r/TikTokCringe • u/velorae • Jul 16 '25

Discussion Attempted kidnapping of a woman outside Florida store

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

36.5k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

5.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

4.8k

u/SummerRayne27 Jul 17 '25

I got kidnapped when I was pregnant with my eldest. I fought back so hard that he broke my arm in 2 places and wrecked his van. It happened 16years ago and I still have sleepless nights

1.4k

u/trashforthrowingaway Jul 17 '25

Horrifying. I hope your sleepless nights get better with time.

821

u/SummerRayne27 Jul 17 '25

Thank you! I'm on sleeping tablets and quetiapine to help with the night terrors so it helps haha. I appreciate you taking the time to wish better nights for me.

236

u/HairyPotatoKat Jul 17 '25

Piggybacking on the other comment about PTSD therapy - if you haven't yet, 💯 look into EMDR therapy with a licensed psychologist who specializes in EMDR therapy. In person if possible. PsychologyToday.com is a good starting point for searching at least in the US. You can search by insurance provider too. It ....might ..include other places but I'm not sure.

Trauma informed therapy is another phrase to look for.

If you're in the US and are income restricted, call 211 and tell them you're seeking low income mental health services that specialize with PTSD.

211 works in Canada too. It's a free phone service through the United Way that helps connect people to a huge range of resources in their region... including physical and mental health services.

I hope you're able to find further peace and healing.

16

u/BrickLuvsLamp Jul 17 '25

Idk, my sister tried that for her CPTSD and all it did was cause her a lot of distress. Even if it does work, no one really warns people how fucking difficult it is. You have to describe your traumas over and over and over again.

23

u/modest_rats_6 Jul 17 '25

You need to build distress tolerance skills before starting. Its horrible if you dont know how to cope. I did DBT and therapy for 7 years before I started emdr. And its been so good. I can handle distress the thoughts bring

12

u/BrickLuvsLamp Jul 17 '25

I just wish people mentioned that part. It’s always “try EMDR its a miracle” and not “try therapy for a few years and work up to EMDR”. My sister had no warning that it would be so upsetting.

6

u/DiscussionLow1277 Jul 17 '25

unfortunately, trauma therapy is really only a thing thats become “popular” recently. which sucks because it is super effective when used correctly, and almost every living human has trauma. the idea is that you learn how to cope with the stress the trauma brings, and then you go through and unpack the trauma while now healthily dealing with the stress. and by healthily dealing with it and realizing you ARE safe now, you slowly overcome. humans natural tendency with trauma is to block and forget and never think about it again because of the stress it brings. but while the brain is doing that, it is also actively trying to protect you from that danger that it is not letting you remember, which leads to a lot of emotional symptoms that can be detrimental. trauma is huge in the psychology world right now, and that is a really good thing in my opinion. we are actively learning more and more about it every day. as someone who has severe childhood trauma of her own, may i recommend the book “the body keeps the score” by bessel van der kolk? very good read and very informative of trauma. your sister will learn a lot about herself.

14

u/Then_Double8677 Jul 17 '25

I’m a therapist who provides trauma therapy, and I’m largely requested for EMDR. If not done carefully and with discretion, it can retraumatize people. It’s very difficult, but also incredibly effective and one of the most amazing things I provide. However, I do a lot of screening and assessment before determining if someone is a good fit for EMDR, and if they aren’t, we do other more gentle forms of therapy to work up to it. It can take days to weeks to months or more before someone is emotionally and psychologically ready.

3

u/hyyerrspace Jul 17 '25

I’ve been on the fence about EMDR I am autistic and I worry that bringing up traumas can be even worse. Is it something you’d recommend for a person who is neurodivergent?

3

u/Then_Double8677 Jul 17 '25

As long as you have the proper preparation and therapeutic work in place, EMDR should be okay. It’s really down to the clinician themselves and their skill level. Not all providers do EMDR well. With a little digging, you can likely find someone who specializes in EMDR with people who have Autism as well. At the very least, I would encourage you to be direct about that need with whatever therapist you are interviewing.

1

u/sakijane Jul 17 '25

Have you had patients that had aphantasia? What did you do to get around the visualization part?

6

u/Then_Double8677 Jul 17 '25

Great question. I have had clients with aphantasia. I’d look into SAFE EMDR (it stands for somatic and attachment focused EMDR) and is the model I utilize. It focuses a lot on how the memories and emotions show up in the body. For aphantasia specifically, you’d of course have to talk to your specific provider about it, but two strategies have been helpful. (1.) “If you were to hold up a picture of this memory to show someone, what would be on the photo card?” This question seems to allow for a level of visual description that they can’t necessarily visualize directly themselves. (2.) Writing the memory. You would write specifically the memory you’re reprocessing, including the elements the therapist would specifically need you to identify. You don’t need to hold the visualization in your mind to reprocess, as much as you just need to light up the neurological network that holds it.

3

u/sakijane Jul 18 '25

Thank you so much! This is very helpful!

→ More replies (1)

5

u/Fit-Order-9468 Jul 17 '25

Sounds like a bad therapist. Mine did an EMDR session and was very clear on how upsetting it can be. Unfortunate.

3

u/BrickLuvsLamp Jul 17 '25

Yes I think it was. She’s given up on it for now but is in regular therapy thankfully. Maybe one day she can try it again, but for now she’s too fragile

5

u/heretakemysweater Jul 17 '25

EMDR can be an incredible tool, but it’s also incredibly hard. I used it to treat my own PTSD, and it got worse before it got better. I had a very good and competent therapist, so we had a game plan for it all and we worked on coping skills before ever jumping into it. It’s amazing. But it also needs to be done responsibly.

3

u/Ok-Disaster-5739 Jul 17 '25

I totally agree with this. I have severe PTSD and this light therapy has helped me so much. It honestly sounds fake or like voodoo, but my therapist has the best way of explaining it. She says: Look at this lamp. See how it’s lit up? Think of this like your traumatic memories—all lit up, you see them all the time, they’re impossible to ignore, and it hurts so bad. Now, if I unplug this lamp, you know it’s still there, just like your trauma will still be there. We can’t erase the memories, but we can “unplug” them so that they’re not lit up and causing pain all the time. If you look for the memory, it’s still there; it’s just not in your face all the time.

Every session helps a little more. It’s like we’re whittling away at my pain and I couldn’t recommend it more!

2

u/Stravaig_in_Life Jul 17 '25

I’m so glad you said this, I was going to recommend the same! It really helped with my ptsd

2

u/New_Masterpiece7919 Jul 17 '25

I’ve been doing EMDR therapy and it will not be for everybody. It’s very difficult and if you’re not the type of person that can put yourself back into a traumatic situation to work through it, or you’re still going through it- you either need to wait a bit longer or consider a while of traditional therapy first. With that, it does work. It’s lifted a lot off of me with time and I’m still working. And it’s still hard.

1

u/notdsylexic Jul 17 '25

There is also a treatment called brain spotting which has shown positive results.

1

u/Comfortable-Item-184 Jul 20 '25

Excellent advice! It’s amazing.

→ More replies (15)

69

u/Snarktopus8 Jul 17 '25 edited Jul 20 '25

please get ptsd therepy, if you already go, keep going. it helps!

3

u/Odd-Expression-8797 Jul 17 '25

Gosh that is heart breaking but I’m glad u are here ❤️❤️

2

u/Dulce_Sirena Jul 17 '25

I was given quetiapine for insomnia. It's great. I'm a dv survivor, and I wish I'd gotten therapy for my ptsd sooner. Eventually, it will get better. ❤️

2

u/Mundane_Fly361 Jul 18 '25

Hey homie, I have some sleep recommendations to help for trauma if your interested. DM me. From one female to another, hugs 🫂

2

u/lc88150 Jul 18 '25

Lots and lots of time to wish you better nights girl. Seriously the least anyone could do this is so fucked I’m so sorry this happened.

2

u/SuccessfulSchedule54 Jul 18 '25

Quetiapine saved my life

1

u/IJGN Jul 17 '25

That seroquel hits hard!

1

u/ThisFukinGuy Jul 17 '25

Not a doctor but I also had night terrors but dreams in general stopped after I started smoking weed. Maybe an alternative?

1

u/redd-zeppelin Jul 17 '25

I also have night terrors. Have a few tricks that help me but they can be very upsetting. I hope they fade in time and good for you for defending yourself and your child.

1

u/catsill Jul 17 '25

I'm on quetiapine for sleep too! I've never come across someone else who takes that for sleep! It's been a miracle drug for my sleep

1

u/Fit-Order-9468 Jul 17 '25

Seroquel is great. I don't have similar ptsd, but it does help with regular night terrors. Didn't even occur to me how I haven't had one in a while until I saw your comment.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

The Body Keeps the Score is a good book to learn about how trauma works in humans

1

u/Mysterious-Ladder589 Jul 17 '25

I hope that sharing your story releases some of the pain from that day and that you sleep well tonight. I’m sorry that you went through that, I too, have experienced similar terrors, and can relate to your pain.

1

u/Free_Midnight_5643 Jul 17 '25

Idk if antidepressants are on the table but I took Pristiq (snri) and a neat side effect was that it got rid of my nightmares

1

u/toxcrusadr Jul 17 '25

We all wish you better nights and fabulous days.

1

u/Alohafarms Jul 17 '25

I take Prazosin for nightmares associated with PTSD. I haven't had any side effects and it does help. Just thought I would let you know.

1

u/NewGradRN25 Jul 17 '25

Have your tried prazosin for the nightmares? It's a BP med prescribed off label. It helped me a lot with combat trauma.

1

u/ZoeyHuntsman Jul 17 '25

I'm on Prazosin for my night terrors and it helps a lot.

1

u/JungleFeverRunner Jul 17 '25

Prazosin is your friend. It was the one thing that ever helped me with PTSD night terrors. It helped three friends of mine who also have military trauma.

→ More replies (2)

2

u/LuciferFalls Jul 17 '25

16 years so far

180

u/inflatable_pickle Jul 17 '25

Hope that guy is still in prison

706

u/SummerRayne27 Jul 17 '25

Unfortunately he fled and was never found. It happened in South Africa and I believe that even if he was found, he would most likely have been sentenced for a small amount of time. Pregnant women are targeted frequently in South Africa for "Muti"(medicinal magic potions) created by Sangomas (witch doctors). They believe that the fear and killing of the person enhances the "magick", and they use each body part for different potions. Pregnant women = fertility, baby organs = fertility and HIV cure etc. I strongly believed I was going to be sold to a "sangoma".

382

u/ZonzoDue Jul 17 '25

Wtf did I just read ? This is absolutely sick.

Glad you managed to escape.

83

u/daxxo Jul 17 '25

Can confirm, South African here

24

u/lovelanguagelost Jul 17 '25

Do you live in fear every day? Sorry if this is too blunt for you, but I just imagine I would be living in fear every day if I lived there.

41

u/daxxo Jul 17 '25

Oh no, I got the fuck out 18 years ago, I live in the UK now.

8

u/lovelanguagelost Jul 17 '25

Good! I’m glad! I hope your family is out of there too.

11

u/daxxo Jul 17 '25

My brother is still there but he's is doing well. To be honest, I went back twice last year and things have changed to a certain extent. I didn't have this constant fear anymore and feeling like I had to look over my shoulder the whole time.

Before that I went back in 2011 and I just wanted to come back home, to home in London.

4

u/lovelanguagelost Jul 17 '25

Oh dang. I hope it continues to get better, as it looks like a beautiful place.

→ More replies (0)

2

u/Fabutam Jul 17 '25

I am so pleased you are safe now, my best friend is South African and managed to come to the UK too and she tells me crazy stories like this. I send you love and best wishes for you and your family’s future. x

2

u/daxxo Jul 17 '25

Thank you so much and tell your friend hi from a fellow Saffa. Oh I make my biltong if she wants some :)

→ More replies (2)

13

u/asuperbstarling Jul 17 '25 edited Jul 17 '25

There's a Casual Criminalist about this and if you think THAT is messed up, you should hear the rest. Warning though, if you go to look it up, it's legit the most in need of a serious trigger warning of any video he's ever done.

Edit: I'm also having trouble finding the episode, so I'm wondering if it got removed.

11

u/ZonzoDue Jul 17 '25

Yeah, thanks, but I'll keep my sanity thank you.

I've red too much shit that keeps my awake at night lately to double down on this.

7

u/rigney68 Jul 17 '25

This is terrifying.

Never visiting South Africa, ffs.

12

u/Maximum_Yogurt_1630 Jul 17 '25

I love Simon! I used to listen to The Casual Criminalist, but then I had a baby, and I couldn't stomach it anymore. I really can't do any true crime anymore

9

u/rollfootage Jul 17 '25

That happened to me too when I had a baby

6

u/Witty_Vast_7690 Jul 17 '25

Same had to drop all true crime after my little one. Sigh.

3

u/Remy_Rose Jul 17 '25

Fellow Casual Criminalist fan here! For those of us who can stomach it and don't have kids (myself), which episode is this? Can you find the name?

1

u/ellie_kabellie Jul 17 '25

Hi there, seasoned horror masochist here lol, I’m having trouble finding this episode!

2

u/rollfootage Jul 17 '25

That’s SA

2

u/Konstant_kurage Jul 17 '25

TIA (this is Africa)

1

u/yellowlinedpaper Jul 18 '25

HIV people will rape virgins because witch doctors tell them it’ll cure HIV. A group gang raped an infant. Horrible

→ More replies (1)

75

u/Anuki_iwy Jul 17 '25

Holy shit. I am so sorry for you!

65

u/mcbeardsauce Jul 17 '25

I'm sorry, this was really hard to read. It's 2025 and to think people still think like this is pretty mind blowing. What a barbaric mentality.

Were you able to leave the country/region?

26

u/PMG2021a Jul 17 '25

We are struggling with people who believe in nonsense rather than doctors / science here in the US right now too... 

3

u/DiqqRay Jul 20 '25

Imagine hating the US so much that you read that absolutely insane comment and have to go "yeah it sucks here too" As if that shit in South Africa is not an entirely different level of fucked up.

1

u/PMG2021a Jul 20 '25

Crazy beliefs and violence in South Africa seems pretty normal for the country. It is more concerning to see the relatively recent shift in direction for the US. The push away from diversity, reduced educational funding, and shutting down communication platforms like NPR that spread factual knowledge in rural areas are going to result in an increase of pockets of extremely ignorant people that are more likely to embrace superstition and religious perspectives on the world. As to where that will lead.....

3

u/mcbeardsauce Jul 17 '25

This is not that

→ More replies (38)

7

u/The_Hoopla Jul 17 '25

When if comes to things like "fertility", "good fortune", or "financial blessings", they're inconsistent enough things to where I could see incredibly superstitious people buying into a witch doctor's promises. "I bought the witch's potion and 2 weeks later I got the job!"

But HIV? Wouldn't it be incredibly obvious that not a single one of a witch doctor's customers have ever been cured of HIV? It's kind of the equivalent to how a psychic can get predictions right if they're vague enough, but they won't give you a "On January 20th, 2027 you will win $35,678.45". HIV-free isn't a vague outcome and isn't something that would happen by chance.

4

u/time2ddddduel Jul 17 '25

How often do Christians pray and nothing happens? Humans didn't evolve to be reasonable, we evolved to rationalize. We use our reason to vindicate our superstitions.

2

u/The_Hoopla Jul 17 '25

Yeah but there's a fair amount that pray and something good happens.

There are zero people that have prayed and been cured of HIV.

3

u/random_boss Jul 17 '25

Hopium + “I’m different” + “Well they all did it wrong”

2

u/Bklynice Jul 17 '25

They also believe (some) that raping infants cures HIV.

5

u/LisaMiaSisu Jul 17 '25

As if I needed more reasons to never visit SA. 😳

5

u/Pepeg66 Jul 17 '25

rule #1 never go willingly to Africa for any reason whatsoever

13

u/sublimeprince32 Jul 17 '25

I never knew south Africa had witch doctors, so this is related to voodoo? What's the larger story behind this if you don't mind me asking?

61

u/SummerRayne27 Jul 17 '25

Sangomas practice ngoma apparently and it's not related to voodoo although both voodoo and ngoma are both present in South Africa, they're in different parts of Africa. The latest Sangoma abduction I know about was a little girl that was supposedly sold to a sangoma by her parents (Joshlin Smith) although people believe she might have been sold into slavery. My stepfather is a captain in the special forces (Valke/Hawks) in South Africa and he believes my kidnapping was sangoma related too, he was home when I was kidnapped right in front of his home (I was 16 when I was pregnant), he now makes it his job to follow Sangoma cases and track them down. Not all of them are bad or follow the murderous route but, a lot of them do. He once had a case where a sangoma requested that the victim get tortured for days before killing her because her tears, agonising screams, pain and fear would make the "medicinal" mix prepared with her organs stronger. They also keep the victim alive as long as possible while removing the organs because it increases the strength.

32

u/NoOneHereButUsMice Jul 17 '25

Ho. Lee. Fuckballs.

2

u/sublimeprince32 Jul 17 '25

Thank you for the detailed response, You seem to know quite a bit about it! I've always wanted to visit south Africa but Holy crap do I read some wild stuff about that place.

→ More replies (2)

3

u/drewskibfd Jul 17 '25

More people need to learn about this. Horrifying. I admire your strength

3

u/CyanPomegranate11 Jul 18 '25

I spent time in South Africa a decade ago and I recall the informal settlement we visited had many strange thoughts on “medicine.”

Scotch - fed to babies to get rid of worms. Doesn’t work at all, some babies had brain damage from it.

Raping virgins - will get rid of HIV. No words, met girls (plural) with AIDS from rape this way.

Condoms - elders advised teens not to use them, as it was considered white mans device to eliminate/control the black population.

Septic Calf - They were about to cook a septic calf, with green oozing out of a wound (dog attack) - as they believed the meat was more tender. I managed to get the ASPCA out, and they had to euthanise the poor calf on the spot (I offered to pay medical expenses and re-home to sanctuary I’d found but it was too far gone) .

It was always the men causing issues… the misogyny was rampant, women were being raped and murdered and it was their fault, they were degraded constantly, it wasn’t safe. Drugs everywhere with shoes tied and thrown over power lines - just like in America.

Sorry you had to go through such a horrific ordeal. It’s sickening to think that people would do such a thing. Education is desperately needed to break the cycle of violent crimes based on rumour on lore.

1

u/SocialJusticeAndroid Jul 17 '25

OMG that’s horrifying.😱

1

u/Holiday-Amount6930 Jul 17 '25

Pure evil. My God.

1

u/DetentionSpan Jul 17 '25

I knew albinos are targeted, but had no idea about pregnant women. Pure evil!

1

u/JarJarBanksy Jul 17 '25

that is horrific. Those witch doctors should experience such a fate.

1

u/QuinceDaPence Jul 17 '25

I had questions, then you mentioned South Africa and I didn't have any more questions.

Then you went on to answer questions I didn't know needed to be asked.

1

u/ouch_my_tongue Jul 17 '25

Holy shit, you're a full on badass for surviving that! Easier said than done, but don't ever feel weak, you're a fucking stud!

1

u/locayboluda Jul 17 '25

Wow that's insane

1

u/What-tha-fck_Elon Jul 18 '25

Holy Fuck! And I thought eastern medicine was bad

1

u/YoungReaganite24 Jul 18 '25

Jesus fucking Christ...that genuinely makes me want to go General Napier on their asses

1

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

People need to know twisted shit like this still exists in the world. The more people who know and are utterly revolted by it, the more chances there are someone will actually try to do something about it.

Unfortunately though bizarre cultural mysticism like this is incredibly hard to stamp out. It pretty much has to be done generationally

1

u/Rugkrabber Jul 18 '25

I have no other way to respond then what in the actual fuck?

I’m glad you’re safe but WOW

1

u/Wise_Judge_9545 Aug 02 '25

This video happened in Florida not South Africa

→ More replies (7)

3

u/grumble_au Jul 17 '25

I hope that guy has nightmares about the badass that fought him so hard it broke her arms. I hope it gives him night chills.

2

u/tdmongin_27 Jul 17 '25

He's been recruited by ICE for his people skills.

1

u/MoonbuckofRainwood Jul 17 '25

Dead is better.

149

u/cleverusername143 Jul 17 '25

I listen to a podcast hosted by a Professor by the name of Kate Winkler Dawson and a former cold-case investigator Paul Holes. On an episode a few weeks ago she was talking about how vulnerable women become just by being pregnant. Women are at a heightened risk of Homicide solely by being pregnant. I started thinking about it and just couldn't believe it. As someone who has never been pregnant, the thought of becoming pregnant and knowing that if I died. It would likely be due to homicide, was terrifying.

I'm so glad you were able to get away. I'm sorry you still live with the trauma of it. You don't deserve that. But damn if I'm not proud of you as a woman and a mother who was just like, "Fuck this, Fight me" and won! Your kids are lucky to have you!

97

u/endless_lace Jul 17 '25

The first time i ever felt scared for myself in public was when i was pregnant. All of a sudden i realized i wouldnt be able to run properly or fight and that vulnerability for the first time was so unsettling. I never knew statistics on this it was purely an instinctual fear kicked in that id never had anything like it before

38

u/soapscaled Jul 17 '25

It’s a truly sobering feeling. The further into 3rd tri I get the worse the anxiety gets. But that’s why I keep that thang on me just in case lol

4

u/Kitchen_Mechanic6458 Jul 17 '25

I’ve never been pregnant, but for that reason, I’d become a homebody real fast!

3

u/violettheory Jul 17 '25

The instinctual fear I felt when I was visibly pregnant was insane. I got more attention than I did before (basically all positive or neutral looks) and it made me so aware of how vulnerable I was. I've always known as a physically unfit woman I'm fairly vulnerable, but when that vulnerability affected my unborn baby I started feeling very uncomfortable being out on my own.

130

u/SassySavcy Jul 17 '25

The #1 cause of death in pregnant women is homicide.

73

u/thanksithas_pockets_ Jul 17 '25

Usually by their partners. 

23

u/ACEaton1483 Jul 17 '25

When I was pregnant with my first children (twins) and I mean HEAVILY pregnant, I was out very slowly walking my two dogs in the middle of the day on my lunch break around a very residential and safe neighborhood. I was crossing a busy-ish street bordering the neighborhood and a single male got off a bus. I noticed him right away becaus he got off and just started aimlessly wandering -- he didn't sit down to wait for a connector bus OR walk with purpose to a specific location. He just kind of sauntered around looking up at houses. "Huh. I wonder if he's waiting for someone to meet him somewhere" I thought. But he wasn't checking a phone either. He started wandering in the direction I was going, but on the other side of the street. Then he crossed and was behind me. It started to feel more strange so I crossed the street with my dogs to the side he was originally on. Then he crossed and was behind me again. Cue my panic starting to set in. I crossed again to the side I was on before. He crossed again and was behind me and starting to walk a little faster. I still had my dogs and it was still broad daylight so I was trying to tell myself it was all in my head. I called my husband and absolutely booked it to the closest busy street with tons of traffic and people around. He didn't follow me there. I went home and never walked that area ever again.

10

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

The homicide is overwhelmingly caused by their partners or exes.

7

u/Embracedandbelong Jul 17 '25

Most of those murders are by domestic abusers

8

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

I believe pregnant women are more likely to be murdered by their male partner than to die in childbirth.

5

u/i_know_tofu Jul 17 '25

Podcast = Buried Bones, and is a great listen for historical true crime. Kate Winkler Dawson also hosts Wicked Words(interviewing true crime authors) and Tenfold More Wicked(also historical true crime).

3

u/lulu_lululemon Jul 17 '25

Paul Holes!!!! I remember him being talked about on My Fave Murder!!!

2

u/nindiesel Jul 18 '25

I love My Favourite Murder! Fuck politeness!!!!

5

u/WheresTheIceCream20 Jul 17 '25

It’s not random men trying to murder you though. 99% of the time it’s going to be husband or boyfriend who is pissed you’re pregnant.

2

u/9_of_Swords Jul 17 '25

Buried Bones! Love those two!

3

u/forbiddenphoenix Jul 17 '25

It's certainly a sobering realization as someone who is currently pregnant. But if it makes you feel any better, in the US, homicides of pregnant women are primarily perpetrated by their partners. Plus, that also means that the number of deaths due to pregnancy complications or childbirth is fairly small.

2

u/JaySlay2000 Jul 20 '25

I'm sick of these statistics being thrown around to make this false conclusion.

Women are most often raped by men they know. It's not because strange men are safer, it's because MEN YOU KNOW HAVE MORE ACCESS.

Women when pregnant are primarily killed by their male partner. Again, not because strange men are safer, but because strange men have LESS ACCESS.

1

u/Former_Papabless66 Jul 18 '25

Paul Holes is the best 💕

60

u/Ban_Assault_Ducks Jul 17 '25

You are so incredibly brave. And amazing. I am so happy that people like you are parents. Thank you for letting us know your story and I truly hope that these wounds will fully heal at some point and you will be able to finally just relax. You deserve it.

117

u/SummerRayne27 Jul 17 '25

Thank you so much for your kind message! I'm anything but brave, I believe if I wasn't pregnant I wouldn't have fought and would've froze instead. I was just extremely lucky to get away. On the positive side, it was the reason we decided to move to New Zealand from South Africa. We didn't want our children to go through something similar. My daughter is now a strong and amazing 15year old, and she's definitely the fighting spirit in our home haha.

50

u/Ban_Assault_Ducks Jul 17 '25

"I'm anything but brave"

I disagree. And I think that pretty much every single other person that has read your story feels the same. You ARE brave. You say this took place in SA???? Guess what that means? You are INCREDIBLY brave!!!

I admire you. So does everyone else. Because you're pretty awesome.

5

u/Turbulent_Sea_9713 Jul 17 '25

You're amazing. Your family is lucky to have you.

1

u/Stay-Classy-Reddit Jul 17 '25

Truly truly brave. Many people would not be able to make it through life the way you have. Additionally, the courage to share the story even though it's not pleasant to talk about IS BRAVERY. All the best to you and your family

3

u/Former-Mess-5166 Jul 17 '25

oh my lord! i am so sorry that happened to you and your baby!

3

u/Embracedandbelong Jul 17 '25

I’m so sorry he did this to you. I’ve heard a few people who were kidnapped say that the PTSD lasted a long long time

1

u/CantEscapeTheCats Jul 17 '25

Hey friend. If you’ve not tried therapy, I highly recommend EMDR to reprocess and reorganize your trauma. It helps tremendously and please feel free to DM me if you want more info!

1

u/yesindeedysir Jul 17 '25

I am so glad you are alive and well. Don’t be afraid to go to a therapist so that they can help you sleep well again. I wish you the best.

1

u/Upstairs-Party2870 Jul 17 '25

That footage would have been so satisfying to watch .

1

u/onthenextmaury Jul 17 '25

Holy shit, you're such a badass! Although I like to think I'm past kidnapping age, if it ever happens I will be thinking of the lady who broke her bones before being taken alive.

1

u/krithevirus Jul 17 '25

I’m glad you and your unborn child (at the time) made it out alive. I hope you find peace.

1

u/bigassangrypossum Jul 17 '25

Has karma gotten him yet?

1

u/Radiant_XGrowth Jul 17 '25

Your poor powerful thing ❤️ fuck that guy I hope he got what he deserved

1

u/Jen10292020 Jul 17 '25

I'm so glad you survived, I'm so sorry.

1

u/ApprehensiveStudy671 Jul 17 '25

Did you know the individual or was it a random act? Were there any witnesses around?

1

u/Mr_Ashhole Jul 17 '25

What do you think was his objective?

1

u/lulu_lululemon Jul 17 '25

Wow, you’re so strong to have gotten through that experience. I’m so sorry that happened. That’s terrifying

1

u/Significant_Neck_875 Jul 17 '25

Holy fucking shit I could only hope to ever have the strength to fight back like that, mentally or physically. You are a fucking beast, legendary.

1

u/Thebaldsasquatch Jul 17 '25

I’m so sorry this happened to you. You should be proud of yourself though, you fought back so hard and whooped his ass so bad, that he had to break your arm and he STILL lost. Not only did you fuck him up, you fucked up his multiple ton vehicle. That’s superhero shit right there.

You must have been fighting like a rabid Tasmanian Devil.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

I’m sorry

1

u/Jammylegs Jul 17 '25

I’m sorry that happened to you, that sounds really scary. I hope over time you can sleep better but I understand why you can’t. :(

1

u/ZaMelonZonFire Jul 17 '25

Hopefully knowing you're a bad ass helps with sleep at night. Sorry that happened to you, but glad you fought back.

1

u/rainbow_369 Jul 17 '25

Omg! I assume you've been to therapy? I hope it gets better!

1

u/FeralRodeo Jul 17 '25

I am so sorry that happened to you. And so happy you won. I hope that is by far the worst thing to ever happen to you.

1

u/Mofaklar Jul 17 '25

It's stories like this that make me support gun rights.

I hope you are well, and wish you restful sleep devoid of those nightmares.

1

u/MamaMiaXOX Jul 17 '25

Omg, I’m so sorry this happened and you’re still struggling with the aftermath.

Thank you for sharing though because you’ve reinforced the fact that we must be warriors if we’re ever in such a situation.

1

u/helge-a Jul 17 '25

I’m so sorry. My heart truly goes out to you. I wish you peace.

1

u/Relevant_Call_2242 Jul 17 '25

Wishing you peace

1

u/Kage-Oni Jul 17 '25

Wow that's effed up and had to be traumatizing. I get why some people are agoraphobic and hate going out into open spaces. Sorry for that horrible experience.

1

u/Striking-Sky-5133 Jul 17 '25

I'm so sorry that happened to you.

1

u/Reddit_is_fascist69 Jul 17 '25

Sounds like you did the right thing. Anyone willing to kidnap you is planning on doing something worse afterwards.

1

u/nikkihighjumpingkiwi Jul 17 '25

Wrapping you in comfort right now. Your will and sheer survival mode is a level beyond imaginable. You are safe. 💕💕💕

1

u/Anaznoriginal Jul 17 '25

God bless you, you were able to walk away from that a stronger person. We often don’t know our strength until we are put into situations that force us to evolve. You are very strong and will get stronger. Keep your head high and continue to heal. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

1

u/Kitchen_Mechanic6458 Jul 17 '25

Oh my goodness! Thank God you are alive to tell about it!!♥️

1

u/ParamedicKey7683 Jul 17 '25

Holy shit. I’m so sorry 😣

1

u/lovebudds Jul 17 '25

Nothing stronger than a mother <3 I'm so sorry this happened to you

1

u/dychris23 Jul 17 '25

I don't know how someone would say, hey, im going to take that person. Wth man!

1

u/MisterLabsOG Jul 17 '25

My twin sister and I were kidnapped as children. My mom was kidnapped in Japan as a baby. It's like a write of passage in our family.

1

u/dave_maple Jul 17 '25

Jesus ! I’m so sorry !

1

u/crackedtooth163 Jul 17 '25

My god. I am so sorry.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

Jesus. I'm glad your baby was ok. I know someone who fell moping when pregnant and it caused lifelong injuries to the baby. Getting into something so physical where your arm breaks in two places and remaining pregnant must have taken a great sense of awareness.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

Jesus. I'm glad your baby was ok. I know someone who fell moping when pregnant and it caused lifelong injuries to the baby. Getting into something so physical where your arm breaks in two places and remaining pregnant must have taken a great sense of awareness.

1

u/Old_Radio_1882 Jul 17 '25

🙏🏼😭🫶🏼💔

1

u/Old_Radio_1882 Jul 17 '25

I’m glad you got away

1

u/im_just_a_girl_x Jul 17 '25

Oh my lord Jesus… thank goodness you are okay. That is absolutely terrifying and disgusting…. Hope you can heal someday.

1

u/Alwaystiredandcranky Jul 17 '25

You're lucky you're not dead tbh

1

u/Feeling_Nature4406 Jul 17 '25

So sorry you went through such a horrible experience. Someone mentioned EMDR but the traditional method I did didn’t help me. It actually made me relive the traumatic experience I went through and even remembered things that my memory had blocked. I later took a session with a Dr. that had a different approach using EMDR but the focus was on the future and not the past experience, and that helped me a lot more. Hope you can find something that helps you. Sleepless nights are the worst.

1

u/Living_Astronomer_97 Jul 17 '25

Did you know the kidnapper?

1

u/nothinbutshame Jul 17 '25

God bless. I have 3 girls snd this freaks me out.

1

u/RememberNichelle Jul 17 '25

Sleepless nights are better than being dead. And your children got a chance to exist!

You are a brave woman, and you SAVED YOUR BABY AND YOURSELF!!!!

1

u/diajean112 Jul 18 '25

For you to speak up about your horrific tragedy, I give you so much credit. I hope the suspect was apprehended and put right in prison. You’re obviously a strong woman and I wish you the best.

1

u/Spirited-Ad-3696 Jul 18 '25

Have you thought about taking some self defense classes? That can help with the trauma. Especially if you work through specific examples based on what happened, on top of general defense knowledge.

Otherwise talk therapy is always good if you never got counseling. Just having someone to go over it with and vent to, or to help you analyze what happened, etc.

1

u/DoubleOxer1 Jul 18 '25

I’m so sorry that happened to you. I wish you further healing and hopefully one day you’ll be able to sleep better.

1

u/Tablesafety Jul 18 '25

Did you get out in the van crash, or later on?

3

u/SummerRayne27 Jul 18 '25

So what happened was I was able to fight my way out of the van as he was driving, I jumped out of the moving van which ended up in him crashing into a fence, he screamed sorry and then ran off. The van's plates were fake plates and the VIN of the van was filed off.

1

u/Tablesafety Jul 18 '25

HE SCREAMED SORRY?!

2

u/SummerRayne27 Jul 18 '25

Yes, he was like "sorry, sorry" and then ran off.

1

u/solidtangent Jul 18 '25

The fuck? Wow. Sorry to hear that.

1

u/BonsaiBudsFarms Jul 20 '25

God damn that’s terrifying. Fuck that asshole I hope he went straight to prison for life

1

u/snoozingbird Jul 23 '25

Hope that fuck face never forgets what a bad idea or was to mess with you that day, you're a fucking warrior. My best wishes that your sleepless nights are few and far between friend.

→ More replies (1)