Narrator: ACCORDING TO MUSLIM TRADITION,
NABELA HENRY WAS DESTINED TO MARRY YOUNG.
SO EVEN WHEN HER PARENTS PICKED A MAN NABELA DESPISED,
SHE HONORED THEIR WISHES.
Henry: I WAS JUST CRYING, AND I WAS SCARED.
EVERYTHING WAS JUST WRONG.
Narrator: BUT JUST WHEN NABELA THOUGHT SHE HAD FOUND A WAY OUT,
HER HUSBAND WOULD DO THE UNTHINKABLE.
SAAD WAS PUNISHING HER. HE DIDN'T WANT HER TO BE HAPPY.
Narrator: SAAD'S ACTIONS WOULD SEND NABELA
ON A MISSION OF A LIFETIME.
YOU FEEL THIS GREAT FEAR THAT ANY MOMENT WE COULD BE CAUGHT.
Henry: WE KNEW THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT I WOULD GO TO JAIL,
BUT THAT WAS A RISK I WAS WILLING TO TAKE.
Narrator: WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
GROWING UP, NABELA HENRY
ALWAYS KNEW WHAT HER DESTINY WOULD BE.
MY DAD IS LEBANESE, AND MY MOM IS EGYPTIAN.
THEY'RE BOTH MUSLIMS.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR PARENTS WANT YOU TO FOLLOW
THE ARAB BACKGROUND, THE MUSLIM BACKGROUND.
SO WE ALWAYS KNEW WE WERE GONNA GET MARRIED YOUNG.
Langley: WE WENT TO SCHOOL, CAME BACK,
HELPED OUT WITH THE FAMILY BUSINESS.
BUT THE PRIORITY WAS TO GET US MARRIED AND GET US OUT.
Narrator: BY AUGUST OF 1986,
16-YEAR OLD NABELA
WAS A HIGH-SCHOOL SOPHOMORE LIVING IN MIAMI,
WELL AWARE THAT HER SINGLE DAYS WERE NUMBERED.
Henry: I WAS AT A BIRTHDAY PARTY.
IT WAS SOME ARAB FRIENDS OF MY MOM'S.
AND MY PARENTS ALWAYS TAUGHT US
YOU PICK UP AROUND AND YOU CLEAN UP.
Narrator: SO, WHILE THE PARTY CONTINUED,
NABELA BROUGHT DISHES INTO THE EMPTY KITCHEN
AND QUICKLY REALIZED THAT SHE WASN'T ALONE.
Henry: AS I'M WASHING DISHES,
I COULD FEEL SOMEBODY STARING AT ME.
AND I FINALLY TURNED AROUND TO LOOK,
AND IT WAS THIS GUY, STANDING ON THE SIDE.
AND HE WAS DRINKING, AND HE WAS STARING.
Narrator: THE MAN WAS A 28-YEAR-OLD
LEBANESE COMPUTER ENGINEER NAMED SAAD.
AND WHEN NABELA'S PHONE RANG THE FOLLOWING DAY,
HIS INTENTIONS BECAME CLEAR.
Henry: I REMEMBER MY MOM GETTING A PHONE CALL IN THE KITCHEN.
"OH, THIS NICE GUY. HE'S AN ENGINEER.
HE ASKED, YOU KNOW, THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU,"
AND, YOU KNOW...
I PLEADED WITH MY PARENTS, ESPECIALLY MY MOM,
THAT I DON'T WANT TO MEET HIM.
I WASN'T ATTRACTED TO HIM.
BUT, YOU KNOW,
MY PARENTS THOUGHT THAT HE HAD GOOD POTENTIAL.
BUT I COULDN'T SEE ME FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM.
Narrator: BUT SAAD WASN'T EASILY DETERRED.
AND BEFORE LONG, HE SHOWED UP ON NABELA'S DOORSTEP
WITH THE BIGGEST, REDDEST APPLES THE FAMILY HAD EVER SEEN.
EVERY DAY, HE JUST STARTED COMING OVER MY PARENT'S HOUSE.
AND I USED TO FEEL SO MAD BECAUSE I HATED TO SEE HIM.
I FELT LIKE HE WAS BOTHERING ME EVERY DAY.
HE LIVED AN HOUR AWAY,
AND HE ACTED LIKE HE LIVED AROUND THE CORNER.
Narrator: BY THE SPRING OF 1987, NABELA'S WEDDING DATE WAS SET.
Henry: SAAD NEVER ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM.
IT JUST HAPPENED, YOU KNOW?
I KNOW THAT I COULDN'T GET THROUGH TO HIM.
I DIDN'T GET THROUGH TO MY MOM.
AND I WASN'T GONNA TALK TO MY DAD.
IT WAS LIKE EVERYTHING THAT I DID
DIDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Narrator: THAT AUGUST,
17-YEAR-OLD NABELA WED 29-YEAR-OLD SAAD
IN A WEDDING CEREMONY OUTSIDE OF MIAMI.
OUR WEDDING WAS A BLUR.
I REMEMBER MY MOM TELLING ME TO SMILE,
BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S GONNA THINK SOMETHING'S WRONG.
AND I REMEMBER TALKING TO HER IN MY HEAD,
SAYING, "THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG."
Narrator: IT WAS FAR FROM THE WEDDING OF HER DREAMS,
BUT THE NEW BRIDE HAD NO IDEA OF THE TEARS THAT WERE YET TO COME.
[ WOMAN VOCALIZING ]
FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS,
NABELA WOULD BE DESPERATE TO GET AWAY FROM SAAD,
BUT ONE DAY, THE TABLES WOULD SUDDENLY TURN.
ON HALLOWEEN WEEKEND OF 1993,
SAAD COMPLETELY VANISHED FROM NABELA'S LIFE,
AND SHE WOULD STOP AT NOTHING TO TRACK HIM DOWN.
I WAS REALLY SCARED.
I WAS PANICKED. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
SO I CALLED THE POLICE.
AND THEY JUST SAID THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME.
Narrator: NABELA HENRY WAS ABOUT TO FACE HER WORST NIGHTMARE.
WOULD SHE EVER SEE HER HUSBAND AGAIN?
Henry: I WOULD NEVER HAVE THOUGHT
THAT HE WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE SHE DIDN'T CARE WHAT IT TOOK.
BELA WOULD HAVE RISKED ANYTHING.
Narrator: BY THE FALL OF 1987,
SIX YEARS BEFORE HER HUSBAND WOULD SUDDENLY VANISH,
MARRIED LIFE ALREADY FELT LIKE PRISON
FOR 17-YEAR-OLD NABELA HENRY.
SHE HAD NEVER BEEN ATTRACTED TO SAAD
AND WAS FAR FROM THE DOTING, DOMESTICATED WIFE HE EXPECTED.
WHEN I FIRST GOT MARRIED, I WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL,
SO I DIDN'T GET TO SEE HIM THAT MUCH, WHICH WAS GREAT.
YOU KNOW, I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT BEING A WIFE OR ANYTHING.
Narrator: NABELA SOON FOUND OUT
THAT SHE NEEDED A FEW EXTRA CREDITS TO GRADUATE ON TIME,
SO SHE ENROLLED IN NIGHT SCHOOL AND SAVORED THE TIME AWAY.
BASICALLY, IT'S LIKE HAVING A DOUBLE LIFE.
BECAUSE I DIDN'T WEAR MY RING TO SCHOOL.
I DIDN'T TELL NOBODY I WAS MARRIED.
I EVEN WOULD HANG
WITH ONE OF THE GIRLS THAT I MET AFTER SCHOOL,
AND IT WAS LIKE BEING NORMAL.
Narrator: BUT WHEN SAAD FOUND OUT ABOUT HIS WIFE'S NEW FRIEND,
HE WAS LESS THAN THRILLED.
Henry: ONE NIGHT, I COME HOME,
AND MY PARENTS ARE THERE IN MY HOUSE WITH SAAD,
AND THAT'S WHEN THEY TELL ME
THAT THEY DON'T THINK I SHOULD GO TO SCHOOL NO MORE
AND, "YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE NO SAY-SO IN THE MATTER."
I'M JUST, LIKE, LOOKING AT THEM,
AND THAT WAS THEIR DECISION, AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
Narrator: NABELA DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL,
AND OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, HER PARENTS
KEPT A WATCHFUL EYE ON THEIR DAUGHTER
BY EMPLOYING HER AT THE FAMILY FLEA MARKET.
BY JANUARY OF 1989, IT SEEMED THEIR EFFORT PAID OFF,
AS NABELA AND SAAD
WELCOMED THEIR FIRST CHILD INTO THE WORLD.
Henry: AFTER RAMZY WAS BORN,
THE EXCITEMENT KICKED IN WITH THIS NEW, LITTLE BABY
AND BEING BUSY WITH HIM.
YOU KNOW, IT BROUGHT ME HAPPINESS.
I MEAN, IT WAS EASIER ADJUSTING TO MOTHERHOOD
THAN MARRIAGE, YOU KNOW?
Narrator: LIFE GOT EVEN BUSIER IN JUNE OF 1991
WHEN NABELA DELIVERED A BABY GIRL NAMED NORA.
I JUST FELL SO IN LOVE WITH HER.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW.
I'M GONNA TAKE THESE TWO KIDS, AND I'M GONNA MAKE A LIFE.
Narrator: BY NORA'S FIRST BIRTHDAY,
THE SPARK FOR HER HUSBAND STILL WASN'T THERE.
FINALLY, NABELA TOLD HIM SHE WANTED A SEPARATION.
Henry: I TOLD SAAD, "I'VE BEEN WITH YOU FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS.
"I'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN HAPPY.
"I TRY TO MAKE IT WORK.
"I TRY TO BE HAPPY FOR THE KIDS.
BUT I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE PRETENDING NO MORE."
AND I STILL FELT BAD
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HERE I AM, BREAKING UP A FAMILY.
Narrator: JUST THREE WEEKS LATER,
SAAD LOST HIS JOB
AND WAS FORCED TO TAKE A TEMPORARY POSITION IN COLORADO,
OVER 2,000 MILES AWAY.
HE PLEADED WITH NABELA TO JOIN HIM.
SIX MONTHS LATER, SAAD FLEW HOME
TO FIND THAT NOTHING HAD CHANGED FOR NABELA.
IN JUNE OF 1993,
HE HIRED A LAWYER TO BEGIN DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS,
BUT THERE WAS A CATCH.
Henry: HE SAID HE WANTS FULL CUSTODY AND CHILD SUPPORT.
I TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS AMERICA,
THAT THEY TRY TO BRING A MOTHER AND A CHILD TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, I'M SURE HE KNEW THAT HE WAS NOT GONNA GET THE KIDS.
Narrator: NABELA DECIDED TO SETTLE THE MATTER IN COURT.
IN THE MEANTIME, SHE AND SAAD
SPLIT THEIR TIME WITH THE CHILDREN.
THE KIDS WERE WITH ME MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
BECAUSE RAMZY HAD SCHOOL.
SO, I TOLD SAAD, "FRIDAY NIGHT,
"YOU CAN PICK RAMZY UP FROM SCHOOL AND NORA FROM ME,
AND THEN YOU CAN KEEP THEM UNTIL SUNDAY."
AND, YOU KNOW, SAAD AND I WOULD SPEAK ON THE PHONE
ABOUT WHERE WE WOULD MEET UP FOR HIM TO PICK UP THE KIDS,
BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT HIM TO KNOW WHERE I LIVED.
Narrator: NABELA WAS SURE SHE HAD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.
SAAD, HOWEVER, WAS FAR FROM PLEASED WITH THE ARRANGEMENT,
AND BY HALLOWEEN WEEKEND,
HE HAD ANOTHER PLAN IN STORE FOR NABELA.
WE STARTED TO PANIC. WE CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM.
THE HOUSE PHONE'S NOT WORKING. OH, MY GOD.
Narrator: NABELA WAS ABOUT TO LOSE EVERYTHING.
I WAS JUST HYSTERICAL, CRYING.
I WISH HE WOULD HAVE TRIED TO KILL ME.
AT LEAST I WOULD HAVE HAD A FIGHTING CHANCE.
Narrator: BY HALLOWEEN WEEKEND OF 1993,
NABELA HENRY AND HER HUSBAND, SAAD,
WERE SHARING CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILDREN
AND MOVING FORWARD WITH A DIVORCE.
AFTER SAAD GOT OFF OF WORK,
HE COMES, PICKS UP NORA FROM MY JOB FIRST.
AND THEN HE'LL GO GET RAMZY,
AND THEN HE'LL TAKE THEM FOR THE WEEKEND.
Narrator: BUT THAT FRIDAY,
WHEN SAAD STOPPED BY AROUND 6:00 P.M.,
IT SEEMED THAT SOMETHING ELSE WAS ON HIS MIND.
Henry: HE LOOKS DOWN, AND HE SAYS TO ME,
"ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?"
AND I SAYS TO HIM, "I'M VERY HAPPY.
YOU CAN LEAVE NOW."
AND THE WAY HE STARED AT ME,
I JUST FELT SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.
Narrator: ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31st, AT 5:00 P.M.,
NABELA CALLED SAAD TO ARRANGE A PICKUP LOCATION,
BUT HER CALL WENT UNANSWERED.
Langley: WE CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM.
THE HOUSE PHONE'S NOT WORKING. OH, MY GOD.
WE CALLED EVERYONE...
EVERYBODY THAT HE KNEW AND HER FRIENDS...
AND NOBODY'S SEEN THEM.
BY 7:00, I CALLED THE POLICE.
BY THEN, I WAS JUST HYSTERICAL, CRYING.
YOU KNOW, HE TOOK MY KIDS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, "WHO IS HE?"
AND WHEN I TELL THEM THAT HE'S THE FATHER
AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE NO CUSTODY ORDER IN PLACE YET,
THEY SAID, "THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO. THAT'S THEIR FATHER."
Narrator: NABELA HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO NEXT
UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY
WHEN SHE GOT IN TOUCH WITH SAAD'S BEST FRIEND.
I ASKED HIM, "HAVE YOU HEARD FROM SAAD?"
AND HE SAYS HE HASN'T HEARD FROM HIM,
BUT HE'S RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HIM.
AND IN THE LETTER, HE SAYS
EITHER HE TAKES THE CHILDREN TO LEBANON OR HE KILLS ME.
SO, HE JUST TOOK THE CHILDREN.
I WISH HE WOULD HAVE TRIED TO KILL ME.
AT LEAST I WOULD HAVE HAD A FIGHTING CHANCE.
Narrator: NABELA KNEW THAT GETTING THE CHILDREN BACK FROM LEBANON
WOULD BE NO EASY FEAT.
LEBANON IS NOT PART OF THE HAGUE TREATY.
THEY DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE ANY COURT ORDERS FROM THE U.S.
AND THEY WILL NOT HELP YOU
WITH GETTING BACK THE CHILDREN OR ANY OTHER ISSUE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING, "HOW AM I GONNA GET OVER THERE,
AND HOW AM I GONNA GET MY KIDS?"
Narrator: NABELA CALLED THE U.S. EMBASSY IN LEBANON
BUT WAS TOLD ALL THEY COULD DO
WAS CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE CHILDREN WERE OKAY.
Henry: A WEEK LATER, THEY CONTACTED ME BACK,
AND THEY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, MY KIDS ARE ENROLLED IN A SCHOOL
AND THEY'RE FINE.
AND THEN SAAD CALLED ME.
WE DIDN'T SPEAK ABOUT HIM TAKING THE CHILDREN.
I COULDN'T GET MAD WITH HIM. I COULDN'T SHOW HIM ANGER.
BECAUSE I HAD TO TALK TO MY KIDS.
YOU KNOW, I HAD TO KEEP EVERYTHING NICE.
Narrator: MEANWHILE, NABELA CONTINUED TO CALL U.S. AUTHORITIES
AND WAS ABLE TO TALK TO HER CHILDREN
NEARLY EVERY OTHER WEEK.
BUT AS THE MONTHS DRAGGED ON,
PROGRESS ONLY CAME
IN THE FORM OF A FINALIZED DIVORCE FROM SAAD,
AND SHE WAS GRANTED FULL CUSTODY OF THE KIDS,
SHOULD THEY EVER RETURN.
NABELA WAS RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE.
SOMETIMES YOU LOSE HOPE.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE HOPE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I KEPT MAKING PHONE CALLS
TO ANYBODY THAT WOULD LISTEN.
IT SEEMED LIKE WHATEVER SHE DID, THERE WAS A ROADBLOCK.
WHAT WAS SHE GONNA DO NOW?
Narrator: BY THE WINTER OF 1995,
TWO LONG YEARS AFTER HER CHILDREN WERE TAKEN,
NABELA FINALLY RECEIVED THE BREAK SHE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR
WHEN SHE REACHED OUT TO AN ORGANIZATION
THAT SPECIALIZES IN CASES LIKE HER OWN.
Miller: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LOST CHILDREN
IS A NONPROFIT CHARITY
THAT FINDS AND RESCUES MISSING CHILDREN
AT NO COST TO THE PARENTS.
NABELA CONTACTED ME
ABOUT HER TWO CHILDREN THAT WERE MISSING,
AND I WAS WILLING TO HELP HER AND LOOK INTO IT.
Henry: MARK SAID HE THINKS HE CAN HELP ME. I WAS SO EXCITED.
I MEAN, I WASN'T 100% SURE IF WE CAN GET MY KIDS BACK,
BUT WE WERE WORKING ON SOMETHING.
Narrator: BY THE FOLLOWING AUGUST,
MARK MILLER AND HIS ASSOCIATE, PATRICIA MOORE,
HAD DEVISED A PLAN.
IN LATE OCTOBER, THEY WOULD TRAVEL WITH NABELA TO LEBANON
AND ATTEMPT TO RETRIEVE THE CHILDREN
IN A DANGEROUS COVERT OPERATION.
Moore: FOR US, GOING INTO LEBANON
MEANT THAT WE WERE REALLY PUTTING OUR LIVES IN DANGER.
Henry: WE KNEW WE WERE TAKING A CHANCE ON BEING THERE.
WE KNEW IT WAS RISKY.
AND WE ALSO KNEW THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT I WOULD GO TO JAIL.
BUT THAT WAS A RISK I WAS WILLING TO TAKE.
[ WOMAN VOCALIZING ]
Narrator: ON OCTOBER 27th, THE TRIO ARRIVED IN BEIRUT
AND, EARLY THE NEXT MORNING,
TOOK A CAB TO THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.
WHEN THEY ARRIVED,
NABELA AND PAT RUSHED INTO THE CROWDED SCHOOL YARD
SEARCHING FOR THE CHILDREN.
Henry: I START ASKING THE KIDS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE AROUND 7,
"DO YOU KNOW RAMZY? DO YOU KNOW RAMZY?"
AND MAYBE THE FOURTH OR FIFTH CHILD...
SHE SAYS TO ME, "YEAH. I KNOW HIM. THERE HE GOES."
AND WHEN I LOOK, HE'S LOOKING DOWN INTO HIS BOOKBAG.
SO I WALK UP TO HIM, AND I'M LIKE, "RAMZY."
AND HE LOOKS UP, AND I'M LIKE, "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?"
AND HE GOES, "YEAH... MOMMY."
Moore: SHE JUST GRABS HIS HAND,
AND WE JUST CONTINUE OUR PACE IN OUR WALK.
NABELA PUT RAMSEY IN THE BACK SEAT WITH MARK,
AND AT THIS POINT OUR FEAR LEVEL HAS QUADRUPLED.
WE COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN. WE DON'T KNOW.
BUT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA GO FIND NORA.
Narrator: NABELA'S MISSION TO RETRIEVE THE CHILDREN
WAS FAR FROM OVER,
AND DISASTER COULD BE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
AND I'M LIKE, "PAT, IS SHE COMING? DID SHE SEE US?"
AND SHE'S LIKE, "JUST GO, GO, GO!"
WE'VE GOT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY,
AND I STARTED TO THINK THAT WE MAY NOT MAKE IT BACK.
Narrator: ON OCTOBER 28th, 1996,
NABELA HENRY WAS IN THE MIDST OF A DANGEROUS MISSION
TO RETRIEVE HER CHILDREN FROM LEBANON.
WITH HER SON, RAMZY, SAFELY IN THE TAXI,
NABELA AND PAT MOORE RETURNED TO THE SCHOOL
TO FIND NABELA'S DAUGHTER.
Henry: THE PRINCIPAL JUST HAPPENS TO WALK OUT OF THE SCHOOL.
AND SHE'S LIKE, "HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"
SO, I'M LIKE, "I'M LOOKING FOR MY DAUGHTER
BECAUSE I HAVE TO GIVE HER LUNCH MONEY."
SHE SAYS, "OKAY."
BY THEN, SHE'S IN HER LITTLE OFFICE.
Moore: AT THAT MOMENT, THE PRINCIPAL
HAD TO GET UP AND LEAVE THE BUILDING.
AND WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED,
NABELA DIDN'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL.
SHE GOT UP AND STARTED WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY,
WHERE WE SAW A DOOR OPEN.
Henry: I STEPPED TO THE SIDE,
AND I ASKED THIS THIRD LITTLE CHILD,
"DO YOU KNOW NORA?"
AND SHE TURNS AROUND, AND SHE GOES, "YEAH, THERE SHE GOES."
RIGHT BEHIND HER.
I JUST LOOK. I'M LIKE, "NORA." SHE LOOKS UP. THAT'S MY GIRL.
Moore: NORA LOOKED UP, AND SHE SAID, "MOMMY."
AND SHE HADN'T SEEN MOMMY IN THREE YEARS.
SO, NABELA JUST PICKED HER UP, JUST GRABBED HER.
Henry: PAT IS, LIKE, PUSHING MY BACK... "GO, GO, GO."
AND MY KNEES ARE JUST ABOUT TO GIVE WAY.
YOU FEEL THIS GREAT FEAR THAT SOMEONE IS BEHIND YOU.
SO, BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE CAR,
THERE'S THIS FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT,
BUT YOUR STORY'S NOT DONE YET.
Narrator: KNOWING THAT THEY HAD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY
BEFORE SAAD FOUND OUT,
THE GROUP QUICKLY MADE THEIR WAY TO THE AIRPORT.
MARK AND PAT... THEY KEPT TRYING NOT TO MAKE ME WORRY.
LIKE, THEY KEPT SAYING,
"TALK TO THE KIDS. DON'T LET THEM BE WORRIED."
SO I WOULD TURN AROUND. AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THEM.
AND I KISSED THEM, BUT I'M SO SCARED.
Narrator: AT THE AIRPORT,
MARK AND PAT BOUGHT FIVE TICKETS TO PARIS, FRANCE...
THE ONLY AVAILABLE FLIGHT OUT OF BEIRUT THAT DAY.
THEY TOLD NABELA THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.
WE DECIDED THE BEST THING FOR ALL OF US WAS TO SEPARATE.
Miller: PATRICIA AND I ARE GONNA GO TOGETHER LIKE WE'RE A COUPLE,
AND NABELA AND HER CHILDREN WOULD BE ON A SEPARATE LINE.
Narrator: BUT AS NABELA WENT THROUGH CUSTOMS WITH THE CHILDREN,
EVERYTHING CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT.
Henry: THEY LOOK AT OUR PASSPORTS.
AND HE LOOKS AGAIN, AND THEN HE WAS LIKE,
"WHY AREN'T THE KIDS' PASSPORTS STAMPED?"
"YOU CAME IN LAST NIGHT, RIGHT?" AND THEN I SAYS, "YES."
AND I'M TRYING TO ACT LIKE EVERYTHING IS FINE.
Miller: I ASKED PAT IF SHE COULD WALK AROUND THE CORNER
AND JUST GLANCE DOWN AT THE CHECKPOINT.
AND, SO, THEN SHE COME BACK, AND SHE SAID
THAT NABELA IS STILL THERE TALKING TO THE GUY.
Henry: I'M, LIKE, DYING INSIDE.
YOU KNOW, SCARED, SHAKING.
AND THEY'RE ON THE PHONE, AND I HEAR HIM SAYING,
"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. SHE CAME IN LAST NIGHT."
AND ALL I KNOW IS HE SAYS,
"IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE THE PLANE, YOU BETTER HURRY UP AND RUN."
COME ON. LET'S GO.
Narrator: MOMENTS LATER, ALL FIVE OF THEM
BOARDED THE PLANE BOUND FOR PARIS.
WHEN THE PLANE TOOK OFF, WE CRIED.
AND WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
AND THAT'S WHEN RAMZY ASKS ME, "MOM, WHY ARE YOU CRYING?"
Abdo: SHE SAID THAT SHE'S CRYING BECAUSE SHE'S HAPPY.
THAT'S MY ONE CRYSTAL-CLEAR MEMORY OF THE PLANE.
Narrator: THE FOLLOWING DAY,
WHEN THEY ARRIVED BACK IN THE STATES,
THE GROUP COULDN'T BELIEVE THE CELEBRATION THAT AWAITED THEM.
MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS THERE.
YOU WERE SURROUNDED BY SO MANY PEOPLE
THAT ARE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU,
SO IT WAS DEFINITELY A GOOD FEELING.
Narrator: ON OCTOBER 30th,
ONLY TWO DAYS AFTER SHE LEFT LEBANON WITH THE KIDS,
NABELA RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM SAAD.
HE WAS CRYING,
SAYING HE CAN'T EAT AND HE CAN'T SLEEP.
AND I TOLD HIM, "I KNOW.
"I KNOW YOU CAN'T EAT, I KNOW YOU CAN'T SLEEP,
BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WENT THROUGH."
Narrator: NABELA FEARED THAT SAAD MIGHT RETURN FOR THE CHILDREN,
SO SHE KEPT HER EYES ON THEM AT ALL TIMES.
Abdo: SHE WAS SCARED. SHE WAS UNNERVED.
SHE WASN'T SURE WHAT COULD HAPPEN.
SO WE WERE LOVED AND SMOTHERED.
BUT WE WEREN'T COMPLAINING BECAUSE WE WANTED THAT, TOO.
Narrator: TODAY, NABELA HENRY IS HAPPILY REMARRIED
AND NOW THE MOTHER OF FOUR.
Henry: I MET MY HUSBAND, MICHAEL, AT WORK,
AND HE WAS JUST A NICE GUY.
AND RAMZY AND NORA HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT FOR MICHAEL.
THAT'S THEIR DAD.
Narrator: NOW IN THEIR 20s AND BOTH ENROLLED IN COLLEGE,
RAMZY AND NORA ARE HAPPY, HEALTHY,
AND STILL THE LIGHT OF THEIR MOTHER'S EYE.
THEY'RE VERY CLOSE, AND I'M VERY CLOSE TO THEM,
AND I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR THEM.
THEY KNOW THAT. THERE'S NOTHING I WOULDN'T DO.
MY MOM IS DEFINITELY ME AND MY SISTER'S HERO.
YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT SHE DID FOR US,
WE CAN NEVER REPAY HER.
Narrator: EVEN THOUGH SAAD NEVER RETURNED FOR THE CHILDREN,
THE HURT STILL LINGERS.
BUT NABELA IS SURE OF ONE THING...
CUSTOMS OF THE PAST HAVE NO PLACE IN HER FUTURE.
I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD CHOOSE WHO THEY WANT TO IN LIFE,
DESPITE RACE, RELIGION, ANYTHING.
ONLY YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN CLICK WITH.
AND I JUST FEEL GLAD I GOT TO PICK MY OWN.