All language subtitles for Disappeared.S04E08.WEBRip.x264-ION10

Narrator:
AMBER GERWECK DISAPPEARED

ON SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2011.

WHEN A PERSON DISAPPEARS
WITHOUT A TRACE,

OFTEN, THE MOST CRITICAL
INFORMATION

IS HIDDEN
IN THEIR ACTIONS AND WORDS

FROM THE DAYS
BEFORE THEY VANISHED.

AMBER GERWECK'S
LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS

MAY HOLD THE CLUES
TO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

MOTHER OF FOUR AMBER GERWECK

VANISHES SUDDENLY FROM
HER JACKSON, MICHIGAN, HOME.

MY HEART
JUST WENT INTO MY THROAT.

Narrator: CLUES FOUND
HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY

PAINT A FRIGHTENING PICTURE.

I SAW THE VIDEO, AND I JUST
LITERALLY COULD NOT BREATHE.

Narrator:
THEN OLD WOUNDS

THREATEN TO TEAR
AMBER'S FAMILY APART.

I HAD BEEN THROUGH THIS
ONCE BEFORE,

WHEN MY BROTHER DISAPPEARED.

WITH HIM, THEY FOUND A BODY.

HOW COULD WE AS A FAMILY
ENDURE A DISAPPEARANCE AGAIN?

Narrator:
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

STUNS EVEN
THE MOST HARDENED COPS.

EVERY NOW AND THEN, NO MATTER
HOW MANY CASES YOU'VE DONE,

SOMEBODY WILL THROW A CURVE BALL
AT YOU FROM LEFT FIELD.

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator:
IT'S A CRISP SPRING MORNING

IN JACKSON, MICHIGAN,

A SMALL CITY IN THE MIDWESTERN
HUB OF THE RUST BELT.

HOMEMAKER DIANE SPICE
LIVES FIVE MILES NORTH

IN THE SLEEPY SUBURB
OF BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP.

IT WAS A NORMAL, REGULAR DAY,
AND THE PHONE RANG AT...EARLY.

IT WAS LIKE 7:50.

[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]

Narrator: THE CALL IS ABOUT
DIANE'S NIECE AMBER.

IT WAS AMBER'S BOSS, TELLING ME

THAT SHE HAD NOT BEEN TO WORK
FOR TWO DAYS.

Narrator:
32-YEAR-OLD AMBER GERWECK

WORKS AS
AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

AT A LOCAL CONSULTING FIRM.

AMBER WORKED FOR A COMPANY

THAT CONTRACTED
WITH HOMELAND SECURITY.

SHE ENJOYED HER JOB.

SHE HAD JUST GOTTEN A PROMOTION
AND WAS REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

Dale:
SHE WAS REALLY EXCITED.

SHE WAS GOING
FROM WORKING IN A CUBICLE

TO HAVING AN OFFICE OF HER OWN.

Narrator: BUT IT ISN'T JUST WORK
THAT KEEPS AMBER BUSY.

SHE WAS TAKING
A MEDICAL-ADMINISTRATION COURSE

PART-TIME AT SCHOOL,

WORKING FULL-TIME.

SHE WAS MAINTAINING
A 4.0 AVERAGE

WHILE TAKING CARE OF A FAMILY.

Jackie:
AMBER HAS FOUR CHILDREN.

SHE AND HER EX-HUSBAND
SHARE CUSTODY.

AMBER WAS
AT A GOOD PLACE IN HER LIFE.

Narrator: TO DIANE, HER NIECE'S
SUDDEN ABSENCE FROM WORK

SEEMS OUT OF CHARACTER.

Spice: FOR HER NOT TO SHOW UP
FOR TWO DAYS WITHOUT CALLING IN

WAS VERY UNUSUAL, SO I THOUGHT,
"WELL, MAYBE SHE'S SICK."

Narrator: AMBER HAS RECENTLY
MOVED TO A ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT

A FEW MINUTES
FROM HER AUNT DIANE'S HOME.

DIANE DECIDES
TO CHECK IN ON HER.

[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]

BUT SHE'S GREETED
BY NOTHING BUT A COLD SILENCE.

I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR
PRETTY LOUDLY.

AS LOUD AS I COULD.

I POUNDED ON IT
FOR A FEW MINUTES.

AND I LISTENED IN TO SEE
IF I COULD HEAR ANY SOUNDS.

BUT THERE WAS NOTHING.

Narrator: MINUTES LATER,
DIANE BREAKS THE TROUBLING NEWS

TO AMBER'S MOTHER, JACKIE SEGER.

SHE ASKED IF WE HAD HEARD
ANYTHING FROM AMBER RECENTLY,

AND I SAID, "WELL,
WE TALKED TO HER SATURDAY."

Narrator:
JACKIE AND HER HUSBAND, DALE,

SPEAK WITH THEIR DAUGHTER
REGULARLY.

AMBER LIVES IN MICHIGAN,
AND I LIVE IN GEORGIA,

AND THAT'S A LONG WAYS AWAY,

SO IN ORDER TO STAY IN TOUCH,

AMBER AND I TALK TO ONE ANOTHER
ON THE PHONE.

Narrator:
ON APRIL 9th, TWO DAYS EARLIER,

AMBER WAS
HER USUAL TALKATIVE SELF.

Jackie:
SHE SAID THAT THE KIDS

WERE WITH THEIR FATHER
THAT WEEKEND

AND THAT SHE WAS GONNA STUDY
FOR THE DAY.

Narrator: BUT AMBER NEVER
MENTIONED PLANS TO MISS WORK.

IMMEDIATELY CONCERNED, JACKIE
TRIES HER DAUGHTER'S CELLPHONE.

THERE WAS NO ANSWER WHATSOEVER.

IT JUST
WOULD GO TO HER VOICEMAIL.

WELL, WE DECIDED AT THAT POINT,

THERE NEEDED TO BE
A MISSING-PERSONS REPORT FILED.

Narrator:
DIANE FILES A REPORT

WITH THE BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

WELL, THE NEXT STEP WAS,
OF COURSE,

GOING TO HER APARTMENT
AND SEARCHING.

WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO CHECK AND MAKE SURE

THAT SHE WASN'T
PHYSICALLY INJURED

AND LAYING IN THE APARTMENT,
OR WORSE.

Narrator:
WITHIN THE HOUR,

PATROL OFFICERS ARRIVE
AT AMBER'S APARTMENT.

BUT AMBER
IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.

Spice: THE POLICE HAD
CRIME-SCENE-INVESTIGATIVE PEOPLE

THERE SEARCHING THE APARTMENT.

THEY HAD CALLED THE DETECTIVES
AT THAT POINT.

Narrator:
LEADING THE INVESTIGATION

IS VETERAN DETECTIVE
ROBERT SCHROCK.

Schrock: AS WE ENTERED,

WE MADE CONTACT WITH THE PATROL
OFFICERS THAT WERE ON-SCENE.

Narrator: AT FIRST GLANCE,

NOTHING APPEARS
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

THERE WAS NO SIGN OF, LIKE,
A STRUGGLE OR ALTERCATION.

THE APARTMENT
WASN'T IN ANY TYPE OF DISARRAY.

THERE WAS FOOD IN THE FRIDGE.

SHE ALSO DIDN'T APPEAR
TO HAVE PACKED ANY CLOTHES --

ALL INDICATORS THAT SHE PROBABLY
WASN'T GOING SOMEWHERE FOR LONG.

Narrator: BUT THEN ONE ITEM
SUDDENLY CATCHES HIS ATTENTION.

Schrock: AMBER'S PURSE
WAS SITTING BY THE DOOR.

MISSING FROM THE PURSE WAS
HER WALLET, KEYS TO THE VEHICLE,

AND THE VEHICLE
WAS NOT AT THE APARTMENT.

Narrator: THE EVIDENCE
FOUND IN THE APARTMENT

LEADS POLICE TO BELIEVE
THAT AMBER HAD LEFT WILLINGLY...

...UNTIL DETECTIVE SCHROCK

REACHES THE BEDROOM
AT THE END OF THE HALL.

Schrock:
AS I WALKED INTO THE BEDROOM,

I LOCATED A CELLPHONE
SITTING ON THE BED.

AND THE CELLPHONE WAS STILL ON.

[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]

Narrator: A LAPTOP
AND VARIOUS SCHOOL BOOKS

ARE ALSO STREWN ACROSS THE BED.

SO, IT LOOKED LIKE SHE HAD JUST
GOT UP AND TOOK OFF.

Narrator: THE OBJECTS
LEFT BEHIND IN THE BEDROOM

RAISE A NEW LEVEL OF CONCERN.

IT MADE IT MORE SUSPICIOUS

BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE
WON'T LEAVE THEIR CELLPHONE.

Spice:
WE WERE COMPLETELY MYSTIFIED.

WE DID NOT KNOW
WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED HER

TO LEAVE THE APARTMENT
WITHOUT HER CELLPHONE

BECAUSE IT WAS ATTACHED TO HER

LIKE, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS PART OF HER SKIN.

[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]

Narrator: DETECTIVE SCHROCK

BEGINS TO PIECE TOGETHER
POSSIBLE SCENARIOS.

Schrock:
IT'S ONE OF TWO THINGS.

IT'S EITHER AMBER
DIDN'T WANT TO BE CONTACTED

OR SOMEBODY GOT A HOLD OF HER.

Dale:
DID SOMEBODY BREAK IN?

DID SOMEBODY
GET INTO THE APARTMENT?

AND DID SOMEBODY
TAKE HER FORCEFULLY?

Narrator: BUT WHO WOULD
WANT TO HARM AMBER GERWECK?

POLICE SPEAK WITH A NUMBER
OF FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES,

INCLUDING AMBER'S EX-HUSBAND,

BUT NO ONE STANDS OUT
AS A SUSPECT.

HOWEVER, DOWN IN GEORGIA,
THE SEGERS ARE CONVINCED

THEIR DAUGHTER
WOULD NEVER DISAPPEAR

UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

WHEN SHE WALKED OUT
OF THAT APARTMENT,

WE'RE THINKING
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG.

Jackie: AMBER NEVER
WOULD HAVE LEFT HER CHILDREN --

JUST UP AND LEFT HER CHILDREN.

Narrator: AMBER'S CAREER
IN SECURITY CONTRACTING

GIVES HER ACCESS

TO AN INVENTORY OF SENSITIVE
GOVERNMENT INFORMATION.

HER FAMILY WONDERS

IF AMBER'S DISAPPEARANCE
IS SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO HER JOB.

Jackie: SHE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE
KNOWN A NUMBER OF THINGS

THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT
TO SOMEBODY

THAT WAS MAYBE
A TERRORIST OR SOMETHING.

IMAGINATION GOES WILD.

YOU JUST -- YOU CAN THINK
OF SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS

THAT COULD BE GOING ON, SO MANY
"WHYs" AND SO MANY "WHAT IFs."

Narrator: THE CLUES FOUND
IN AMBER'S APARTMENT IN MICHIGAN

LEAVE THE FAMILY WITH
A HOST OF AGONIZING QUESTIONS.

[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]

BUT NONE POINTS POLICE
TOWARDS AN ANSWER.

IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO GET GOING ON THIS

BECAUSE THE LAST TIME ANYONE
HAD SPOKE TO HER WAS ON THE 9th.

A COUPLE DAYS
HAD ALREADY GONE BY,

SO WE WERE ALREADY BEHIND

ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

Narrator: WHEN DETECTIVE SCHROCK
RETURNS TO THE STATION,

HE ENTERS AMBER INTO

THE NATIONAL CRIME
INFORMATION CENTER, OR NCIC.

THE SYSTEM WILL RAISE A RED FLAG

IF AMBER OR HER VEHICLE APPEAR
ON POLICE RADAR FOR ANY REASON.

AT THAT POINT, WE WERE
KIND OF IN THIS LIMBO,

LIKE, "WHAT DO WE DO?"

WE ARE SITTING HERE IN GEORGIA.

SHE'S MISSING IN MICHIGAN.

YOU KNOW, WHO DO WE CONTACT?
WHO DO WE TALK TO?

WHERE DO WE TURN FOR HELP?

Narrator:
THEN, ONLY THREE HOURS LATER,

THE CASE TAKES A STARTLING TURN.

Jackie:
THEN SUDDENLY, WE GET THIS CALL

THAT THE CAR TURNED UP
IN GEORGIA

AS AN ABANDONED CAR
IN TUNNEL HILL.

I REMEMBER HAVING TO HAVE THAT
REPEATED TO ME

'CAUSE I MUST HAVE
HEARD IT WRONG.

HER CAR COULDN'T HAVE BEEN
IN TUNNEL HILL, GEORGIA.

Jackie:
AND HERE'S HER CAR,

600 MILES AWAY FROM JACKSON,
WHERE SHE LIVES.

AND WE'RE LIKE...

"NOW WHAT?"

Narrator: COMING UP...

POLICE UNCOVER
A PUZZLING NEW CLUE.

I SAW THE VIDEO, AND I JUST
LITERALLY COULD NOT BREATHE.

Narrator:
MOTHER OF FOUR AMBER GERWECK

HAS GONE MISSING FROM HER HOME
IN JACKSON, MICHIGAN,

BUT JUST THREE HOURS

AFTER HER FAMILY FILED
A MISSING-PERSONS REPORT,

AMBER'S CAR TURNED UP

IN THE PARKING LOT OF A
DOLLAR GENERAL STORE IN GEORGIA,

OVER 600 MILES FORM JACKSON.

Heather:
AND EVERYTHING CHANGED.

THE SEARCH HAD SUDDENLY MOVED
FROM MICHIGAN TO GEORGIA.

Narrator:
WHAT'S MOST PERPLEXING

IS NOT THE S.U.V.'s DISTANCE
FROM AMBER'S HOME IN JACKSON,

BUT RATHER, ITS PROXIMITY
TO HER PARENTS' HOME IN CALHOUN.

Jackie: THAT'S ABOUT
35 MILES NORTH OF US.

IT'S WAY OFF THE HIGHWAY.

IT'S JUST KIND OF
AN OUT-OF-THE-WAY PLACE.

Narrator:
ACCORDING TO TUNNEL HILL POLICE,

THE S.U.V. WAS ABANDONED
IN THE PARKING LOT

AT LEAST TWO DAYS EARLIER.

Jackie:
DID SHE DRIVE THE CAR DOWN HERE?

DID SOMEONE
FORCE HER TO DRIVE THE CAR DOWN?

DID SOMEONE DO SOMETHING TO HER
AND THEN TAKE HER CAR?

Narrator: ONE DAY
AFTER AMBER IS REPORTED MISSING,

THE CASE IS TURNED OVER
TO DETECTIVE ERIC BURNETTE

OF THE WHITFIELD COUNTY
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN GEORGIA.

DETECTIVE BURNETTE INVITES
THE SEGERS DOWN TO THE STATION

TO DISCUSS SOME NEW DEVELOPMENTS
IN THE CASE.

I MET WITH
MISS GERWECK'S PARENTS

THE FIRST AT MY OFFICE --
AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

ASKED THEM ABOUT THEIR DAUGHTER,

WHAT KIND OF A PERSON SHE WAS,
WHAT KIND OF FRIENDS SHE HAS.

I TOLD THEM
WHAT WE'D FOUND IN THE CAR.

Dale: HE SAID INITIALLY,
THERE APPEARED TO BE

NO SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE
INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.

THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF VIOLENCE.
THERE WAS NO BLOOD EVIDENCE.

Narrator: HOWEVER,

WHAT POLICE DID FIND
IN THE FRONT SEAT OF AMBER'S CAR

RAISES A SLEW OF NEW QUESTIONS.

Burnette: MISS GERWECK'S WALLET
WAS LOCATED IN THE CAR.

THERE WAS NO MONEY THERE.

IT WAS JUST A DEBIT CARD
AND HER DRIVER'S LICENSE.

Narrator:
POLICE ALSO FOUND AMBER'S KEYS

LOCKED INSIDE THE S.U.V.

THAT WAS VERY STRANGE TO ME.

Narrator:
IF AMBER DROVE THE CAR,

WHY WOULD SHE LEAVE HER MOST
IMPORTANT POSSESSIONS BEHIND?

BUT THEN,
IF AMBER WERE ABDUCTED,

WHY WOULD THE KIDNAPPER LEAVE
HER POSSESSIONS OUT IN THE OPEN?

WE RAN ALL KINDS OF SCENARIOS
WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO HER,

BUT THE MORE WE DID THAT,
THE MORE CONFUSED WE GOT.

WAS SHE RUNNING FROM ANYBODY?
SOMEONE DONE SOMETHING TO HER?

THOSE WERE QUESTIONS

THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE
ANSWERS FOR PRETTY QUICK.

THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHING WRONG

FOR HER TO LOCK
HER BILLFOLD AND HER KEYS IN,

AND THE ONLY THOUGHT
THAT GOES THROUGH MY MIND WAS,

SHE DID THAT DELIBERATELY

SO SOMEBODY WOULD KNOW
THAT SHE HAD BEEN THERE,

LIKE LEAVING
THE BREAD-CRUMB TRAIL.

Narrator:
THEN, DETECTIVE BURNETTE REVEALS

THE MOST VALUABLE PIECE OF
EVIDENCE FOUND IN THE S.U.V. --

A SMALL PAPER RECEIPT.

THE RECEIPT LISTS
A NUMBER OF PURCHASES

MADE AT
THE DOLLAR GENERAL STORE.

BUT SINCE THE RECEIPT WAS LOCKED
INSIDE AMBER'S S.U.V.,

WHOEVER WAS DRIVING THE CAR

MUST HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER
AT THE STORE.

AND CHANCES ARE,
THIS PERSON WAS CAUGHT

ON ONE OF THE DOLLAR GENERAL'S
MANY SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.

BASED ON THE RECEIPT,

WE KNEW THE TIME AND THE DATE
OF WHERE TO LOOK.

WE WANTED TO SEE
EXACTLY WHO WAS IN THAT STORE.

WE WENT
TO THE DOLLAR GENERAL STORE

AND MET WITH THE MANAGER
AT THE STORE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.

Narrator: DETECTIVE BURNETTE
CUES THE FOOTAGE UP

TO SUNDAY, APRIL 10th
AT 8:04 A.M.,

THE TIME STAMPED ON THE RECEIPT.

WHAT IT REVEALS WILL TURN
THE INVESTIGATION ON ITS HEAD.

Burnette: SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
SHOWED A FEMALE IN THERE,

BUYING SEVERAL ITEMS
AND LEAVING THE STORE.

SHE WAS A WHITE FEMALE.

SHE HAD A UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
BLUE SWEATSHIRT ON,

BLUE JEANS, AND TENNIS SHOES.

I SAW THE VIDEO, AND I JUST
LITERALLY COULD NOT BREATHE.

LOOKED AT THE MONITOR,
AND THERE'S MY DAUGHTER.

IT WAS HER.

I MEAN, THERE WAS NO DOUBT
IN MY MIND IT WAS HER,

AND IT STOPPED ME
DEAD IN MY TRACKS.

Jackie:
YOU SEE HER COME IN.

SHE WALKS AROUND.
SHE PICKS UP HER ITEMS.

SHE STOPS AT THE CHECK-OUT.

A GUY COMES TO CHECK HER OUT.
SHE KIND OF SAYS HELLO TO HIM.

SHE PICKS UP
A CHAPSTICK OR SOMETHING

RIGHT THERE
BY THE CASH REGISTER,

PAYS FOR HER STUFF.

Dale:
AND SHE TURNED TO THE LEFT,

AND SHE JUST DISAPPEARED.

Narrator: AMBER'S APPEARANCE
ON VIDEO ENDS HERE.

THERE ARE NO
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

IN THE DOLLAR GENERAL
PARKING LOT.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.

WE HAVE NO WAY TO KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED

WHEN SHE LEFT THE STORE.

Jackie:
WE WATCHED IT OVER AND OVER.

I JUST WANTED TO REACH OUT
AND TOUCH HER.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY,
"WHERE ARE YOU, AMBER?"

Narrator:
THE FOOTAGE LEAVES THE SEGERS

WITH MORE QUESTIONS
THAN ANSWERS.

SHE HASN'T CONTACTED US.

SHE HASN'T
ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT US.

AND WHY NOT?
WHERE IS SHE?

NEVER DID I FEEL THAT AMBER
HAD GOT TO GEORGIA WILLFULLY.

I DON'T KNOW WHY, HOW, BUT I
KNOW IT'S NOT OF HER OWN ACCORD.

Jackie:
SHE LOOKED UP AT THE CAMERA.

SHE LOOKS RIGHT AT
THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA,

AND WE'RE LIKE, "OKAY, WERE WE
SUPPOSED TO NOTICE THAT?"

"WAS SHE
TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING?

Narrator:
ALL THEORIES ASIDE,

THE SEGERS MUST ACCEPT
A PAINFUL REALITY --

OVER THREE DAYS HAVE PASSED
SINCE AMBER WAS LAST SEEN ALIVE.

IT'S LIKE THE BIG ABYSS
OF THE UNKNOWN RIGHT BEFORE YOU.

Dale:
MY BABY GIRL HAS BEEN THERE,

AND I FEEL STRONGER NOW

THAN EVER BEFORE

THAT SHE'S IN HARM'S WAY,

AND I CAN'T HELP HER.

Narrator:
COMING UP...

AS THE SEARCH EFFORT EXPANDS,

POLICE TURN THEIR ATTENTION
TO A MURKY SWAMP IN TUNNEL HILL.

DAD AND I BOTH FELT
THAT THIS WAS GONNA END BADLY.

Narrator: AMBER GERWECK HAS NOT
BEEN HEARD FROM FOR FOUR DAYS.

GEORGIA POLICE SPOTTED HER
ON SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE

FROM A CONVENIENCE STORE

IN THE SMALL TOWN
OF TUNNEL HILL, GEORGIA,

OVER 600 MILES FROM HER HOME
IN MICHIGAN.

ODDLY, IT'S JUST UNDER 30 MILES
FROM HER PARENTS' HOUSE.

BUT AMBER
HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE,

AND HER PARENTS
ARE BEGINNING TO FEAR THE WORST.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT YEAH,
YOU SAW HER ALIVE THERE,

BUT YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE MEANTIME.

OKAY, SHE MADE IT TO GEORGIA.

BUT SHE ONLY MADE IT
AS FAR AS TUNNEL HILL.

HOW COME SHE'S NOT HERE?

NO NEW LEADS HAVE SURFACED
IN THE LAST 24 HOURS,

AND AMBER'S FATHER, DALE,
IS GROWING RESTLESS.

VERY MUCH A HELPLESS FEELING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I HAVEN'T SLEPT
TWO NIGHTS BEFORE.

EMOTIONALLY, I'M JUST TORN UP.

Narrator: DALE DECIDES
TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE

IN THE INVESTIGATION.

I FINALLY HAD ENOUGH.

I HAD TO GO LOOKING FOR AMBER.

Narrator:
HE DRIVES TO THE SITE

OF AMBER'S
LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS,

THE DOLLAR GENERAL STORE.

Dale: I HAD TO WALK
UP AND DOWN THE AISLES.

I KNOW THAT I'M
NOT GONNA FIND HER THERE,

BUT I KNOW THAT
THAT'S WHERE SHE WAS,

AND I WALKED UP AND DOWN
THESE SAME AISLES.

I'M IN THE AISLE WHERE THEY HAVE

THE LOTIONS AND THE SHAMPOOS
AND THE STUFF,

AND I WALK UP AND DOWN THAT,

AND WHILE I'M WALKING,
I'M THINKING,

"AMBER, WHAT'S HAPPENED TO YOU?"

Narrator: THERE ARE NO NEW CLUES
TO BE FOUND INSIDE,

BUT OUTSIDE,
THE STORE'S PROPERTY

BORDERS AN EXPANSIVE,
DENSELY WOODED SWAMPLAND.

SO, I WALKED OUT IN BACK, AND
I WALKED A GRID AREA BY MYSELF,

LOOKING FOR MY DAUGHTER
IN THE TALL GRASS.

I'M NOT GONNA DEVIATE FROM
A STRAIGHT LINE FOR NOTHING.

SO, I'M WALKING
THROUGH THE BRAMBLES,

I'M WALKING
THROUGH THE BERRY BUSHES,

I'M WALKING THROUGH EVERYTHING.

Narrator:
DALE IS DRIVEN BY INSTINCT

BUT TERRIFIED
OF WHAT HE MIGHT FIND.

Dale: I CLIMBED DOWN
IN THE DRAINAGE CULVERT,

WALKED THAT
FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER,

WALKED OUT THERE
THROUGH THE MUD,

AS MUCH AS I COULD, TO FIND HER.

Narrator:
AFTER TRUDGING THROUGH

ACRES OF JAGGED BRAMBLE
AND PUTRID SWAMP,

DALE CAN GO NO FURTHER.

I JUST SAT THERE,
AND I LOOKED DOWN.

I WAS ALL SCRATCHED UP.

MY LEGS WERE ALL MUDDY
AND EVERYTHING.

I REMEMBER
BUYING SOME BOTTLED WATER

AND WASHING
MY LEGS AND STUFF OFF.

AND I REMEMBER
THE DREAD OF GOING HOME

BECAUSE I HAD NOT BEEN
SUCCESSFUL.

Narrator: THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT ENLISTS THE HELP

OF THE GEORGIA
BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION,

A STATE-RUN
CRIMINAL-JUSTICE ORGANIZATION.

WELL, THE GBI, THEY HAVE
MORE RESOURCES THAN WE DO.

THEY BRING US MORE MANPOWER
FOR SEARCHES.

Narrator: HEADING UP THE CASE
IS SPECIAL AGENT DANIEL SIMS.

TIME IS OF A CRITICAL ELEMENT.

THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS
IS VERY IMPORTANT

IN THE COLLECTION
OF FACTS AND EVIDENCE

MAINLY BECAUSE
THOSE THINGS ARE PERISHABLE.

THEY CAN GO AWAY.

AS FAR AS INVESTIGATIVE WORK,

AMBER WAS
AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.

Narrator: THE FIRST
OFFICIAL STEP FOR THE BUREAU

IS TO MOUNT AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH
THROUGHOUT TUNNEL HILL.

WE ORGANIZED A SEARCH WITH
ABOUT 30 EMERGENCY PERSONNEL.

THE AREA
AROUND THE DOLLAR GENERAL STORE

IS EXTREMELY RURAL.

IT'S HILLY, IF NOT MOUNTAINOUS.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT SHE WASN'T IN THE WOODS.

OTHER OFFICERS
SEARCHED THE RAILROAD TRACKS

THAT TRANSVERSED THAT STRIP MALL

THAT THE DOLLAR GENERAL
IS PART OF,

AND WE ALSO HAD SOME INDIVIDUALS
SEARCH THE SWAMPY AREA

BEHIND
THE DOLLAR GENERAL ITSELF.

AND WE DID NEIGHBORHOOD CANVASS
SEARCHES, WENT DOOR TO DOOR.

THIS MAY BE
AN AWFUL THING TO ADMIT,

BUT WHEN THEY SAID

THAT THEY WERE GONNA
GO BACK THERE AND SEARCH,

I ACTUALLY PRAYED
THAT THEY WOULDN'T FIND AMBER

BECAUSE THAT WOULD MEAN A BODY,
NOT MY DAUGHTER.

Sims: YOU GO INTO IT
WITH THE HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS

THAT YOU'LL FIND HER ALIVE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

HAVING TRAVELED DOWN THESE
INVESTIGATIVE ROADS BEFORE,

YOU KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

FOR ANYTHING THAT'S
ON THE GROUND OR MOTIONLESS

OR, OF COURSE,
THE DISCOVERY OF A HUMAN BODY.

Narrator:
BUT AFTER AN EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH,

THE TEAM COMES UP EMPTY.

THOUGH AGENT SIMS IS UNDETERRED,

THE FAILURE TO UNCOVER NEW
EVIDENCE IS A BLOW TO MORALE.

THE LONGER
THAT ANYONE IS MISSING,

THE CHANCES
OF FINDING THEM LESSENS.

DAD AND I BOTH EXPRESSED

THAT WE FELT
THAT THIS WAS GONNA END BADLY,

THAT THERE REALLY WASN'T
A LOT OF HOPE.

IT WAS VERY HARD TO BE HOPEFUL

BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY
AS A FAMILY.

Narrator:
ALTHOUGH IT'S HARD TO FATHOM,

AMBER'S DISAPPEARANCE

IS ACTUALLY A FAMILIAR TRAUMA
FOR THE SEGER FAMILY.

I HAD BEEN THROUGH THIS
ONCE BEFORE,

WHEN MY BROTHER DISAPPEARED.

IT WAS WINTER.
IT WAS IN JANUARY.

AND HE TRIED TO GO
TO THIS PARTY, AND HE GOT LOST

AND GOT STUCK IN THE SNOW.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS
FOR TWO YEARS.

HE DIED OF HYPOTHERMIA.

IT WAS HORRIBLE FOR OUR FAMILY.

HOW COULD WE AS A FAMILY ENDURE
A LONG-TERM DISAPPEARANCE AGAIN?

WOULD WE BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

Narrator: COMING UP...

AMBER'S FATHER
SUDDENLY FINDS HIMSELF

AT THE CENTER
OF THE INVESTIGATION.

AND I REMEMBER BREAKING DOWN.

I FOUND IT UNCONSCIONABLE

THAT SOMEBODY COULD MAKE
THAT ACCUSATION AGAINST ME.

Narrator: GET MORE "DISAPPEARED"
ONLINE AT...

Narrator: MISSING
MICHIGAN RESIDENT AMBER GERWECK

WAS LAST SEEN ALIVE
ON APRIL 10, 2011

IN A SMALL-TOWN
GEORGIA CONVENIENCE STORE.

BUT IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS
FOLLOWING,

IN SPITE OF A CONCENTRATED
SEARCH EFFORT

LED BY STATE AND LOCAL POLICE,

NO NEW LEADS HAVE MATERIALIZED.

WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE
A MISSING PERSON

AND THEIR FAMILY'S GRIEVING,

IT'S HARD
NOT TO THINK ABOUT THAT

EVEN WHEN YOU'RE OFF DUTY.

AND I FOUND MYSELF THINKING
A LOT ABOUT AMBER

AND WHERE SHE MIGHT BE.

Narrator: DISTRAUGHT
BY THE LACK OF ANSWERS,

AMBER'S PARENTS
DEVOTE EVERY SPARE MOMENT

TO SEARCHING FOR THEIR DAUGHTER.

OBVIOUSLY, THE DETECTIVES

AND THE POLICE AND SHERIFFS
AND AGENT SIMS

WERE ALL DOING THEIR PART,

BUT WE NEEDED TO BE
DOING SOMETHING, AS WELL.

AMBER'S BROTHER, SEAN,
DESIGNS A MISSING-PERSONS POSTER

FOR HIS PARENTS TO DISTRIBUTE
AROUND TOWN.

IT HAD THREE PICTURES
OF AMBER ON IT.

PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT
PICTURE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,

WAS A LARGE ANGEL TATTOO
ON HER SHOULDER.

I WAS NEVER HAPPY
THAT AMBER GOT TATTOOED

UNTIL WE HAD THIS HUGE ANGEL

THAT WE COULD PUT OUT THERE
AND SAY,

"HERE'S AN IDENTIFYING MARK
THAT YOU CAN USE TO FIND HER."

Dale: WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER,
SHE WAS ENAMORED WITH ANGELS,

AND WE'RE TALKING
FROM AN EARLY AGE.

WE'RE TALKING 3 YEARS OLD.

Jackie: I HAD AN ANGEL PIN,
AND WHEN I SAW THE PIN --

I'D FORGOTTEN I'D HAD IT --
I PULLED IT OUT AND I PUT IT ON.

IT SERVED TO HELP ME.

YOU KNOW,
I WORE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Narrator: THE SEGERS
LAUNCH A BROAD CAMPAIGN

TO GET THE WORD OUT.

Dale:
THAT POSTER WAS DISTRIBUTED.

LITERALLY
THOUSANDS OF THOSE THINGS

WERE ALL OVER
THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES.

WE HAD PUT HER LISTING
ON FACEBOOK.

WE WOULD POST IT, AND WE WOULD
ASK OUR FRIENDS TO RE-POST IT,

AND AMBER'S FRIENDS WERE
POSTING IT AND RE-POSTING IT.

Narrator:
DALE AND JACKIE ARE DESPERATE

FOR THEIR EFFORTS
TO YIELD SOME NEW LEADS.

THAT WAS MY FULL-TIME JOB,
WAS FINDING AMBER.

Narrator: MEANWHILE, AGENT SIMS
IS WORKING EVERY ANGLE,

INCLUDING
SOME OF THE DARKEST PLACES

ON THE CRIMINAL LANDSCAPE.

THERE IS A CERTAIN SEGMENT OF
OUR SOCIETY THAT ARE PREDATORS,

AND THEY DO TARGET PEOPLE.

WE DID FOCUS
ON LOCAL SEX-OFFENDER DATABASES,

AND WE ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED

SOME PEOPLE
THAT WERE ON THAT LIST.

Narrator: THEN, ON APRIL 27th,
DISASTER STRIKES THE SOUTH.

Sims: NORTHEAST ALABAMA
AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA

AND SOUTHEASTERN TENNESSEE

GOT HAMMERED
WITH A SERIES OF F-4 TORNADOES.

WE HAD TO DIVERT OURSELVES
FROM THE INVESTIGATION

TO FOCUS ON RESCUE EFFORTS.

IT WAS A PRETTY TRYING TIME

FOR EVERYBODY
IN THE NORTHWEST GEORGIA REGION.

Narrator: SUDDENLY, AT THE
GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION,

AMBER'S CASE IS NO LONGER
PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.

WE KNEW THAT HE DID NOT HAVE --
LITERALLY DID NOT HAVE TIME.

THAT WAS RATHER DEVASTATING
FOR US.

Sims: THERE MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW,
TWO OR THREE HOURS A DAY

THAT I COULD FOCUS
ON AMBER'S INVESTIGATION,

AND THEN IT WAS RIGHT BACK
TO OUR EFFORTS

IN HELPING THE COMMUNITIES THAT
WERE AFFLICTED BY THE TORNADOES.

Narrator: BUT DESPITE
AGENT SIMS' VIGILANCE,

WEEKS GO BY WITH NO NEW ANSWERS.

FOR THE SEGERS, EACH PASSING DAY

ERODES THEIR HOPES
OF FINDING THEIR DAUGHTER.

Jackie: AMBER HAD BEEN MISSING
FOR THREE AND A HALF WEEKS.

WE CRIED, WE PRAYED,
WE DIDN'T SLEEP.

IT WAS A REAL TOUGH, TOUGH TIME.

WE WERE RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS.

Narrator:
ON MAY 4th, AT 1:30 P.M.,

SPECIAL AGENT SIMS CALLS
THE SEGERS DOWN TO THE STATION.

HE SAYS HE HAS AN IMPORTANT
MATTER TO DISCUSS WITH THEM.

HE MET US
AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

HERE IN GORDON COUNTY,

AND HE SAID THAT HE NEEDED
TO QUESTION US SEPARATELY.

Sims: I TOLD HER

THAT WE HAD INVESTIGATED
THE CASE THOROUGHLY,

THAT WE HAD ABSOLUTELY
NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST

THAT HER DAUGHTER HAD BECOME
THE VICTIM OF FOUL PLAY.

WE HAD NO EVIDENCE
THAT SHE WAS ALIVE.

Jackie:
HE SAID, "WE HAVE NO MORE LEADS.

WE DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO LOOK ANYMORE."

Sims: IT WASN'T THAT WE WERE
STOPPING THE INVESTIGATION.

IT WAS JUST AT THE STAGE
WHERE WE KNEW

THAT IT WOULD BE
EASY TO PERCEIVE

THAT THE INVESTIGATION
WAS GRINDING TO A HALT.

THAT WAS EXTREMELY UPSETTING.

Narrator: FOR JACKIE,
WHAT AGENT SIMS TOLD HER

IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCEPT.

BUT WHEN AGENT SIMS
SITS DOWN WITH DALE,

THE NEWS ONLY GETS WORSE.

DURING THAT MEETING WITH HIM,
HE SAID SOMETHING TO ME.

SOMEBODY HAD MADE THE ACCUSATION
THAT I KNEW WHERE AMBER WAS

AND I WAS HELPING HER
TO STAY HIDDEN.

Sims: INFORMATION HAD COME
OUR WAY THAT DALE WOULD DO THIS,

AND IT WAS A BRIDGE THAT I FELT
LIKE I HAD TO CROSS WITH HIM.

Narrator: DALE FEELS BLINDSIDED
BY THE ACCUSATION.

I REMEMBER BREAKING DOWN.

I FOUND IT UNCONSCIONABLE

THAT SOMEBODY COULD MAKE
THAT ACCUSATION AGAINST ME.

ONE OF THE MOST UNPLEASANT
PARTS OF MY JOB

IS WHEN I'VE GOT TO SIT DOWN

WITH SOMEBODY
WHO IS TRULY GRIEVING

AND THEN CHALLENGE THEM

AS TO WHETHER
THEY HAVE COMMITTED A CRIME.

I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE

THAT THE SEGERS HAD ENGAGED
IN THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY,

BUT I JUST HAD TO CROSS
THAT BRIDGE.

Narrator: AGENT SIMS IS
CONVINCED OF DALE'S INNOCENCE,

BUT IT COMES AS LITTLE RELIEF.

AFTER WE GOT DONE
WITH THAT DISCUSSION,

HE TOLD ME THERE WAS JUST
NOTHING MORE THEY COULD DO.

I REMEMBER WALKING
OUT OF THAT INTERVIEW ROOM

AND FEELING LIKE
I WAS CARRYING A 10-TON WEIGHT.

Narrator: THE SEGERS' LIVES
HAVE TAKEN ON A HOLLOW SADNESS

THEY ARE CONVINCED THEY
WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH FOREVER.

BUT THEY SOON
WOULD BE PROVEN DEAD WRONG.

[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]

LATER THAT DAY, AGENT SIMS
GETS AN UNEXPECTED CALL.

A FEW HOURS AFTER I HAD
THIS MEETING WITH THE SEGERS,

I RECEIVED A CALL

FROM THE WHITFIELD COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

ONE OF THE SECRETARIES IN THE
INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION SAID,

"YOU NEED TO CONTACT THE JOLIET,
ILLINOIS, POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THERE'S A DETECTIVE THERE
THAT WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU."

NO MATTER
HOW MANY CASES YOU'VE DONE,

NO MATTER
HOW MANY INVESTIGATIONS

THAT YOU HAVE UNDERTAKEN,

EVERY NOW AND THEN,

SOMEBODY WILL THROW A CURVE BALL
AT YOU FROM LEFT FIELD.

Narrator: ONLY TWO HOURS
AFTER RETURNING HOME,

THE SEGERS' PHONE RINGS.

IT WAS SPECIAL AGENT SIMS.

I RECOGNIZED THE PHONE NUMBER,

AND I ANSWERED,
"YES, SPECIAL AGENT?"

HE SAYS, "THEY'VE LOCATED
A WOMAN IN JOLIET, ILLINOIS,

WHO MATCHES AMBER'S DESCRIPTION,
THAT HAS AMNESIA."

THEIR DEPARTMENT HAD FOUND
A YOUNG FEMALE

WANDERING IN A CITY PARK

AND HAD FLAGGED DOWN THE POLICE.

SHE WAS SUFFERING
FROM MEMORY LOSS,

DID NOT KNOW WHO SHE WAS,

AND THAT THEY HAD BEEN
DEALING WITH A JANE DOE.

Narrator:
THEN HE SAYS SOMETHING

AMBER'S FATHER
WILL NEVER FORGET.

THIS WOMAN HAD A TATTOO
OF AN ANGEL ON HER BACK.

Narrator: COMING UP...

A DRAMATIC BREAK IN THE CASE
IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT IT SEEMS.

I'M LOOKING INTO A FACE
THAT ISN'T RIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT.
SHE JUST DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT.

Narrator:
IT'S BEEN THREE AND A HALF WEEKS

SINCE MISSING MOTHER
AMBER GERWECK

WAS LAST SEEN
IN TUNNEL HILL, GEORGIA.

HER FAMILY HAD ALL BUT
GIVEN UP HOPE OF FINDING HER,

WHEN THEY RECEIVED
SOME ASTONISHING NEWS --

AN UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN
SUFFERING FROM MEMORY LOSS

WAS FOUND IN JOLIET, ILLINOIS,

NEARLY 600 MILES
NORTH OF TUNNEL HILL.

JOLIET POLICE THINK IT'S AMBER.

Dale:
THEY'VE LOCATED A WOMAN

THAT MATCHED HER DESCRIPTION
IDENTICALLY,

THAT HAD AN ANGEL TATTOO
ON HER RIGHT SHOULDER.

Narrator: IN JOLIET, THE STORY
OF THE WOMAN WHO LOST HER MEMORY

HAD CAUGHT THE ATTENTION
OF THE LOCAL MEDIA,

WHO BROADCAST A PHOTO
OF THE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN.

THE PHOTO WAS SEEN BY SOMEONE

FAMILIAR WITH THE MISSING-PERSON
FLIER POSTED ON FACEBOOK.

THE FACEBOOK COMMUNICATION

WAS THAT THIS IS THE PERSON
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

SHE'S AMBER GERWECK.

Narrator: SIMS SENDS THE SEGERS
A PHOTO OF THE WOMAN,

TAKEN AT SILVER CROSS HOSPITAL
IN JOLIET.

AND THERE WAS AMBER

IN A HOSPITAL BED,

STARING AT US.

I JUST SAID,
"IT'S HER. IT'S HER."

AND DALE'S LIKE, "IT'S HER.
SHE'S THERE. SHE'S ALIVE."

WE WERE JUMPING.
WE WERE SCREAMING.

WE WERE CRYING.

Sims: MY HAPPINESS WASN'T EVEN
CLOSE TO THEIR HAPPINESS.

OVER THE PHONE, YOU COULD HEAR
THAT WEIGHT BEING LIFTED,

YOU KNOW, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THIS FLOOD OF HOPE
COMING INTO THEIR HEART

THAT, YOU KNOW,
THEIR DAUGHTER'S ALIVE.

Narrator: BUT DALE NOTICES

SOMETHING STRANGE
IN THE PHOTOGRAPH.

I'M LOOKING AT AMBER'S PICTURE,
AND I KNOW IT'S AMBER,

BUT I'M LOOKING INTO A FACE

THAT ISN'T RIGHT.

SHE JUST DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT.

HER EYES WERE EMPTY,

AND I DIDN'T SEE AMBER'S
PERSONALITY SHINING BACK AT ME.

Narrator: DESPITE THEIR
MISGIVINGS ABOUT THE PHOTO,

THE SEGERS
ARE EAGER TO GET TO JOLIET.

THE PACK THEIR BAGS AND BEGIN
THE 600-MILE DRIVE THAT NIGHT.

THE NEXT MORNING,

DALE AND JACKIE
HEAD STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL.

Dale:
THE NURSES GAVE US AN UPDATE

ON AMBER'S CONDITION
AND WHAT WAS GOING ON.

SHE WAS UNHARMED. SHE WAS --
PHYSICALLY, SHE WAS FINE.

THE ONLY THING THAT WAS WRONG
WAS HER MEMORY.

Narrator: AMBER IS SUFFERING
FROM ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX

AND PUZZLING CONDITIONS
IN MEDICINE --

TRANSIENT GLOBAL AMNESIA.

SHE DIDN'T REMEMBER
BEING MARRIED.

SHE DIDN'T REMEMBER
HAVING CHILDREN.

SHE'D JUST FORGOTTEN HER LIFE.

DR. LUCY AT SILVER CROSS
PUT IT THIS WAY --

99.99% OF THE DOCTORS
IN THIS COUNTRY

WILL GO THROUGH THEIR ENTIRE
CAREER PRACTICING MEDICINE

AND WILL NEVER SEE
THIS TYPE OF AMNESIA EVER.

Narrator: THAT AFTERNOON, THE
SEGERS FINALLY GET THE CHANCE

TO SEE THEIR DAUGHTER
FACE TO FACE.

Dale: WE SAW AMBER,

AND SHE WAS HOLDING
A LITTLE STUFFED DOG

THEY HAD GIVEN HER IN THE E.R.

AND WHAT I REMEMBER IS MY
DAUGHTER TAKING ONE LOOK AT US,

AND SHE GRABBED THAT DOLL,
AND SHE HUGGED IT REAL CLOSE,

AND SHE STARTED CRYING AND SAID,
"I DON'T KNOW YOU.

I DON'T REMEMBER YOU."

AND SHE JUST CRIED.

I MEAN, SHE WAS JUST SOBBING,

AND JACKIE AND I REASSURED HER
THAT WAS FINE.

THAT WAS NO PROBLEM.

WE HAD TALKED IN THE CAR
AND PREPARED OURSELVES

FOR THE POSSIBILITY
THAT SHE MIGHT NOT KNOW US.

Narrator: BUT FOR AMBER,

THE REUNION
IS A FRIGHTENING REALIZATION

OF JUST HOW MUCH SHE HAD LOST.

[ Voice breaking ]
THEY TERRIFIED ME...

[SNIFFLES]

...BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THEM.

IT WAS DEVASTATING, NOT KNOWING
WHO YOUR PARENTS ARE.

WORSE THAN NOT KNOWING
WHO YOU ARE.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE
WHO RAISED ME.

I REMEMBERED THEM THE WAY
THEY WERE WHEN I WAS LITTLE,

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE
AT THAT MOMENT.

Narrator: AMBER CAN ONLY
REMEMBER HER LIFE UP TO AGE 12.

ALMOST ALL MEMORIES FROM
HER ADULT LIFE HAVE VANISHED.

Amber:
I'D LOOK IN THE MIRROR,

AND THE FACE
THAT WAS LOOKING BACK AT ME

WAS NOT THE FACE
THAT I WOULD EXPECT.

YOU KNOW,
I'D EXPECT TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR

AND SEE THAT KID THAT I WAS,

AND IT WAS AN ADULT
LOOKING BACK AT ME.

Narrator: THE SEGERS
SPEND THE NEXT FEW DAYS

SLOWLY WALKING AMBER THROUGH THE
LAST TWO DECADES OF HER LIFE.

THEY WERE EXPLAINING TO ME
THAT I'D BEEN MISSING

AND HOW LONG I'D BEEN GONE

AND HOW SHE HAD THIS ANGEL PIN,

AND I LOVED ANGELS.

Jackie: I GAVE HER THE PIN,
AND I TOLD HER, "AMBER," --

TOLD HER WHY I'D WORN IT
EVERY DAY.

"NOW YOU NEED TO FIND YOURSELF,

SO THIS IS YOUR ANGEL PIN NOW
TO HELP YOU FIND YOURSELF."

Narrator:
AT THE END OF THE WEEK,

AMBER IS REINTRODUCED
TO HER FOUR CHILDREN.

Jackie: SHE MET WITH
EACH OF THEM FOR A HALF AN HOUR,

ONE AT A TIME.

IT WAS A DIFFICULT THING,

BUT SHE ENJOYED SEEING HER KIDS,
AND THEY WERE OVERJOYED.

Narrator: AMBER IS RELEASED
FROM THE HOSPITAL

AND TRAVELS WITH HER PARENTS
TO GEORGIA

TO BEGIN A LONG AND STRENUOUS
RECOVERY PROCESS.

BUT MANY QUESTIONS STILL REMAIN,

PARTICULARLY WHAT HAPPENED
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.

FORTUNATELY, AMBER CAN RECALL
HER LAST HOURS OF LUCIDITY.

Amber: I REMEMBER STUDYING,
SITTING AT MY COMPUTER,

TRYING TO GET SCHOOLWORK DONE.

Narrator: IN THE EARLY EVENING,
AMBER TOOK A BREAK FROM STUDYING

AND HEADED TO A NEARBY
CONVENIENCE STORE.

AND HEADED TO A NEARBY
CONVENIENCE STORE.
Amber: I REMEMBER
GOING DOWN TO THE CAR

Amber: I REMEMBER
GOING DOWN TO THE CAR

AND GETTING THERE AND REALIZING
I'D LEFT MY PHONE UPSTAIRS.

ALL I HAD GRABBED
WAS MY KEYS AND MY WALLET.

I DIDN'T SEE ANY REASON TO GO
BACK UPSTAIRS TO GRAB MY PHONE

WHEN I WAS ONLY GONNA BE GONE
FOR A FEW MINUTES.

I WENT TO THE CONVENIENCE STORE
DOWN THE ROAD.

I PICKED UP
A COUPLE OF SMALL THINGS THERE,

AND THEN THAT'S IT.

IT JUST STOPS.

IT'S -- IT'S LIKE
THERE'S NOTHING ELSE AFTER THAT

UNTIL I REMEMBER THE HOSPITAL.

Narrator: DOCTORS ASSUME

AMBER SPENT
THE NEXT THREE AND A HALF WEEKS

IN WHAT IS KNOWN
AS A DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE STATE.

DR. LUCY TOLD US THAT THE PERSON
THAT IS IN THE FUGUE STATE

CAN STILL OPERATE.

THEY CAN
TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.

THEY JUST DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.

THEY DON'T REMEMBER IT.

Narrator: BUT NO ONE KNOWS
WHAT TRIGGERED THE EPISODE.

Jackie:
WE KNOW THAT A TRAUMATIC EVENT

CAN CAUSE GLOBAL AMNESIA.

THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE HAPPENED.

Dale: AMBER, NUMEROUS TIMES,
HAS BEEN VERY SPECIFIC IN A FEAR

THAT A MAN WALKS UP BEHIND HER,

PUTS HIS LEFT HAND ON HER RIGHT
SHOULDER, AND SPINS HER AROUND.

THIS IS SOMETHING NEW.

I BELIEVE THAT SOMEBODY
GRABBED HER FROM BEHIND

AND EITHER
FRIGHTENED HER TERRIBLY

OR DID SOMETHING TO HER,
AND SHE RAN.

Narrator: AMBER IS STILL HAUNTED
BY THE DARK GAPS IN HER MEMORY.

SHE STILL HAS NO IDEA
WHERE SHE WAS, WHERE SHE ATE,

OR WHERE SHE SLEPT AT NIGHT
DURING HER FUGUE STATE.

I REFUSE TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED

DURING THOSE THREE AND A HALF
WEEKS WHEN I WAS MISSING.

WHAT CAUSED ME TO WALK AWAY?

WHAT CAUSED ME TO...

JUST DISAPPEAR LIKE THAT?

WHAT HAPPENED TO ME
WHILE I WAS GONE?

I COULD DRIVE MYSELF CRAZY
THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

I'VE HAD TO
STOP THINKING ABOUT IT

AND JUST ACCEPT THAT THOSE
THREE AND A HALF WEEKS ARE GONE

AND THAT I'LL NEVER
GET THEM BACK

EVEN IF I GET
THE REST OF MY LIFE BACK.

Narrator: TODAY,

AMBER IS STILL WORKING TO
RECOVER THE MEMORIES SHE LOST,

BUT SHE HAS A POSITIVE OUTLOOK
TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

THERE'S SO MUCH
SHE DOESN'T KNOW,

SO MUCH SHE DOESN'T REMEMBER,
AND SHE WANTS TO KNOW IT ALL.

SHE WANTS TO LEARN IT ALL.

Jackie: SHE'S REMEMBERING
A LITTLE BIT MORE EACH DAY.

THE AMBER THAT YOU SEE TODAY

IS THE AMBER
THAT SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN.

THERE'S REALLY NO CHANGE
IN HER PERSONALITY.

HER SENSE OF HUMOR IS THE SAME.

Amber: THE BEST THING THAT HAS
COME OUT OF HAVING AMNESIA --

I'VE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO EXAMINE MY LIFE

AND THE DECISIONS THAT I MADE

FROM ALMOST
A THIRD-PERSON PERSPECTIVE.

HOW MANY PEOPLE GET A CHANCE TO
RE-EXAMINE THEIR LIFE LIKE THAT?

Narrator:
THROUGH HER ORDEAL,

AMBER HAS LEARNED
A VALUABLE LESSON.

THE ONE THING IN THE WORLD
THAT MATTERED THE MOST TO ME

IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T LOSE HOPE.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP HOPING

THAT IF SOMEBODY THAT YOU LOVE
IS MISSING,

THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE.

IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME
TO REMEMBER EVERY DAY

HOW MANY PEOPLE REFUSED TO
GIVE UP THAT I WOULD BE FOUND.

YOU JUST -- YOU CAN'T GIVE UP.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP HOPING.