JCC 10 years later: surviving a home invasion

So because if the PSA thread I mentioned Rescue 911, a show about emergencies. I watched some clips while on my break and it got me remembering. I thought about posting this in my weekly column thread but after thinking about it I guess it would make sense to be it's own thread. I am going to make a video on this marking the anniversary closer to the date but while I'm thinking of the subject I want to talk about it.

October 27, 2019. That will mark 1 day after my 28th birthday. It will also mark 10 tears since the day I was robbed at gunpoint in my own home. Now after it happened I did post what happened here, so some of the people here may recall. But either way this is what happened.

It was the day after I turned 18. A Tuesday. I was home getting ready to go to school. I was watching TV. I don't remember what. My parents were asleep in their room.

Suddenly the front door opened all quiet like. At first I thought my dad was out and was coming back in or something. I mean, we always kept the door locked. Always. For some reason it wasn't.

But it wasn't my dad or mom. A man entered. About my height, looked to be late 30s to mid 40s. Wearing like windbreaker jogging clothes, and Cincinnati Reds hat which I remember the most next to one other detail. Now I knew to take as much info in as I could from my dad working security and watching all the police shows growing up. The other detail that stuck out: the gun. He pointed it at me as he entered. What type? I don't know but the bullet chamber was milkish white. That's the other big detail I remember.

I stood up, hands raised. He demanded money, talking in a whisper the whole time. Now, we were going through financial trouble, guess you could call us poor. So I knew we didn't have any in house. Except my birthday money.

So I took him to my room and gave it to him. $40. That's it. All we had. I know because I took him to the office to look at the secret place we kept stuff and nothing was there either. Only the forty I had.

He kept whispering he was at the wrong house to himself. No clue for who or what. So I said if my dad woke up to find him he'd be in trouble which he retorted that he has the gun which I kinda laughed at. But then he said he'd leave and he told me to count to a number, I don't recall what, 15 maybe? He closed the office door as I counted and left.

That was the scariest moment. Because he could of shot through the door, go after my parents etc. I mean if he wanted me to take him to my parents room I would of tried fighting him, I remember thinking all the ways I could do it. But that moment counting in the office was when all the nerves and fear kicked in.

After counting I woke my parents, told them what happened. They called the police who showed up and I gave my testimony to. Even though my mom tried pulling up a list of guys to try to see who it would be, I couldn't pick him out. No way I could. And don't know if he was ever caught.

The neighborhood I lived in being a trailer park was predominantly black and hispanic, so I guess he wasn't expecting to pick one of the only white people in the neighborhood? I don't know. An assumption. But crime stuff was getting worse. A man got murdered even. So we left the next summer.

Now as far as any lingering issues with it, I had two times. Once in school, a couple months later during midterms. I was standing outside class waiting for it to start. A girl I was friends with (and sweet on) was talking to a guy. She grabbed his hat and put it on. It was a Cincinnati Reds cap. For some reason I couldn't move. I was stagnating and just transfixed on the hat. I asked her to come over and take it off. She did, but I dont believe I ever told her why. I should of. I felt antsy the rest of the day.

Second time was about 5 years later I was going to make a video talking about it all. But I couldn't finish it. When I realized what could of happened to my parents I was kinda out of it. Despite all my thoughts I could do, the reality of I could do nothing ate at me. Nothing. Nothing I could do if something happened. So I never finished the video, and I deleted it.

Now almost 10 years later. I'm still here at the cost of $40. I'm thankful to be alive and seeing what will happen once I get into the military. I look forward on my new phase of life.

I know many people are not as fortunate in their stories facing similar situations. Mine turned out well. I'm fortunate and blessed about it.

If I ever say met the guy, the only thing I could say to him is I forgive him. That's what I have. Just forgiveness.

I don't know if anyone else has gone through this, but please seek help where you may. You can handle it with help, and know you aren't alone in your experiences. Others have the same.

You are not alone.