have children, and that Fred would likely not live for more than five years.”

Chapter Seventeen—–William Gregory……………………………………………..100
“I was sentenced to 70 years with the possibility of parole after serving twelve years.”

Chapter Eighteen—–Jim McKenny………………………………………………….106
“I was an unemployed 32-year-old with a tenth grade education and I owed $90,000 to Revenue Canada.”

Chapter Nineteen—–Sarah Brady……………………………………………………111
“There were many tense moments during the five-hour surgery and the days following.”

Chapter Twenty—–Mike Utley……………………………………………………….116
“Man, I wish I could take that play back!”

Chapter Twenty-one—–Patty Wetterling…………………………………………….122
“I was in total disbelief and shock. My son Jacob had been kidnapped.”

Chapter Twenty-two—–Nicholas Brendon…………………………………………127
“My biggest fear was being in front of people.”

Chapter Twenty-three—–W Mitchell……………………………………………….131
“He seems so positive and upbeat, but what is he going to do when he realizes how terrible it is?”

Chapter Twenty-four—–Terry-Jo Myers……………………………………………136
“I would not have cared if I had killed myself or anyone in my way.”

Chapter Twenty-five—–Richard Sammons…………………………………………141
“I had completely lost my sight.”

Chapter Twenty-six—–Diane MacWilliams…………………………………………145
“The business was in terrible shape and should have been forced into bankruptcy. We had to decide whether or not to close it.”

Chapter Twenty-seven—–Frank O’Dea………………………………………………151
“I was living on the streets panhandling for money, staying at fifty-cent flophouses, and struggling to get through each day.”

Chapter Twenty-eight—–Mary Stream……………………………………………….156
“I had $100 bills falling all over me, and I rolled in them screaming. It was such a thrill!”

Chapter Twenty-nine—–John Steer…………………………………………………161
“I lay for two days under dead bodies before I was finally rescued.”

Chapter Thirty—–Leslie Mouton……………………………………………………167
“I felt total disbelief upon finding out that I had breast cancer.”

Chapter Thirty-one—–Jim Smith……………………………………………………172
“I looked up at guards with machine guns staring down at me from the thirty-foot high fences. I was pretty sure this was the end.”

Chapter Thirty-two—–Buck O’Neil…………………………………………………177
“You have to learn to give it up.”

Epilogue………………………………………………………………………………182

Appendix………………………………………………………………………………184

Notes……………………………………………………………………………………186