1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:05,599 Speaker 1: Chris's father and uncle suspected a man named David McAllister. 2 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:08,839 Speaker 2: His alcoholism had gotten in the way in the work 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,800 he was performing, and so my father was the one 4 00:00:11,839 --> 00:00:13,560 who had terminated him. 5 00:00:14,039 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 1: They informed the police and officers went to David McAllister's 6 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:19,079 home to investigate. 7 00:00:19,559 --> 00:00:23,679 Speaker 2: There was no fingerprint evidence, no blood samples, hair samples, 8 00:00:23,719 --> 00:00:27,679 no evidence he'd had a full week effectively to clean 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:28,399 his vehicle. 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: This is the Miracle Files. I'm Emily Jones. 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 3: And I'm Holly Worthington. We're two sisters who love a 12 00:00:41,119 --> 00:00:44,560 captivating true story, but we're also seeking more light in 13 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:45,159 our lives. 14 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 1: So we're on a mission to find and share unforgettable, 15 00:00:49,039 --> 00:00:53,560 uplifting stories of God's miracles. We hope you'll join us 16 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:58,520 on this journey. Welcome back to the Miracle Files. 17 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 3: We know we made you way a whole to hear 18 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,880 the second part of Chris Carrier's story, so we won't 19 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,439 make you wait any longer. But here's a quick recap 20 00:01:05,519 --> 00:01:09,280 of last week's episode. 21 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 2: And I remember saying, look, if you'll just let me go, 22 00:01:14,239 --> 00:01:15,560 I won't tell anybody. 23 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: The man ordered Chris to the back of the RV 24 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:21,159 and told him to sit on the floor and stay still. 25 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 2: And he gave me a stern warning and saying, look, 26 00:01:24,239 --> 00:01:27,079 you can't try to get anybody's attention. If you do 27 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,200 anything like that, I'm just going to come back there 28 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:29,719 and shoot you. 29 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: Chris looked down at his dark green polo shirt, now 30 00:01:33,879 --> 00:01:37,840 speckled with blood. Gravel crunched under the tires as they 31 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,959 moved farther away from civilization, and we walked. 32 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: Out to the edge where a few trees were, and 33 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:45,799 he said, why don't you just sit down right here? 34 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,200 That gentleman pulled a small pistol from his pocket right 35 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,319 up to the temple of my head and pulled the trigger. 36 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,519 Speaker 1: Young Chris lay unconscious in the thick, swampy wilderness. Than 37 00:02:00,599 --> 00:02:01,680 Chris stirred. 38 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:06,359 Speaker 2: In my mind. It was still Friday, December twentieth, and 39 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,520 so I sat down on the edge of that dusty 40 00:02:08,759 --> 00:02:13,120 country road, figuring out wait for dead. And of course 41 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,800 my father had no clue where I had been for 42 00:02:15,879 --> 00:02:19,120 the last six days. 43 00:02:24,199 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: We have so much to talk about after Chris's story 44 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:37,120 is finished, but for now Part two. In Coral Gables, Florida, 45 00:02:37,199 --> 00:02:40,120 his family had become frantic with worry when ten year 46 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:45,680 old Chris hadn't come home from school. What followed were horrible, haunting, 47 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:50,879 sleepless nights without any news of his whereabouts. Since Chris 48 00:02:50,879 --> 00:02:55,199 had gone missing on December twentieth, the police, the FBI, 49 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,479 friends and family gathered daily at Chris's parents' home to 50 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,000 continue with the search. The FBI had set up a 51 00:03:03,039 --> 00:03:07,639 phone station to monitor every incoming call, hoping for even 52 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,159 the smallest lead, But with each passing day, the crowd 53 00:03:12,199 --> 00:03:17,840 seemed to lose more hope. Christmas came and went an 54 00:03:17,879 --> 00:03:23,360 excruciating day for Chris's parents. By December twenty sixth, the 55 00:03:23,439 --> 00:03:26,919 police had to speak with them. Honestly, the odds of 56 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:35,759 finding Chris alive were getting slimmer and slimmer. Out in 57 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,080 the Florida Everglades, a little boy sat alone at the 58 00:03:39,199 --> 00:03:42,520 edge of a lonely dirt road. Ten year old Chris 59 00:03:42,639 --> 00:03:46,360 hugged his knees, watching the empty road stretch before him. 60 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,439 He had been told to wait there for his father, 61 00:03:50,039 --> 00:03:53,520 so he waited. At first, he was sure his dad 62 00:03:53,599 --> 00:03:57,599 would appear at any moment. Every distant sound made him 63 00:03:57,639 --> 00:04:00,400 look up, hoping to see headlights in the disk distance. 64 00:04:01,199 --> 00:04:08,240 But minute after minute passed and still no cars. As 65 00:04:08,319 --> 00:04:12,199 daylight faded back in Coral Gables, Chris's father said a 66 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:17,600 prayer in desperation. He surrendered everything to the Lord. He'd 67 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,360 contacted everyone he knew to contact, He'd looked everywhere he 68 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:24,040 knew to look. He'd done all he knew to do. 69 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,800 All this father could do now was plead with the Lord. 70 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,720 Miles away, a white pickup truck came barreling down a 71 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,199 dusty road. The driver was heading home from a hunting 72 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,519 trip after a long day in the woods. As the 73 00:04:39,639 --> 00:04:43,839 last bit of sunlight disappeared across the floorida countryside, something 74 00:04:43,879 --> 00:04:47,360 caught the driver's eye. Up ahead, near the side of 75 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,199 the road, a small shape came into view, barely visible 76 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,399 in the dim light. The man pressed his brakes, squinting 77 00:04:55,399 --> 00:05:00,519 through his windshield. Was that a person? Was that a child? 78 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,639 Speaker 2: The driver saw me sitting there, and he slowed down, 79 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,800 rolled the window down, and he leaned over and he said, hey, son, 80 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,040 what are you doing out here? And I said, I'm 81 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,759 just waiting on my father, waiting on my daddy. 82 00:05:16,079 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: The driver of the pickup truck must have been absolutely shocked. 83 00:05:20,759 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 2: And he could see what I couldn't. He could see 84 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,519 the two black eyes and the bloody mess that I 85 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,920 apparently looked like. And so he reached over, opened up 86 00:05:31,959 --> 00:05:34,399 the side door, and passed the door and said, hop in. 87 00:05:35,399 --> 00:05:37,759 He took me back to where he was staying with 88 00:05:37,879 --> 00:05:41,560 his kids. He was out camping up hunting in the area, 89 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,199 gave me something to eat, and took me straight away 90 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:56,439 to the local Florida sheriff department. There near Naples, Florida. 91 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,879 Speaker 1: In Coral Gables, the sunlight was also setting over a 92 00:05:56,879 --> 00:05:59,879 family and a father whose only hope was a mere 93 00:06:00,319 --> 00:06:03,639 from God. As dinner was wrapping up, all of the 94 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,920 men and officers walked outside to get some fresh air. 95 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,759 Speaker 2: My aunt was in the kitchen washing the dishes while 96 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,240 my mom in her wheelchair, was with friends in the 97 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,439 dining room. And the phone rang and it was the 98 00:06:17,439 --> 00:06:21,360 Sheriff's department over on the west side of Florida, and 99 00:06:21,439 --> 00:06:24,879 so they said, can we talk to the officer, And 100 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,480 of course my aunt is just listening in and she 101 00:06:28,639 --> 00:06:31,519 went out and said, hey, Hugh, you need to come 102 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:37,120 in and take this call. While my dad was praying 103 00:06:37,639 --> 00:06:41,879 surrendering it all to God. Unbeknownst to him, I had 104 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,160 been found and was being taken to the Sheriff's department 105 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,360 and within minutes would be able to talk to him 106 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:50,680 on the phone. 107 00:06:51,319 --> 00:06:55,439 Speaker 1: Chris's father gripped the phone in his hands desperately, hoping 108 00:06:55,519 --> 00:06:58,879 for some kind of good news. But when he lifted 109 00:06:58,879 --> 00:07:01,399 the phone to his ear, he heard more than excitement 110 00:07:01,399 --> 00:07:05,399 from the sheriff. He heard something even better. He heard 111 00:07:05,439 --> 00:07:06,920 the voice of his son. 112 00:07:09,319 --> 00:07:11,639 Speaker 2: And so my dad got on the phone with me 113 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:16,040 there at the Sheriff's department. And of course they had 114 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:21,319 fielded a handful of ransom calls and fake things, and 115 00:07:21,399 --> 00:07:23,800 so my dad knew I have to ask real questions 116 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,279 that only Chris would know, And so he asked me. 117 00:07:26,319 --> 00:07:29,560 He said, what's the name of our dog? And I 118 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:34,240 said Killer. You could sense his part feet rising. And 119 00:07:34,279 --> 00:07:36,519 he said, what's the number on your sailboat that you 120 00:07:36,639 --> 00:07:39,319 learned to sail in? And I answered and I said 121 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,800 c R one seven. And my dad just let out 122 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,600 at Hooton Hower and knew that I was alive. And 123 00:07:46,639 --> 00:07:50,480 so that was just a wonderful moment in which his 124 00:07:50,639 --> 00:07:53,680 prayer was answered. The miracle that he had hoped for 125 00:07:54,079 --> 00:07:54,959 had been answered. 126 00:07:58,759 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: And this is where our story could end. Except it didn't. 127 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,839 You might think Chris's captor would face charges for kidnapping 128 00:08:07,079 --> 00:08:10,759 and attempted murder, but that's not how this story goes. 129 00:08:11,879 --> 00:08:16,079 Chris's father and uncle suspected a man named David McAllister. 130 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:20,160 From early on. He was a caregiver for Chris's great uncle, 131 00:08:20,519 --> 00:08:25,000 and unfortunately, Chris's dad fired David McAllister when it wasn't 132 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:25,560 working out. 133 00:08:26,839 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 2: He was supposedly a recovering alcoholic, but his alcoholism had 134 00:08:32,639 --> 00:08:35,279 gotten in the way in the work he was performing 135 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,120 and the safety of our uncle. And so my father 136 00:08:38,399 --> 00:08:41,519 was the one who had terminated him and said, look, 137 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,519 we just can't have that kind of behavior around his 138 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:49,039 elderly relative. And so my uncle and my dad had 139 00:08:49,039 --> 00:08:51,639 figured out, hey, this could be David McAllister because we 140 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:54,159 fired him. He had the motive. He has an RV. 141 00:08:55,159 --> 00:08:59,039 Speaker 1: They informed the police and officers went to David McAllister's 142 00:08:59,039 --> 00:09:01,919 home to investigate eight and. 143 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 2: So he came to the door and basically said, I 144 00:09:05,159 --> 00:09:08,200 figured you'd have been here sooner. But it wasn't confessing 145 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:10,600 and he would even say I didn't do it. He 146 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,480 took the polygraphs. He came down to the station for questioning. 147 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,279 Speaker 1: The police had their man but back in the nineteen seventies, 148 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:24,320 forensic evidence only consisted of fingerprints, blood type matching, and 149 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,480 witness testimony he'd. 150 00:09:26,279 --> 00:09:29,639 Speaker 2: Had a full week, effectively to clean his vehicle. 151 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:35,159 Speaker 1: The investigators couldn't find any forensic evidence to convict David Mcowster, 152 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,879 so they relied heavily on Chris's testimony, which didn't go 153 00:09:39,919 --> 00:09:40,720 according to plan. 154 00:09:41,919 --> 00:09:44,159 Speaker 2: I missed him in the lineup. I couldn't be certain, 155 00:09:44,879 --> 00:09:47,759 and of course I think I was more intimidated over 156 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:50,840 the simple fact that if I point the finger at 157 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,519 this man and I'm not sure, and I'm wrong, then 158 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,320 I've got somebody out there who clearly wanted to kill me. 159 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,440 And now I've got somebody who I'm changing his life, 160 00:10:02,279 --> 00:10:04,919 and I may have two enemies. And the fact that 161 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:09,200 he was wearing sunglasses through my experience and not in 162 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,039 the lineup, I could not be certain. 163 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: With no way to tie David McAllister to the crime, 164 00:10:16,639 --> 00:10:19,840 Chris had no choice but to move forward, trying not 165 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:23,320 to let fear rule him. Knowing his captor was still 166 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:32,799 out there, Chris lived with a heightened awareness that the 167 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:37,039 world he had trusted without question required more caution than 168 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:43,759 he had once believed. Life resumed, school friendships routines, but 169 00:10:43,919 --> 00:10:48,759 fear still surfaced at night. Still, he was drawn forward 170 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,480 rather than held back, sustained by faith. 171 00:10:53,159 --> 00:10:56,759 Speaker 2: And those friends in that church, the Sunday school teachers, 172 00:10:56,799 --> 00:11:01,240 the pastors, the youth ministers, the parents just were so 173 00:11:01,919 --> 00:11:05,440 grace filled and loving around me that I remember just 174 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,679 my affection for Christ grew to the point that, at 175 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,519 age thirteen, at a campus life meeting, I remember just 176 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,879 getting down on my knees and I remember praying and 177 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,000 asking Christ to be a part of my life, to 178 00:11:18,039 --> 00:11:20,799 be the one who could save me from all of 179 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,919 this anxiety and all of this fear. And he did, 180 00:11:24,759 --> 00:11:28,360 and he did, And so I went through high school 181 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:32,320 and began to grow and regain some confidence in public 182 00:11:32,399 --> 00:11:35,840 of not wondering where is this guy and what's he 183 00:11:35,919 --> 00:11:38,120 looked like? And does he still want me dead? And 184 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:39,200 why did he want me dead? 185 00:11:40,159 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: Chris soon realized his story was not his own. A 186 00:11:43,759 --> 00:11:46,960 close friend in that church youth group challenged Chris to 187 00:11:47,039 --> 00:11:50,200 tell his story, and he began sharing it with others, 188 00:11:50,639 --> 00:11:56,200 helping them to increase their faith as well. For more 189 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,679 than two decades, the man responsible for the crime against 190 00:11:59,759 --> 00:12:02,039 Christ was never convicted. 191 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 2: And so through the years, people would ask as I 192 00:12:05,879 --> 00:12:08,320 would share, whether it was in a small group or 193 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,639 a church or school, people would ask me, what would 194 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,559 you do if you came face to face with that man? 195 00:12:15,639 --> 00:12:18,639 Today it came around a corner and there he was 196 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,919 stopped in the tracks. You're an adult, he's an older adult. 197 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:24,679 What would you do? What would you say? 198 00:12:25,519 --> 00:12:29,639 Speaker 1: Chris had convinced himself that David McAllister was long gone. 199 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,679 He'd probably moved somewhere far away and was unlikely to 200 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:38,320 ever return. The possibility of running into David McAllister again 201 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:42,240 felt nonexistent, so it was easy to say he would 202 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:47,039 forgive him. Then, in nineteen ninety six, Chris received a 203 00:12:47,039 --> 00:12:50,039 call from the Chief of Detectives at the Coral Gables 204 00:12:50,039 --> 00:12:55,879 Police Department. He told Chris that David McAllister had been 205 00:12:55,919 --> 00:12:59,200 living in a nursing home in North Miami. He was 206 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,720 now seventy seven years old, blind and nearing the end 207 00:13:02,759 --> 00:13:06,960 of his life. The chief explained that after many conversations 208 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:11,799 with investigators, David McAllister had finally confessed to the kidnapping. 209 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:17,360 The chief paused, then asked Chris a question, would he 210 00:13:17,519 --> 00:13:23,080 like to meet David McAllister, Chris felt his chest tightening. 211 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 2: Now Here was the question that I thought would never happen, 212 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,559 the opportunity that I thought could never be a possibility. 213 00:13:31,639 --> 00:13:33,960 And I couldn't recall how many times I was on 214 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:38,000 the hook for saying, well loud, forgive him. It's almost 215 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,559 a moment in which you step back and in prayer 216 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,080 you look up to the heavens and say, Lord, did 217 00:13:43,159 --> 00:13:44,279 you set me up for this? 218 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: After weighing the decision carefully, Chris agreed to see the 219 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,039 man the subject of his nightmares in person. 220 00:13:58,639 --> 00:14:01,759 Speaker 4: I went with my very first youth pastor from when 221 00:14:01,799 --> 00:14:05,799 I was just an eleven twelve year old, and Danny 222 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,679 went with me to this North Miami nursing home. 223 00:14:09,639 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 2: And of course, from the car to that room was 224 00:14:13,519 --> 00:14:16,559 just nerve wracking. You know, what's he going to look like? 225 00:14:17,159 --> 00:14:19,559 Is he still bigger than me? Is this going to 226 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:24,720 be intimidating? Will it bring back a flood of emotions 227 00:14:24,759 --> 00:14:30,679 and fears and memories? And I walked into that room 228 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,360 and all I could see was a seventy seven year 229 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:39,360 old man who looked decades older. He weighed about sixty pounds, 230 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:44,840 He was blind from glaucoma, He was all alone in 231 00:14:45,039 --> 00:14:50,279 a three bedroom. All of his possessions were in a 232 00:14:50,279 --> 00:14:55,240 handful of drawers. He had, according to their records, two children, 233 00:14:55,759 --> 00:14:59,080 but nobody listed as next of ken. Nobody came to 234 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,159 see if nobody wanted to see him. He was just 235 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:04,519 a very hard hearted, broken man. 236 00:15:06,159 --> 00:15:10,879 Speaker 1: What followed was pure discomfort for Chris, an awkward conversation 237 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,240 that Chris didn't even know how to begin. 238 00:15:15,519 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 2: I just remember saying, you know, mister McCallister, I heard 239 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:23,039 that you confessed, and he shot me down. He said, oh, 240 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,399 I didn't confess anything. You heard fairy tales. 241 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,519 Speaker 1: Chris was taken aback. He thought he'd come to hear 242 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,799 a confession. What he found instead was a belligerent old man, 243 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:38,279 still full of anger and venom. But Chris's friend Danny 244 00:15:38,519 --> 00:15:40,600 was not going to let David off that easy. 245 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,799 Speaker 2: Well. Danny began to ask him very pointed, very specific, 246 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:51,120 straightforward questions. Do you know the Carrier family? Yep? Do 247 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:55,279 you know mister Carryer's son? Chris? Yeah. Did you ever 248 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:59,919 go anywhere just the two of you? Yep? Where'd you go? 249 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:04,600 He said? We went hunting? Different spin on it, I guess, 250 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:09,000 Danny asked him he said, when you were done, where 251 00:16:09,039 --> 00:16:11,879 did you take him? Did you take him home? Or 252 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:16,519 did you leave him? And that old man began to 253 00:16:16,679 --> 00:16:22,039 cry as he threw those tears, said I left him. 254 00:16:22,679 --> 00:16:24,679 And Danny leaned in a little closer and he said, 255 00:16:24,679 --> 00:16:27,639 did you ever wish you could tell that boy you 256 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:33,679 were sorry? And the tears just flowed. He began to 257 00:16:33,799 --> 00:16:37,759 cry and weep, and Danny told him, He said, well, 258 00:16:37,799 --> 00:16:39,720 that young boy is now the young man who was 259 00:16:39,759 --> 00:16:41,919 on the other side of the bed that was just 260 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:45,000 speaking with you. Isn't there something you want to tell him? 261 00:16:45,679 --> 00:16:47,720 And you'd have thought he could see me, because he 262 00:16:47,799 --> 00:16:49,679 found a way to roll over in the bed and 263 00:16:49,679 --> 00:16:54,399 he grabbed my hand and through the tears, apologized to me. 264 00:16:55,879 --> 00:16:58,000 And it was just a surreal moment. 265 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: Words Chris never thought he'd hear filled his heart and soul. 266 00:17:04,039 --> 00:17:06,599 Speaker 2: And I told him, I said, mister, McAllister, I want 267 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:12,319 you to know that that I forgive you, and that 268 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:17,480 from this moment forward, the only thing between yourself and 269 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:23,079 myself is a newfound friendship. And I read a scripture 270 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:29,440 from James that said mercy triumphs over judgment, and so 271 00:17:29,559 --> 00:17:34,519 I want you to know I forgive you and honestly, 272 00:17:34,559 --> 00:17:36,680 as we left that day, I told him, I said, 273 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,079 I don't have a job at the moment. I've just resigned. 274 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,799 I'm getting ready to move to Texas. So my schedule 275 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,920 is open if it's okay with you. I'm going to 276 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,200 come back tomorrow so that we can continue to talk, 277 00:17:48,559 --> 00:17:51,160 because I want to get to know the last twenty 278 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,119 two years of your life and tell you about mine. 279 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,640 And so as we left, I remember saying to him, 280 00:17:58,279 --> 00:18:00,240 get some rest now, because I'll come back. I can 281 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:05,240 see you tomorrow, and he said, oh, I will now. 282 00:18:09,559 --> 00:18:13,599 Speaker 1: In the days that followed, Chris returned, He and David talked, 283 00:18:14,039 --> 00:18:17,640 They spent time together. Chris brought his wife, Leslie, and 284 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:21,720 two daughters to meet David. At seventy seven years old. 285 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,599 After a troubled and lonely life, David McAllister had made 286 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:30,920 a friend, a true friend, in the most unlikely of people, 287 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,920 and now Chris wanted to introduce David to someone else. 288 00:18:35,839 --> 00:18:38,640 So one day Chris woke up and told his wife 289 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:51,079 there was something he needed to do. One day, Chris 290 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,599 woke up and told his wife there was something he 291 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:54,599 needed to do. 292 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 2: And I said, I just have to make sure I 293 00:18:57,039 --> 00:19:01,359 tell him about the hope that I've experienced think and 294 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,319 so I went there that Sunday morning. He allowed me 295 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,559 to share the Gospel with him, and then I asked him, 296 00:19:07,559 --> 00:19:10,200 I said, would you like to pray and receive Christ 297 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,039 so that our friendship can be an eternal one? And 298 00:19:14,079 --> 00:19:17,119 he said I would, but I've never done this before. 299 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:19,039 She's going to have to help me, and of course 300 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,359 I'm shaken in my boots. I've never done it this way. 301 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,480 I said, don't worry, God'll be with us, and we 302 00:19:25,599 --> 00:19:26,440 prayed that prayer. 303 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,319 Speaker 1: Just three weeks after Chris had first walked into the 304 00:19:31,319 --> 00:19:37,359 hospital room, David McAllister passed away. When Chris got the call, 305 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:41,359 he felt deep sadness, but mingled with that sorrow was 306 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:46,160 an overwhelming sense of gratitude. If Chris had waited, he 307 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:48,839 never would have met David, never would have had the 308 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,519 chance to forgive him in person or tell him about Jesus. 309 00:19:53,559 --> 00:19:56,480 But it wasn't until weeks later that Chris began to 310 00:19:56,599 --> 00:20:00,519 understand just how much those visits had meant to David. 311 00:20:01,839 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 2: About a month later, we got a call to go 312 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,720 up and do the Oprah Winfrey Show, And so I'm 313 00:20:07,759 --> 00:20:11,200 on the stage with Oprah, and she pulls up a 314 00:20:11,319 --> 00:20:15,680 clip from CNN. One of the reporters, Susan CANDIOTTI had 315 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:19,240 gone into that nursing home, and of course I hadn't 316 00:20:19,279 --> 00:20:22,440 seen this clip, had no clue, But this, just to 317 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,720 me tells you the nature of what God can do. 318 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,839 The clip was Susan candy I leaning in and asking him. 319 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,440 She said, mister, McAllister, what do you make of this 320 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:37,920 carrier guy to come in and to forgive? And his 321 00:20:38,039 --> 00:20:40,599 response to her was He's the best friend I've ever had. 322 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:48,920 Speaker 1: Chris's story David's story is a complicated one. It stretches 323 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,960 across years, connecting two men together from the most horrific 324 00:20:53,039 --> 00:20:57,359 of circumstances that resulted in the most beautiful of miracles. 325 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,640 A child taken in the middle of an ordinary afternoon, 326 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,960 left to die in a place where survival should have 327 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:11,160 never been possible, found alive after six days. Decades later, 328 00:21:11,519 --> 00:21:15,640 the perpetrator and survivor sitting together in one room, not 329 00:21:15,759 --> 00:21:18,720 to revisit what had happened, but to respond to it 330 00:21:18,799 --> 00:21:22,680 in a way that changed the ending. Once Chris had 331 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,720 been a child who'd said the simplest of prayers with 332 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:31,200 all the faith he could muster. Father, Well, you know, 333 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,079 words that seemed to stop at the ceiling of an 334 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:40,119 old RV, but words that instead extended beyond time and space. 335 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:45,440 And yes, God had known, he'd known David, and he'd 336 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,880 known Chris, and he'd known the power of both faith 337 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,319 and forgiveness. 338 00:21:55,799 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 3: This story, it just it really gets me choked up 339 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,759 every time I hear it, and that little boy's prayer, 340 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,839 the prayers of the community, Chris's parents, prayers like you 341 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,200 just feel the power of all of it. And in fact, 342 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,079 we have a prayer chain letter that was sent out 343 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,359 citywide by his church that we've got to read to 344 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,079 you because if this doesn't give you chills, I don't 345 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:16,680 know what will. 346 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: Okay, So first they tell everyone what happened. Chris Carrier 347 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:25,119 h ten, a Westminster Christian school student who, after departing 348 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:29,400 from the school bus, disappeared. And the prayer request is Lord, 349 00:22:29,799 --> 00:22:32,720 keep him safe and return him home, that you may 350 00:22:32,759 --> 00:22:35,920 get the glory as we pray in unity and one accord. 351 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:40,400 Then again, two days after Chris went missing, another prayer 352 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,200 request was sent out, thank you Lord for putting your 353 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,359 angels around him to keep him safe until he is found. 354 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:48,680 And you know, there was only two prayer requests sent out, 355 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,039 first on the twentieth, then on the twenty second. But 356 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,200 there's a remark at the bottom that explains why. It says, 357 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,920 after the first day of prayer, two separate groups felt 358 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,119 assured that angels had been sent to protect and keep 359 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,079 him until he was found, and that we were to 360 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:08,079 praise God and not ask anymore. Also, we were to 361 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,599 pray for the soul of the man who abducted him. 362 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:15,319 So interesting, there were multiple groups of people that felt 363 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:18,039 like there were angels looking over Chris, and that's what 364 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:18,960 Chris said. 365 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 3: And there had to have been. 366 00:23:20,559 --> 00:23:26,079 Speaker 1: Absolutely, this is such an emotional journey, Like I am 367 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:29,000 so inspired by this story and the fact that Chris 368 00:23:29,079 --> 00:23:32,000 was able to forgive this man. Oh yeah, but I 369 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,200 got to be honest, like I found myself struggling with that. 370 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:38,160 I found myself struggling to forgive this man because I 371 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:42,079 disgusted with him and angry at him. Yet I didn't 372 00:23:42,079 --> 00:23:42,759 even know him. 373 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 3: I know when when Chris said he was going to 374 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,079 go and visit this man and try to talk to him, 375 00:23:49,079 --> 00:23:50,400 and I just thought, don't do it. 376 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 1: It's just going to. 377 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 3: Bring up more pain. You know, and then when he 378 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:55,119 said he was going to forgive him and he so 379 00:23:55,279 --> 00:23:57,680 kind to him, there's part of me that was still 380 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,359 angry about it, Like, how can you be so kind 381 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:02,079 to this man who tried to kill you? 382 00:24:02,599 --> 00:24:05,079 Speaker 1: I know? And if you feel that, just hearing his story, 383 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,480 imagine like it gives you a little glimpse of how 384 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,759 hard it was for him to forgive. It's not like 385 00:24:10,799 --> 00:24:13,200 he said this came naturally for him. Yeah, he gave 386 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,119 all the credit to God. He said God helped him 387 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,839 get through that moment. Yeah, which would be so hard. 388 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,960 Here's a man who committed this horrific crime, he never 389 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,400 served jail time. Kind of seems like he got away 390 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:26,000 with it. Yeah, But here's what Chris said about that. 391 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:31,519 Speaker 2: While some would say how horrible and unfair that he 392 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,960 never spent a day in jail, I would tend to 393 00:24:36,079 --> 00:24:40,119 argue and think his jail was not one of concrete 394 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,400 walls and metal bars. 395 00:24:43,039 --> 00:24:47,039 Speaker 3: That is really profound, and I think Chris is right, Like, 396 00:24:47,279 --> 00:24:50,000 I had someone committed a crime, a violent crime against 397 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:54,839 my husband and me in twenty thirteen, and I've had 398 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:56,240 to work through forgiveness. 399 00:24:56,279 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: It is not easy. And Chris is just so inspiring 400 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,319 to me. Yeah, I'm so grateful that God helped him 401 00:25:02,319 --> 00:25:05,400 through that. Yes, and not only did he forgive him, 402 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,559 but for David, he preferred to him as his best friend. Yeah, 403 00:25:08,559 --> 00:25:11,480 like that meant so much to David too. It's so inspiring. 404 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,480 And I think a question that probably everyone has is 405 00:25:15,839 --> 00:25:19,119 why does David do this? Like what was his exutive? 406 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:21,839 So here's what we do know. Like, as we mentioned 407 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,400 in the story, he was upset with Chris's father because 408 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,079 he felt like when he got fired it wasn't justified 409 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,839 and he wanted revenge. So he shows up at Chris's 410 00:25:31,839 --> 00:25:35,279 father's house not really sure what he's going to do. Yeah, 411 00:25:35,319 --> 00:25:36,519 here's what Chris said about that. 412 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 2: He walked around the neighborhood apparently for a while, because 413 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:45,400 the police found I believe the number was fourteen cigarette 414 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:50,200 butts on the two corners of the sidewalk where our 415 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,640 school bus corner was. I think he had a plan 416 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:55,839 to do something that he didn't know what it was. 417 00:25:56,559 --> 00:25:59,839 Our neighbor across the street, who was owned for the break, 418 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,440 was washing his car and said that he saw this 419 00:26:03,519 --> 00:26:06,839 man earlier walking up and down on our side of 420 00:26:06,839 --> 00:26:10,400 the street and at one point walk up the walkway 421 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:14,039 towards our front door, then change his mind and walk 422 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:18,640 back down and keep going down the street. So you 423 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,599 figured my mom was in a wheelchair. He could have 424 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,000 easily walked in and shot her. 425 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,079 Speaker 3: Yeah, it is chilling to think about what would have 426 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,519 happened if David McAllister had gone into that home where 427 00:26:31,559 --> 00:26:34,359 Chris's mom was sitting in her wheelchair. And I know 428 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:38,079 Chris is so grateful that that didn't happen. And this 429 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:40,359 man was just out for revenge, he truly was, and 430 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:42,799 he had truly let the adversary take him. 431 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: Over, I know. And poor Chris just happened to be 432 00:26:46,039 --> 00:26:47,559 in the wrong place at the wrong down. 433 00:26:48,039 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 2: Yeah. 434 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:52,799 Speaker 1: But one question that I had was not only like 435 00:26:52,839 --> 00:26:55,279 how did he survive not being eaten by alligators? But 436 00:26:55,599 --> 00:26:59,200 how did he survive being shot in the head. And 437 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:00,400 so here's what acid. 438 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,519 Speaker 2: So the bullet it's me right here at Temple. The 439 00:27:04,559 --> 00:27:10,200 bullet passed behind the eyes and exited clean here, knocked 440 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,559 me out on impact. It severed the optic nerve and 441 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,039 did some damage to one of the muscles I think 442 00:27:18,079 --> 00:27:21,079 on the top of the eye. I can't imagine how 443 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:27,720 you explain the small bullet going through a small boy's skull. 444 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,079 And you know, my wife may say it did more 445 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:33,920 bring damage, but I don't know that it did. It 446 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,680 was interesting. I know, when I was probably thirteen, my 447 00:27:36,759 --> 00:27:39,359 dad came in, sat on the bed and said, I 448 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:44,279 think you would do well to have plastic surgery, you know, 449 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:48,640 do some cosmetic surgery to look norm And I remember, 450 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,119 after the better part of three years, looking at my 451 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,440 dad saying, why would we waste the money doing that? 452 00:27:54,559 --> 00:27:58,119 My friends are my friends. They've seen beyond the scars, 453 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:01,640 they've seen beyond the fears. I've learned to adapt and 454 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:03,160 live with it, and I'm fine with it. 455 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:07,880 Speaker 3: Chris is one of my heroes now, I mean same. 456 00:28:08,319 --> 00:28:10,720 I just love his story, even though it's such a 457 00:28:10,759 --> 00:28:14,480 hard story. He depended on God the entire time. He 458 00:28:14,559 --> 00:28:16,880 still does, and he still gives God all the glory. 459 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,039 It's just amazing to me. 460 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:22,400 Speaker 1: All the glory to God. And one other thing I 461 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,160 want to point out is just the timing of everything, 462 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,079 Like if the detectives hadn't found David when they did, 463 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:29,920 if Chris hadn't shown up when he did, I mean, 464 00:28:30,039 --> 00:28:34,319 David died three weeks after three weeks Chris yep, and 465 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,200 to me, there's no coincidence in that timing. 466 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. 467 00:28:37,759 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 3: No, you can definitely see God's hand throughout this whole experience, 468 00:28:42,759 --> 00:28:45,359 and forgiveness is hard, y'all. We know it is. We 469 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:45,920 know it's hard. 470 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 1: We're not saying it's easy. But God will help you. 471 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:50,519 Speaker 3: But if this story doesn't inspire you, I. 472 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:51,200 Speaker 1: Don't know what will. 473 00:28:51,599 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. 474 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: Absolutely, all right. Well, thank you guys for joining us. 475 00:28:55,039 --> 00:28:57,640 Thank you Chris for sharing the story. Yes, thank you 476 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,720 so much. Make sure you subscribe to our pow and 477 00:29:00,759 --> 00:29:03,039 if you would be so kind please leave us a review. 478 00:29:03,079 --> 00:29:04,519 It helps us a lot. 479 00:29:04,759 --> 00:29:07,599 Speaker 3: Yes, and find us on social media. We would love 480 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:09,519 to hear your thoughts about the story. I'm sure you 481 00:29:09,559 --> 00:29:11,519 have so many thoughts like we do, I think, or questions. 482 00:29:11,519 --> 00:29:14,880 We could probably talk about it forever. So yeah, contact 483 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:19,759 us there and have a wonderful week everyone. Thank you 484 00:29:19,799 --> 00:29:22,000 for joining us. If you have a miracle to share, 485 00:29:22,079 --> 00:29:25,200 contact us at the Miracle files dot com or find 486 00:29:25,279 --> 00:29:28,880 us on social media. We release new episodes each Monday. 487 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:33,039 Speaker 1: Yes, so don't forget Miracle mondays. Subscribe on your favorite 488 00:29:33,039 --> 00:29:37,119 podcast platform and YouTube for amazing video content as well. 489 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 3: Join us next time as we discover more of God's miracles, 490 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:42,880 and don't forget to look for his light in your 491 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:43,480 own lives.