Divinia Hall

Tyler was shaking and crying. He was very, very upset. He had a gun pointed at his side the entire time we were there. I just kept trying to hold his hand, tell him that I love him. I mean, I tried to tell him it's gonna be okay, but how do you tell somebody it's gonna be okay when they have a gun in their side?

Tyler was shaking and crying. He was very, very upset. He had a gun pointed at his side the entire time we were there. I just kept trying to hold his hand, tell him that I love him. I mean, I tried to tell him it's gonna be okay, but how do you tell somebody it's gonna be okay when they have a gun in their side?

We got to the top of the mountain and they stopped again.

We got to the top of the mountain and they stopped again.

These men pulled my dad and I out of the driver's side and my dad instantly just wrapped his arms around me and he hugged me and he told me he was sorry and that he loved me. And they pulled my mom and my brother out of the passenger's side.

These men pulled my dad and I out of the driver's side and my dad instantly just wrapped his arms around me and he hugged me and he told me he was sorry and that he loved me. And they pulled my mom and my brother out of the passenger's side.

Because of how big my dad's truck was, we couldn't see my mom and my brother. So we rounded the back of the truck, and my brother was laying face down, and so was my mom. And both of their bodies were covered with a sleeping bag. And right then and there, I thought they were dead.

Because of how big my dad's truck was, we couldn't see my mom and my brother. So we rounded the back of the truck, and my brother was laying face down, and so was my mom. And both of their bodies were covered with a sleeping bag. And right then and there, I thought they were dead.

They forced my dad and I down on the ground with my mom and my brother.

They forced my dad and I down on the ground with my mom and my brother.

I could hear my brother crying and I could feel him shaking. We all just laid there and they threw a pillow on the back of my dad and I's head. At that point, I really thought this was it, execution style, to the back of the head, all of us laying here. We were going to die. I told my brother that I loved him. I told my mom and dad that I loved them. It was kind of like, just wait for it.

I could hear my brother crying and I could feel him shaking. We all just laid there and they threw a pillow on the back of my dad and I's head. At that point, I really thought this was it, execution style, to the back of the head, all of us laying here. We were going to die. I told my brother that I loved him. I told my mom and dad that I loved them. It was kind of like, just wait for it.

You know, is this gonna hurt? Am I gonna know what just happened? But it never came.

You know, is this gonna hurt? Am I gonna know what just happened? But it never came.

And we laid there and the truck drove away. And we laid there. And they were gone. They were just gone. And after probably 10 minutes of laying there, my dad got brave enough to stick his head up and look around and realized there was nobody around.

And we laid there and the truck drove away. And we laid there. And they were gone. They were just gone. And after probably 10 minutes of laying there, my dad got brave enough to stick his head up and look around and realized there was nobody around.

Our first reaction was to get up, get out, get away. My mom wanted to find a place to stay until daylight so we could see what we were doing, where we were going. And everybody else felt, no, we need to get out of this situation. What if they come back?

Our first reaction was to get up, get out, get away. My mom wanted to find a place to stay until daylight so we could see what we were doing, where we were going. And everybody else felt, no, we need to get out of this situation. What if they come back?

We were all in shorts because we had just come from Cabo where it was 90 degrees out. Being the middle of November, in the middle of the night, it was about 48 degrees, I believe.

We were all in shorts because we had just come from Cabo where it was 90 degrees out. Being the middle of November, in the middle of the night, it was about 48 degrees, I believe.

We probably walked down the mountain for 45 minutes to an hour. We saw a light, a very faint light in the distance. And it was a trailer, and we could hear dogs barking.

We probably walked down the mountain for 45 minutes to an hour. We saw a light, a very faint light in the distance. And it was a trailer, and we could hear dogs barking.

And so my mom started yelling, help. Somebody came out and fired two rounds in our direction. Now we're getting shot at.

And so my mom started yelling, help. Somebody came out and fired two rounds in our direction. Now we're getting shot at.

We'd been pulled over by police before. It's never really been a big deal. So he pulled over.

We'd been pulled over by police before. It's never really been a big deal. So he pulled over.

We ducked and hit the ground just trying to get as low as possible to get out of any potential line of fire.

We ducked and hit the ground just trying to get as low as possible to get out of any potential line of fire.

If you don't prepare yourself for the worst, you know, how are you going to get through it when it comes? You're not necessarily always safe when you think you are. In 2001, my freshman year of high school, there was a school shooting.

If you don't prepare yourself for the worst, you know, how are you going to get through it when it comes? You're not necessarily always safe when you think you are. In 2001, my freshman year of high school, there was a school shooting.

I walked into class and I instantly started hearing popping noises.

I walked into class and I instantly started hearing popping noises.

I happened to be in a cooking class. You could hear screaming and just chaos.

I happened to be in a cooking class. You could hear screaming and just chaos.

People were running into the classroom saying, he's got a gun. There's somebody with a gun. The next hallway over from where I was, another freshman was coming out of the bathroom, just shooting. No real target, just shooting. The SWAT team came into the classroom. It was a team of three or four men. They had us one by one go out of the classroom.

People were running into the classroom saying, he's got a gun. There's somebody with a gun. The next hallway over from where I was, another freshman was coming out of the bathroom, just shooting. No real target, just shooting. The SWAT team came into the classroom. It was a team of three or four men. They had us one by one go out of the classroom.

The shooter was Andy Williams. He was a fellow freshman. It was a kid that said he was bullied.

The shooter was Andy Williams. He was a fellow freshman. It was a kid that said he was bullied.

She was really scared. It was instant crying and hugging and just so happy to see them. I mean, he took two lives, and he permanently mentally wounded a lot of people.

She was really scared. It was instant crying and hugging and just so happy to see them. I mean, he took two lives, and he permanently mentally wounded a lot of people.

I think the school shooting forced me to grow up a lot faster than most teenagers grow up.

I think the school shooting forced me to grow up a lot faster than most teenagers grow up.

I'm in flip-flops. My mom's in flip-flops. Everybody's in sandals. It's very slippery. My legs were getting cut up by the brush, and we kept falling.

I'm in flip-flops. My mom's in flip-flops. Everybody's in sandals. It's very slippery. My legs were getting cut up by the brush, and we kept falling.

And my mom told the woman, if you don't hear from us in a few hours, please call my dad, so my grandpa. And the woman said, you'll be fine. They're going to take you home. These police are going to take you home. And she wrote down their names, their truck number, their license plate number, every detail about them.

And my mom told the woman, if you don't hear from us in a few hours, please call my dad, so my grandpa. And the woman said, you'll be fine. They're going to take you home. These police are going to take you home. And she wrote down their names, their truck number, their license plate number, every detail about them.

And when they were driving us to the border, they were going away that I've never been to the border. And I think that made my mom and I both very nervous. The officer that was driving, he shook his head and he looked down and said, you need to go home. It's not safe for you in here.

And when they were driving us to the border, they were going away that I've never been to the border. And I think that made my mom and I both very nervous. The officer that was driving, he shook his head and he looked down and said, you need to go home. It's not safe for you in here.

So at that point, there was nowhere we could go. They really trapped us in.

So at that point, there was nowhere we could go. They really trapped us in.

And so they rushed us up to the border and they got out of the car and both of the officers hugged my entire family and we thanked them as much as we could. And they said, go.

And so they rushed us up to the border and they got out of the car and both of the officers hugged my entire family and we thanked them as much as we could. And they said, go.

And that was the extent of the police report they could take.

And that was the extent of the police report they could take.

And we called my cousin, and we called him collect, and he came to pick us up.

And we called my cousin, and we called him collect, and he came to pick us up.

There were eight to 10 gunmen. There's men surrounding our truck.

There were eight to 10 gunmen. There's men surrounding our truck.

At the time we were under the impression they were police because they pulled us over like they were police and they were very well organized, but truly we didn't know.

At the time we were under the impression they were police because they pulled us over like they were police and they were very well organized, but truly we didn't know.

At the time, I had no idea who they were, and I still don't know who these people are.

At the time, I had no idea who they were, and I still don't know who these people are.

I never felt it was over until I was home, in my own home.

I never felt it was over until I was home, in my own home.

Once we did get home, as a family, we went to go see a therapist.

Once we did get home, as a family, we went to go see a therapist.

I'd sleep maybe an hour to a night. Pretty much ran on energy drinks.

I'd sleep maybe an hour to a night. Pretty much ran on energy drinks.

Tyler wanted nothing to do with seeing a therapist, didn't like it.

Tyler wanted nothing to do with seeing a therapist, didn't like it.

Tyler hates to discuss anything that happened down in Mexico.

Tyler hates to discuss anything that happened down in Mexico.

The therapist and my parents both felt that I should go see a therapist on my own based off the fact that this is not my first traumatic experience.

The therapist and my parents both felt that I should go see a therapist on my own based off the fact that this is not my first traumatic experience.

I know exactly what I was wearing, and it's been eight years. And that sticks in my head every day. I think with any traumatic event, your personality changes. I don't know whether mine was for the good or for the worse.

I know exactly what I was wearing, and it's been eight years. And that sticks in my head every day. I think with any traumatic event, your personality changes. I don't know whether mine was for the good or for the worse.

They all had guns with silencers on them. They told us to put our heads down and shut up. I remember my brother saying, oh God no, please no. After being told for I don't know how many times that you're gonna die, there's not a lot of other options to think.

They all had guns with silencers on them. They told us to put our heads down and shut up. I remember my brother saying, oh God no, please no. After being told for I don't know how many times that you're gonna die, there's not a lot of other options to think.

Our experience has brought us together.

Our experience has brought us together.

My parents being younger parents are a lot of fun.

My parents being younger parents are a lot of fun.

And we had a lot of fun. I don't think there's anything that's going to take the place of Mexico just because it's such a different world down there.

And we had a lot of fun. I don't think there's anything that's going to take the place of Mexico just because it's such a different world down there.

There were so many times that were good that completely outweigh the bad.

There were so many times that were good that completely outweigh the bad.

It's just going to have to be something that was once upon a time for us.

It's just going to have to be something that was once upon a time for us.

When all this was happening, a guy climbed into the truck on my brother's side.

When all this was happening, a guy climbed into the truck on my brother's side.

And another man jumped in the driver's seat.

And another man jumped in the driver's seat.

He's very adventurous. Ever since my dad would take him, he would jump in a car. and help out where he could with changing tires or handing a driver a water bottle. Anything he could do to spend the day in the dirt.

He's very adventurous. Ever since my dad would take him, he would jump in a car. and help out where he could with changing tires or handing a driver a water bottle. Anything he could do to spend the day in the dirt.

We got up really early in the morning to drive home. At first we were caravanning on the way home and those caravans get a little broken up.

We got up really early in the morning to drive home. At first we were caravanning on the way home and those caravans get a little broken up.

My dad said, please take it all. Leave us here. Just whatever you want, take it. Leave us here. And the guy took his gun and put it to my dad's forehead and said, shut up. I was so afraid that I was gonna watch my dad get shot right there in front of me six inches from where I was standing.

My dad said, please take it all. Leave us here. Just whatever you want, take it. Leave us here. And the guy took his gun and put it to my dad's forehead and said, shut up. I was so afraid that I was gonna watch my dad get shot right there in front of me six inches from where I was standing.

They said they were gonna shoot us, that we were gonna die.

They said they were gonna shoot us, that we were gonna die.

When I was a kid, I had a strange fear of being kidnapped. That always scared me. It always freaked me out that there might be somebody that wanted to take me and I'd never see my family again. We were headed home from a family vacation in Mexico. Family trips to Mexico have always been wonderful, and we've been going for as long as I can remember.

When I was a kid, I had a strange fear of being kidnapped. That always scared me. It always freaked me out that there might be somebody that wanted to take me and I'd never see my family again. We were headed home from a family vacation in Mexico. Family trips to Mexico have always been wonderful, and we've been going for as long as I can remember.

They drove us onto a dirt road up into the mountains above Tijuana. I don't know exactly where I was because they made us keep our heads down and they stopped.

They drove us onto a dirt road up into the mountains above Tijuana. I don't know exactly where I was because they made us keep our heads down and they stopped.

Where's all the money? My dad told them, I'm just a truck driver. There's no race car. I'm just a truck driver. I think these people wanted money. I think they thought we were somebody who we weren't.

Where's all the money? My dad told them, I'm just a truck driver. There's no race car. I'm just a truck driver. I think these people wanted money. I think they thought we were somebody who we weren't.

They dug for money and cell phones.

They dug for money and cell phones.

I remember them rubbing down my legs to check my pockets and my pants. I remember somebody grabbing at my neck, looking for any jewelry.

I remember them rubbing down my legs to check my pockets and my pants. I remember somebody grabbing at my neck, looking for any jewelry.

It was creepy. I didn't want them near me. I know my dad didn't like the fact that they were running, you know, grabbing at my legs and my neck and stuff, trying to look for things. And I couldn't imagine having to watch his daughter have that happen.

It was creepy. I didn't want them near me. I know my dad didn't like the fact that they were running, you know, grabbing at my legs and my neck and stuff, trying to look for things. And I couldn't imagine having to watch his daughter have that happen.

My mom kept asking these guys to please just leave my babies here and take what they want, just leave the kids alone. And they were mocking her. She would say, please just leave my babies here. And they would be like, oh, please, please just leave my babies here. It was cruel.

My mom kept asking these guys to please just leave my babies here and take what they want, just leave the kids alone. And they were mocking her. She would say, please just leave my babies here. And they would be like, oh, please, please just leave my babies here. It was cruel.

Tyler was shaking and crying. He was very, very upset. He had a gun pointed at his side the entire time we were there. I just kept trying to hold his hand, tell him that I love him. I mean, I tried to tell him it's gonna be okay, but how do you tell somebody it's gonna be okay when they have a gun in their side?

We got to the top of the mountain and they stopped again.

These men pulled my dad and I out of the driver's side and my dad instantly just wrapped his arms around me and he hugged me and he told me he was sorry and that he loved me. And they pulled my mom and my brother out of the passenger's side.

Because of how big my dad's truck was, we couldn't see my mom and my brother. So we rounded the back of the truck, and my brother was laying face down, and so was my mom. And both of their bodies were covered with a sleeping bag. And right then and there, I thought they were dead.

They forced my dad and I down on the ground with my mom and my brother.

I could hear my brother crying and I could feel him shaking. We all just laid there and they threw a pillow on the back of my dad and I's head. At that point, I really thought this was it, execution style, to the back of the head, all of us laying here. We were going to die. I told my brother that I loved him. I told my mom and dad that I loved them. It was kind of like, just wait for it.

You know, is this gonna hurt? Am I gonna know what just happened? But it never came.

And we laid there and the truck drove away. And we laid there. And they were gone. They were just gone. And after probably 10 minutes of laying there, my dad got brave enough to stick his head up and look around and realized there was nobody around.

Our first reaction was to get up, get out, get away. My mom wanted to find a place to stay until daylight so we could see what we were doing, where we were going. And everybody else felt, no, we need to get out of this situation. What if they come back?

We were all in shorts because we had just come from Cabo where it was 90 degrees out. Being the middle of November, in the middle of the night, it was about 48 degrees, I believe.

We probably walked down the mountain for 45 minutes to an hour. We saw a light, a very faint light in the distance. And it was a trailer, and we could hear dogs barking.

And so my mom started yelling, help. Somebody came out and fired two rounds in our direction. Now we're getting shot at.

We'd been pulled over by police before. It's never really been a big deal. So he pulled over.

We ducked and hit the ground just trying to get as low as possible to get out of any potential line of fire.

If you don't prepare yourself for the worst, you know, how are you going to get through it when it comes? You're not necessarily always safe when you think you are. In 2001, my freshman year of high school, there was a school shooting.

I walked into class and I instantly started hearing popping noises.

I happened to be in a cooking class. You could hear screaming and just chaos.

People were running into the classroom saying, he's got a gun. There's somebody with a gun. The next hallway over from where I was, another freshman was coming out of the bathroom, just shooting. No real target, just shooting. The SWAT team came into the classroom. It was a team of three or four men. They had us one by one go out of the classroom.

The shooter was Andy Williams. He was a fellow freshman. It was a kid that said he was bullied.

She was really scared. It was instant crying and hugging and just so happy to see them. I mean, he took two lives, and he permanently mentally wounded a lot of people.

I think the school shooting forced me to grow up a lot faster than most teenagers grow up.

I'm in flip-flops. My mom's in flip-flops. Everybody's in sandals. It's very slippery. My legs were getting cut up by the brush, and we kept falling.

And my mom told the woman, if you don't hear from us in a few hours, please call my dad, so my grandpa. And the woman said, you'll be fine. They're going to take you home. These police are going to take you home. And she wrote down their names, their truck number, their license plate number, every detail about them.

And when they were driving us to the border, they were going away that I've never been to the border. And I think that made my mom and I both very nervous. The officer that was driving, he shook his head and he looked down and said, you need to go home. It's not safe for you in here.

So at that point, there was nowhere we could go. They really trapped us in.

And so they rushed us up to the border and they got out of the car and both of the officers hugged my entire family and we thanked them as much as we could. And they said, go.

And that was the extent of the police report they could take.

And we called my cousin, and we called him collect, and he came to pick us up.

There were eight to 10 gunmen. There's men surrounding our truck.

At the time we were under the impression they were police because they pulled us over like they were police and they were very well organized, but truly we didn't know.

At the time, I had no idea who they were, and I still don't know who these people are.

I never felt it was over until I was home, in my own home.

Once we did get home, as a family, we went to go see a therapist.

I'd sleep maybe an hour to a night. Pretty much ran on energy drinks.

Tyler wanted nothing to do with seeing a therapist, didn't like it.

Tyler hates to discuss anything that happened down in Mexico.

The therapist and my parents both felt that I should go see a therapist on my own based off the fact that this is not my first traumatic experience.

I know exactly what I was wearing, and it's been eight years. And that sticks in my head every day. I think with any traumatic event, your personality changes. I don't know whether mine was for the good or for the worse.

They all had guns with silencers on them. They told us to put our heads down and shut up. I remember my brother saying, oh God no, please no. After being told for I don't know how many times that you're gonna die, there's not a lot of other options to think.

Our experience has brought us together.

My parents being younger parents are a lot of fun.

And we had a lot of fun. I don't think there's anything that's going to take the place of Mexico just because it's such a different world down there.

There were so many times that were good that completely outweigh the bad.

It's just going to have to be something that was once upon a time for us.

When all this was happening, a guy climbed into the truck on my brother's side.

And another man jumped in the driver's seat.

He's very adventurous. Ever since my dad would take him, he would jump in a car. and help out where he could with changing tires or handing a driver a water bottle. Anything he could do to spend the day in the dirt.

We got up really early in the morning to drive home. At first we were caravanning on the way home and those caravans get a little broken up.

My dad said, please take it all. Leave us here. Just whatever you want, take it. Leave us here. And the guy took his gun and put it to my dad's forehead and said, shut up. I was so afraid that I was gonna watch my dad get shot right there in front of me six inches from where I was standing.

They said they were gonna shoot us, that we were gonna die.

When I was a kid, I had a strange fear of being kidnapped. That always scared me. It always freaked me out that there might be somebody that wanted to take me and I'd never see my family again. We were headed home from a family vacation in Mexico. Family trips to Mexico have always been wonderful, and we've been going for as long as I can remember.

They drove us onto a dirt road up into the mountains above Tijuana. I don't know exactly where I was because they made us keep our heads down and they stopped.

Where's all the money? My dad told them, I'm just a truck driver. There's no race car. I'm just a truck driver. I think these people wanted money. I think they thought we were somebody who we weren't.

They dug for money and cell phones.

I remember them rubbing down my legs to check my pockets and my pants. I remember somebody grabbing at my neck, looking for any jewelry.

It was creepy. I didn't want them near me. I know my dad didn't like the fact that they were running, you know, grabbing at my legs and my neck and stuff, trying to look for things. And I couldn't imagine having to watch his daughter have that happen.

My mom kept asking these guys to please just leave my babies here and take what they want, just leave the kids alone. And they were mocking her. She would say, please just leave my babies here. And they would be like, oh, please, please just leave my babies here. It was cruel.