Late one night, my wife and I were driving home from a party when our car broke down in a remote area. This was before mobile phones were common, so we had no way to call for help. We waited anxiously, hoping someone would come by. After about an hour, a young man who appeared to be a college student stopped and offered us a ride to town. Grateful, we tried to pay him, but he refused, saying, “Happy to help.”
Years later, my wife called me, her voice shaking as she told me to turn on the news. To our shock, we learned that the man who had helped us was actually a 35-year-old criminal wanted in several states. His method was terrifying: he would pose as a lost hiker or a Good Samaritan, gain his victims’ trust, and then rob them, leaving them stranded in isolated areas.
The news left us stunned. We couldn’t figure out why he hadn’t targeted us that night. Perhaps it was because there were two of us, or maybe my size made him think twice. Whatever the reason, we were fortunate to have escaped unharmed. It’s a story that still gives us chills and serves as a reminder of how unpredictable life can be.
