1 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: Amy Roboc and TJ. 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 2: Holmes present Killer Thriller with your host Elisa Donovan. 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 3: Hey everyone, Elisa Donovan here and this is Killer Thriller. 4 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 3: Today's story starts in a place that feels completely safe, 5 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 3: a quiet town, a close community. A couple who knew 6 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 3: all the people around them, They went to church, lived 7 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 3: their lives, and never imagined they were being watched until 8 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 3: one night they wake up to a masked gunman. 9 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: Standing at the foot of their bed. 10 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 3: They are taken from their home, locked in a hidden room, 11 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 3: and told that if they don't do exactly what he says, 12 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 3: they and their family will be killed. This isn't a 13 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 3: random crime. This is someone who knew them, someone who 14 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 3: had been planning this for over a year, and what 15 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 3: unfolds is a fight for survival. Today I am joined 16 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 3: by Nancy Travis, who stars as Connie van Houstin in 17 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 3: Rescued by Faith, The Connie and Larry Van Euston Story. 18 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: Nancy, thank you so much for being here today with me. 19 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 4: Oh my pleasure. I'm so happy to chat with you. 20 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:20,119 Speaker 3: So I just watched this movie and first of all, 21 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 3: you're terrific in it, and you know, we obviously cover 22 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 3: on this podcast a lot of very traumatic, difficult cases 23 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 3: and situations, and oftentimes they're very long lead, like they 24 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 3: go on for a long time. So sort of at 25 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 3: first glance, this feels like because it's such a shorter 26 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 3: amount of time these people were terrorized, that it's like, oh, 27 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 3: it's not so bad, but it's really awful. Like these people, 28 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 3: it's an incredibly violent, emotionally violent thing to go through. 29 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 3: So what because it's you know, you're in your own home, 30 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 3: So what aspect of it really struck you the most 31 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 3: initially when you read about this case. 32 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: I think, I mean, the thing that struck me the 33 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: most is that these two people lived in a very 34 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: rural place and were just going about their business, and 35 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 2: they weren't terribly wealthy people. They weren't they were good people. 36 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 2: I mean, they were elders in a church community and 37 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 2: somebody came into their home and fairly violently abducted them, 38 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 2: pulled them out of their beds. This woman, Connie, her 39 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 2: husband Larry, was tased with a taser and handcuffed, put 40 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 2: into the trunk of a car, driven to a blindfolded 41 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 2: driven to some undisclosed place, and put in a dungeon. 42 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 4: Basically and held there. 43 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: And it's it's interesting that it was that you bring 44 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 2: you know you Star was saying that it wasn't really 45 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: for an extended period of time. 46 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 4: I think it was two days. 47 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 2: Or something held, but they were in in a there 48 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 2: were no windows, there was no clock, there was no 49 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: way for them to know how long they were there, 50 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 2: and it felt interminable. And I think the most shocking 51 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 2: thing to me about this whole story is that it 52 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 2: could have been you, it could have been me, it 53 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:34,839 Speaker 2: could have been any of us. 54 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 5: And also at the end of the day, the the 55 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 5: lengths that someone will go to a desperate person to 56 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 5: get money for a ransom, and and we're not even 57 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 5: talking about a lot of money here. 58 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, it really does speak to how extreme this person 59 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 3: felt his circumstances were. 60 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: And you know, like it's so. 61 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 3: Just speaking like culturally and how do you take care 62 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 3: of your family? And is it like this idea that 63 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 3: if you don't have X, Y, and Z, you. 64 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 1: Aren't a successful human. 65 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 3: Like it's just so complicated to me that somebody could 66 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 3: go to that extreme of desperation. 67 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's so premeditated as well. And there's there's 68 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 2: I think an element of vindictiveness to it as well. 69 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, that he was apparently. 70 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 3: Sort of pitching they which they show in the in 71 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 3: the film, that he is pitching to them his new 72 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 3: business of uh, you know, his financial business. So he 73 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 3: is relative and so he was privy to some of 74 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 3: their financial records, which again is like, you know, these 75 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 3: people lived their entire lives feeling safe and as if 76 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 3: they were kind of exempt from anything like this. 77 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 4: Right, And I think it is. 78 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 2: I mean, it ends up being someone that they they knew, 79 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 2: And it just also harkened back to I thought, I thought, yeah, 80 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 2: abuse also just ends up being someone that you know, 81 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: or somebody in the home or somebody. It's not necessarily 82 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 2: the stranger. And we live our lives so afraid of 83 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 2: the stranger. What stranger is lurking? That sometimes it's somebody 84 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:39,799 Speaker 2: you know very very well. 85 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 3: Oh that's the part that to me is particularly disturbing 86 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 3: that it was so methodical and so premeditated that and 87 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 3: that the moment when it's essentially the voice, the alter 88 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 3: modulator thing that yes, that falls off and and she 89 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 3: recognizes his voice. I mean that what do you think 90 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 3: psychologically that does to a person, to this woman, Like 91 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 3: I don't know how you go back to feeling safe, 92 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 3: you know. 93 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 2: Right, I mean, I think And it's interesting because that 94 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 2: was a hard moment to play in this movie, because 95 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 2: I think it's a confluence of emotions that the shock, 96 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 2: the realization and the utter shock that somebody that you 97 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 2: know this well would do something so barbaric to you, 98 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 2: so so so inherently evil that that And I think, 99 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 2: particularly for this woman who is a religious woman, just 100 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 2: the notion that this is the face of evil. 101 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 4: And at the same time, there is a. 102 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 2: I mean comfort is the wrong word, but there there 103 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: is a lessening of her fear because she she knows 104 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: who this person is. I mean this she's been told 105 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 2: that this couple, Connie and Larry, have been told that 106 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 2: it's part of a bigger thing, that it's a cartel, 107 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 2: that that their whole family is going to get killed. 108 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 2: I mean, it's it's it's a whole thing that they 109 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 2: are trying to parse and reckon with. 110 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 4: And uh. 111 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: And then when she realizes who it is, it it 112 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 2: sort of levels the playing field in a way. So 113 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: again it's you and me, and this is what you're 114 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 2: after and and that's what this is. And and I 115 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 2: know you from church. I know you from my faith 116 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 2: based community, and you're working, you're you're you're messing with 117 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 2: me using my God right right, And I know that 118 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 2: that is the seed of where you live too, so 119 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 2: in an interesting way now and I don't know that 120 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 2: it's that overt. She can use that as her strength, 121 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 2: as a weapon to try to you know, maybe maybe 122 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 2: get out of the situation. 123 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, it felt almost like in that that scene it 124 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 3: is it was you played it beautifully and it is 125 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 3: so complicated, but you can see that she has this 126 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 3: moment of almost like a motherly feeling like what you know, 127 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 3: it's very uh, just familial in some way. And that 128 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 3: is a complex, you know, a complex thing to play 129 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 3: for sure. 130 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 2: I want to say one more thing too, I think 131 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 2: and I think this is the the reason why this 132 00:08:55,160 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 2: story is called Rescued by Faith, and certainly the message 133 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:06,719 Speaker 2: that these two people want the world to know is 134 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 2: that when you when you have a deep rooted faith, 135 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 2: whether it's God or whatever, then you're really never alone. 136 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 4: There is a comfort in that and a solace. 137 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 2: And I think for these two people it wasn't necessarily 138 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: that they were rescued. 139 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 4: I mean, they were rescued literally. 140 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 2: But but even if they were to die, they would 141 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 2: not have died alone, if that makes sense. Y had 142 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 2: this conviction and this faith that carried them and sustained them. 143 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 2: And part of that, that sort of sympathy and weapon 144 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 2: that she uses against him, is that you don't I 145 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 2: have this, So whatever becomes of me, I'm okay with it, 146 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 2: and I am part of a bigger plan and I 147 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 2: am in the in the arms of this greater power. 148 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 4: But you have nothing. You're the one who's lost. 149 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 2: And that is a much more frightening position to be in. 150 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: Yes, and my position right. 151 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 3: That is a very powerful moment in the film where 152 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 3: she is very brave to say that. 153 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I suppose I'm saying. 154 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 3: It's brave, but I you know, she is to your point. 155 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 3: So she has such a belief and such a faith 156 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 3: that it doesn't it doesn't matter what happens. 157 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: I think she said, you say something. 158 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 3: Like I like, I hate you for doing this, but 159 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 3: I'll forgive you something to that effect. 160 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I can't remember if they kept it in 161 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 2: that she'll try to forgive him, Yes, And it's also 162 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 2: an interest revelatory thing because a lot of Christianity is 163 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 2: about forgiveness, you know, forgive the people that do you wrong, 164 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 2: forgive and and that's a big thing. But she she 165 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: it's so evil what he's done to them. 166 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 4: That she she she's not sure she can forgive him. 167 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 2: And for him, I think he's counting on forgiveness because 168 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 2: that's his salvation. And and what plays out after this 169 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 2: movie ends, that that goes on is I mean, this 170 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 2: man goes to jail, and he's still in jail, and 171 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 2: he he impersonates somebody to communicate with them to try 172 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 2: to get them to forgive him. 173 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: You're kidding, Wait what? 174 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 4: Yeah? 175 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, he has. He pretends to be somebody else. 176 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 2: He pretends to be some woman that is just a 177 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 2: good Samaritan that that is part of a church that 178 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 2: goes to visit him. He pretends all this, Oh my gosh, yes, 179 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 2: writes these letters to this couple to try to get 180 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 2: them to forgive him and then he could get out 181 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 2: on a lesser sentence. 182 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 4: I mean, yeah, I mean the level of depravity is confounding. 183 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 3: Really, do you think that's why I read that he 184 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:24,439 Speaker 3: was convicted for a sentence to sixty years or something, 185 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 3: which comparison some. 186 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: Of the cases that we've talked about on this show. 187 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 3: Like they've been extremely extremely abusive and violent and like 188 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 3: I said, for a longer length, and they've gotten such 189 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 3: a lesser sentence. So I wonder is that a part 190 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 3: of it that they knew he was even I don't know. 191 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 2: I mean, there's got to be I don't know what 192 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 2: the law is in terms of if you kidnap somebody 193 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 2: and hold them for ransom and threaten their lives, like 194 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 2: what the know what what it is? I mean there 195 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 2: must be a premeditation element. 196 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: To yes, Oh for sure. 197 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 4: Worse, I do this whole thing. 198 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 2: I mean, Savannah Guthrie's mother was was We don't know 199 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 2: what happened to her, And I couldn't stop thinking about that. 200 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: When were you guys shooting us? 201 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 2: We filmed it in the beginning of December? 202 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,959 Speaker 1: Oh wow, right, okay, and. 203 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 2: I think that happened after that and we don't know 204 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 2: what's happened. But I couldn't help but recognize parallels. 205 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 1: Right of course. 206 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, in the. 207 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,679 Speaker 3: Film they they it seems that it keeps coming back 208 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 3: to this dynamic between Connie and Larry. Were Larry's always 209 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 3: protecting her, like that's kind of the dynamic of the 210 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:08,319 Speaker 3: two of them. What did you make of that? And 211 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 3: why do you think they kept coming back to that? 212 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 3: Because ultimately she's the one that makes the choice, she 213 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 3: makes the move that actually leads to their right, you know, 214 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 3: being rescued. 215 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 2: I think that that, I mean, you're right, that's the 216 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 2: dynamic of their relationship. But it it wasn't the thing. 217 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 2: It wasn't the thing that was going to save them, 218 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 2: and it it wasn't even I think Connie would say 219 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 2: it wasn't even her ingenuity. She would say that it 220 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 2: was divine inspiration that that led her to drop the 221 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 2: clues that she left. So I guess it was also 222 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 2: uh And and Larry, her husband, is a man who 223 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 2: has asthma, so as he's this strong guy, and he 224 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 2: was also the person because he was such a big, 225 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 2: strong guy that was intimidating to the kidnapper because if 226 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 2: he released his handcuffs or let him near him, then 227 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 2: he knew that he would be found out and he 228 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 2: could be overwhelmed and overtaken by Larry the husband. 229 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 3: Right. 230 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 2: So it's interesting because he starts as this formidable man, 231 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 2: Larry the husband, and then his illness kind of diminishes 232 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 2: him and doesn't really make it a factor in any 233 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 2: of it, in any of the kidnapping. So I guess 234 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 2: in terms of story, what you are led to believe 235 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 2: in the very beginning ends up being not not what it. 236 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 3: Is at all, right, doesn't wind up helping at all? Yeah, yeah, 237 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 3: or just isn't. 238 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:01,359 Speaker 2: I mean, they think that it's some organized terrorist cartel 239 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 2: that's kidnapped them for all of their money, which ends up. 240 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 4: Being a couple hundred, a couple hundred. It's like, what 241 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 4: are we talking about? 242 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: It's just it's just insane. 243 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 3: Well, it does seem so bizarre also that he is 244 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 3: asking for a check, Like I couldn't get past that 245 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 3: as an idea that. 246 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: I mean, it's the most traceable thing, right, just right. 247 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 2: It's so the the the And I guess it also 248 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 2: for as much as it was planned and organized, I 249 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 2: mean I think it was, uh that the work of 250 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 2: a desperate person who's just grabbing, grabbing its straws, truly 251 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 2: a lost person who's trying to craft something and and 252 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 2: you know, full of holes. 253 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, and it's still you know, how do you 254 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 3: it's such a you know, how do you come back 255 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 3: to being in your house and feeling. 256 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: Safe again. 257 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:05,719 Speaker 3: Like that piece of it to me is so disturbing 258 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 3: because like to your point you said in the beginning 259 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 3: that how you know it could happen to anyone? Quite literally, 260 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 3: it's uh, it's really I don't know. 261 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 2: And they and the Vaniston stayed in their home. They 262 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 2: went back and they stayed. They did, Yeah, they did. 263 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 4: I don't know that. 264 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 2: It's like with any trauma in life. There's probably not 265 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 2: a day they don't think about it, and there's probably 266 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: not a day that Connie doesn't look over her shoulder. 267 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 4: And uh, they they live with that. 268 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 1: Were you able to speak with either of them or 269 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:44,400 Speaker 1: did you did? 270 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 2: I spoke with Connie Yeah, and she was extremely great 271 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 2: and forthcoming, and and they you know, I think a 272 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 2: lot of their solace and their healing comes from telling 273 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 2: their story. 274 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. 275 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that's so true and so much of 276 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 3: we I talk about that with people on this podcast. 277 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 3: How it's you know, there's this a very clear line 278 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 3: to me between sensationalizing things and actually telling stories that heal. 279 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 3: People like Elizabeth Smart has said that the reason that 280 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 3: she has that she made that movie I'm Elizabeth Smart, 281 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 3: is you people can understand things and have empathy through 282 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 3: story more so than they can through you know, statistics 283 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,199 Speaker 3: or an article about something. You know. 284 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:36,400 Speaker 1: So I do think the healing is important at the. 285 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 4: End of the day, as we move into this age of. 286 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:43,440 Speaker 2: AI and we're all afraid of what what does that mean? 287 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 2: And what happens to humanness? What we have, what we're 288 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 2: left with are our stories. And that's why, you know, 289 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 2: Lifetime does such a great job of just telling these 290 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 2: real life stories, and people are glued to them because 291 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 2: it's it's human experience and it is that it is 292 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 2: it's not the magnificent, it's it's this could be you 293 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 2: or me. And and people watch that and they think, 294 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 2: oh my god, and how would I. 295 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 4: What would I do? What if it? How would I 296 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 4: deal with that? 297 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 2: And uh and and I've watched them, I've watched you 298 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 2: know youtubes of their their lecture and their story. It's 299 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,120 Speaker 2: like a it's like a ted talk. And they don't 300 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,479 Speaker 2: they don't prosthetize. They just say, this is what happened 301 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:35,360 Speaker 2: to us, and this is what we learned from it, 302 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 2: and and this is what we want to share. 303 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 4: And they they tell it in a very kind of. 304 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 2: Just sort of step by step, this is what we knew, 305 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 2: this is what we didn't know, this is this is 306 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:50,880 Speaker 2: what we drew from it. 307 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: And they they uh, he talks about his family? What 308 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: is do we know? What is? What are the the 309 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: what's the situation with his family? Is he married? Kids? 310 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 3: Yeah? 311 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 2: So I think we had to sort of legally dance 312 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 2: around that. Yeah, know that he was married and had kids, 313 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 2: and that's that's really. 314 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 1: All we know, Okay. 315 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 4: And I know in the filmmaking we couldn't. 316 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 2: Use names, we couldn't show depict you know, with an actor, 317 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 2: right or children? 318 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: Is that because of his case ongoing or something? 319 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 4: Or I think so? I think it was maybe it's 320 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 4: a protection thing. 321 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 3: I don't know, right right, I mean, oh my gosh, 322 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 3: I can't imagine the other side of that, if you're 323 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:39,920 Speaker 3: finding out your husband has been doing that. 324 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 4: Yeah. But again, I think it just cat and it 325 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 4: banks the question like what where's the threshold? I mean, 326 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 4: here's this. 327 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 2: Guy was a family man, kids and ran out of money, 328 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 2: like was in trouble financially. So what is the threshold 329 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 2: that makes you go from being a church going family 330 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:09,719 Speaker 2: guy to somebody who is basically. 331 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: A monster right right over? 332 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 4: A couple hundred thousand dollars, right. 333 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,120 Speaker 3: Right, So this is I'm so curious about these things, 334 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 3: like is this how do we get from A to 335 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 3: Z like that? 336 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 4: You know? 337 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 1: And is it what does it say about human nature? 338 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: Or what does it say about body? 339 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 4: Snap? Yeah? 340 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 2: Mm hm and it and again it's it was a 341 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 2: premeditated snap. It wasn't even like that. This guy said 342 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 2: this is going to be the answer to my problems. 343 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 2: This isn't It's going to be okay, it'll be smooth 344 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 2: and easy. They'll never know it's me, and I'll. 345 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 4: Just boom boom boom. This will be over in a 346 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 4: couple hours. 347 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: And I mean, it's crazy. 348 00:21:49,119 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 4: It's crazy. 349 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 3: If somebody is watching this and thinking, you know, uh, oh, 350 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 3: this could never happen to me, what would you say 351 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 3: to them? 352 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 2: I think that we're all walking through life and uh 353 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:25,400 Speaker 2: and we're all human beings. Nobody's immune to anything. Not 354 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:28,719 Speaker 2: that not that one would wish this on anybody. 355 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 4: But but I think the point of what. 356 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 2: Connie and Larry try to say, and they're in their 357 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 2: talks is that we all have hardship and this happened 358 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 2: to be our you know, no pun intended, but cross 359 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 2: to bear. 360 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 4: This was our hardship. 361 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,120 Speaker 2: But but they even say in the story like they 362 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 2: had other hardships, like they I think Larry had cancer 363 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 2: and h or maybe you know, they had things, and 364 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,439 Speaker 2: it's they just look at it like that this was 365 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 2: something that just happened to us, and it's no more, 366 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:06,400 Speaker 2: no less than somebody else going through a dark time 367 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:08,959 Speaker 2: like the loss of a loved one or you know, 368 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 2: dealing with an illness or or financial ruin or losing 369 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 2: your how or whatever. It is right right, and it's 370 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 2: all in how you deal with it. And again they 371 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 2: would say that the best way for them to deal 372 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:27,399 Speaker 2: with it is to just double down on your faith 373 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 2: and know that even even though maybe the darkest of times, 374 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 2: you'll be delivered when we're another regardless of the outcome. 375 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 3: Right, I mean, that's a pretty beautiful message, to be clear. 376 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,360 Speaker 3: I'm sure they or I hope. Do you know what 377 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 3: they think of the movie? Have they seen it? 378 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: Have they? I? 379 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, the producer told me they saw it and they 380 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 2: liked it. 381 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 4: They really liked it. And it does you. 382 00:23:55,600 --> 00:24:00,640 Speaker 2: Know, there are certain storytelling liberties that we take. 383 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, do you know what I read that they the 384 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 3: one thing that I knew that they were actually when 385 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 3: they were. 386 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 1: Sequestered down there, that there was duct tape over their eyes? 387 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:16,199 Speaker 1: Is that right? But they chose not to do that 388 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: in the movie. Do you know why? 389 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:18,400 Speaker 4: Makeup? 390 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: I knew it was something. 391 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,400 Speaker 3: I was like, you know, or it's that lifetime needs 392 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 3: to see Nancy's face. 393 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: Like a certain percentage of the time. 394 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 2: Because Mike Connie wears fake lashes and rip those things 395 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 2: right up right off. 396 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 1: Makeup was like, no way. 397 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 2: I also think they never they didn't find out who 398 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,880 Speaker 2: it was until after the fact, until after they were rescued, 399 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,400 Speaker 2: So that whole moment. 400 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 4: Of realizing it's him. Oh yeah, wait. 401 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 3: So she didn't that didn't happen. That was artistic license. 402 00:24:58,440 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 4: Oh wow. 403 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's a big one. 404 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 4: That's a big one. That's a big one. 405 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't I don't think it changes how 406 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 2: they behaved or what they believed, or how they tried 407 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 2: to let the outside. 408 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 4: World know what was happening. 409 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:21,400 Speaker 2: I mean, I think she still went into the bank 410 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 2: and left a message and that kind of thing. But 411 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 2: but I know, for me as an actress, once my 412 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 2: character realizes it's him there, it's a turning point. 413 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, a story. 414 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 3: So yeah, I mean it changes how you it changes everything. Yes, 415 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 3: I mean that really is so you You couldn't even 416 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:45,239 Speaker 3: ask her like what did you feel when you had 417 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 3: like you really had to do a last. 418 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 2: For things like if you so for example, also I said, 419 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 2: if you know now in retrospect, if you could have 420 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 2: said anything to him? And she did tell me, Connie 421 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,160 Speaker 2: told me the most chilling part of the whole experience 422 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 2: for her was when he looked at them and looked 423 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 2: at her and said, where. 424 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 4: Is your God now? 425 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 2: And she knew at that moment that she was looking 426 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 2: into the face of evil, into the eyes of evil, 427 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:17,199 Speaker 2: like that was the most chilling thing to her. And 428 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 2: and in our conversation, I said, well, what if you 429 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 2: could have said anything to him, what would it be? 430 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:25,920 Speaker 2: And it and so that a lot of that one 431 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 2: scene where she's talking to him and she said, you're 432 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:31,640 Speaker 2: really you're purely evil and where is your God now? 433 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:34,679 Speaker 2: Came out of that conversation. 434 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 1: Oh I did. 435 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 2: And also in the in the moment with grandchild Emma 436 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 2: at the end, yes, yes, I said, if you could 437 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 2: say anything to her, what what would it be? 438 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 4: What would what is what is. 439 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,959 Speaker 2: The message that you would give to her and and 440 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 2: it was that she said, it's that, it's that you're 441 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 2: not alone no matter what. 442 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 4: And uh and. 443 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 2: She Connie maintains, she says, we're not special this, We're 444 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 2: not this because this happened to us. 445 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 4: We're not special. We're just like anybody else. 446 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 1: Wow. 447 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 3: I mean, that is a great it's a great message 448 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 3: all around for sure. Well, this has been such a pleasure. 449 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 3: You're just such a lovely person. And I've always been 450 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 3: a big fan. And I also I'm curious you're such 451 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 3: a You're just known for so many amazing comedies. So 452 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 3: do you feel like the opposite that you know, a 453 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:39,879 Speaker 3: lot of people who do dark projects are always like 454 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 3: so I needed to do a sitcom, you know, But 455 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 3: do you feel. 456 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,920 Speaker 1: The reverse like I needed to get in there? 457 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 2: And you know, honestly, I feel like it's all the 458 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 2: same thing. So it's not comedy versus darkness. I mean, 459 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 2: I think it's all just in the storytelling and trying 460 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 2: to be as truthful as you can in the storytelling, 461 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:04,360 Speaker 2: whether it's a comedy or a drama or a suspense 462 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:08,639 Speaker 2: or or whatever it is, and just keep you know, 463 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 2: burrowing down and you know, and then also, I mean 464 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:17,959 Speaker 2: not to be too It is also still entertainment, so 465 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 2: you're still trying to figure out how to entertain. 466 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's what I do. 467 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 1: Yep. Well you're excelling at it. 468 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 4: Well, thank you. Yeah, but if you have a comedy, 469 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 4: send it. 470 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 2: I will. 471 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 1: So rescued by faith. 472 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 3: The Connie and Larry van Ustin story is on Lifetime 473 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 3: and you can watch it now. And thank you so much, Nancy, 474 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:46,600 Speaker 3: it was really a pleasure talking with you. 475 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 4: Likewise,