Out of Captivity : Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle

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Tom with his son, Tommy. From themoment Tommy was born, Tom felt a closeconnection to him. Tommy was only fivewhen his father became a hostage of theFARC.Keith with Lauren and Kyle. Being a singlefather was never easy, but Keith had alwaystaken pride in being there for his kids.Lauren and Kyle with Keith’s fatherand his stepmother. After the planewent down, there was little abouthome that Keith knew for sure, but hecould count on his parents to be therefor his kids.This shot of Lauren and Kyle wastaken not long after Keith went downin the crash.
This picture of our California Microwave group was taken a few weeks before ourplane went down, while Marc was on his home shift. Tom is in the top row, secondfrom the left, and Keith is in the top row, fifth from the left. Tommy Janis, the heroof our f light who skillfully brought us to the ground in one piece, is in the top rowwearing the yellow shirt. Also pictured here are Ralph Ponticelli (third from the leftin the green hat) and Tommy Schmidt (first row, third from the left), two terrificcoworkers who died when their plane crashed while searching for us.The Colombian countryside terrain ranges from lowland plains to mountainousjungles. While it was bad that our plane went down in the mountains, we were luckythat we weren’t near the country’s highest peaks. As hard as our initial twenty-fourdaymarch was, it would have been impossible had we been dealing with highermountain passes.
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OUTOFCAPTIVITYSurviving 1,967 Days
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ContentsAuthor’s NoteviSelected F
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Authors’ NoteThis story is not ov
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Selected FARC Guerrillas 2003-2008T
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PROLOGUEA Place to CrashKEITH“Tha
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A Place to Crashxii“JIATF East, t
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A Place to Crashxv iFlorida; I didn
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xviiOUT OF CAPTIVITYTommy J and Tom
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Choices and Challenges3did not take
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Choices and Challenges5I’m no adr
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Choices and Challenges7back into Fa
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Choices and Challenges9I’d flown
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Choices and Challenges11with the fu
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Choices and Challenges13KEITHUp unt
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16 OUT OF CAPTIVITYon his skin colo
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18 OUT OF CAPTIVITYhis needs, I gue
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20 OUT OF CAPTIVITYTOMI couldn’t
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22 OUT OF CAPTIVITYlent of doing a
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Choices and Challenges25there was o
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Choices and Challenges27“¿Qué p
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Choices and Challenges29didn’t th
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Changes in Altitude31In spite of th
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Changes in Altitude33losing a paren
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Changes in Altitude35footwear for t
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Changes in Altitude37they still wou
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Changes in Altitude39ransom for fun
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Changes in Altitude41and then at So
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Changes in Altitude43words over and
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Changes in Altitude45blinded mule.
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Changes in Altitude47ing and drawin
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Changes in Altitude49it into my mou
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Changes in Altitude51prude, but the
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Changes in Altitude53we were back o
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Changes in Altitude55joined the FAR
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Changes in Altitude57an airplane, i
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Changes in Altitude59I saw a pair o
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¿Quién Sabe?61took Keith seriousl
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¿Quién Sabe?63Laden had Middle Ea
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¿Quién Sabe?65to type structure t
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¿Quién Sabe?67gotten pregnant, bu
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¿Quién Sabe?69Marc and I looked a
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¿Quién Sabe?71tortured, interroga
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¿Quién Sabe?73“The final detail
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¿Quién Sabe?75of water every day,
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¿Quién Sabe?77pole shelters the F
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¿Quién Sabe?79ings were run-down
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¿Quién Sabe?81We stopped a click
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The Transition83chamber a round in
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The Transition85promise of taking a
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The Transition87the FARC’s rules
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The Transition89“That’s a good
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The Transition91tioned drugs, Góme
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The Transition93knowing that if the
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The Transition95by cutting off the
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The Transition97there awhile, and t
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The Transition99this, but I was sti
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The Transition 101hectic, but a lot
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The Transition 103of those yes-we-d
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The Transition 105over wooden frame
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The Transition 107I wasn’t a big
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The Transition 109from the reality
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The Transition 111I’d run through
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The Transition 113journal and decid
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FIVESettling InApril 2003—June 20
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Settling In 117was divided into thr
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Settling In 119The skies didn’t s
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Settling In 121Marc and really take
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Settling In 123In truth, this argum
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Settling In 125meant to our egos, w
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Settling In 127given cigarettes, bu
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Settling In 129the tears started. M
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Settling In 133We did it knowing th
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136 OUT OF CAPTIVITYWith the introd
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138 OUT OF CAPTIVITYI wasn’t immu
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140 OUT OF CAPTIVITYtheir toll. It
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142 OUT OF CAPTIVITYprevious realit
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144 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthat he had lol
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146 OUT OF CAPTIVITYMilton and anot
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148 OUT OF CAPTIVITYproof of life.
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150 OUT OF CAPTIVITYOur commander i
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152 OUT OF CAPTIVITYWith Botero beh
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154 OUT OF CAPTIVITY“What do you
Page 174 and 175: 156 OUT OF CAPTIVITYIn the end, spe
Page 176 and 177: 158 OUT OF CAPTIVITYnecessary sacri
Page 178 and 179: 160 OUT OF CAPTIVITYeleven-year-old
Page 180 and 181: 162 OUT OF CAPTIVITYWhen we arrived
Page 182 and 183: 164 OUT OF CAPTIVITYat high altitud
Page 184 and 185: 166 OUT OF CAPTIVITYcould relate. K
Page 186 and 187: 168 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwall, inside th
Page 188 and 189: 170 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthat she not tr
Page 190 and 191: 172 OUT OF CAPTIVITYand there was a
Page 192 and 193: 174 OUT OF CAPTIVITYbut she seemed
Page 194 and 195: 176 OUT OF CAPTIVITYrusso (Russian
Page 196 and 197: 178 OUT OF CAPTIVITYKEITHBefore my
Page 198 and 199: 180 OUT OF CAPTIVITYLater on, Marc
Page 200 and 201: 182 OUT OF CAPTIVITYOf course, I wa
Page 202 and 203: 184 OUT OF CAPTIVITYHe handed it to
Page 204 and 205: 186 OUT OF CAPTIVITYsame. None of u
Page 206 and 207: 188 OUT OF CAPTIVITYdoor and a tiny
Page 208 and 209: 190 OUT OF CAPTIVITYperson’s beha
Page 210 and 211: 192 OUT OF CAPTIVITYtance and sophi
Page 212 and 213: 194 OUT OF CAPTIVITYof the FARC, Ch
Page 214 and 215: 196 OUT OF CAPTIVITYseen in movies
Page 216 and 217: 198 OUT OF CAPTIVITYloan it to me.
Page 218 and 219: 200 OUT OF CAPTIVITYing for a book,
Page 220 and 221: 202 OUT OF CAPTIVITY“I agree,”
Page 222 and 223: 204 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthis piece of n
Page 226 and 227: As true jungle rats, the FARC were
Page 228 and 229: The food serving area pictured here
Page 230 and 231: In all of the camps, cigarettes lik
Page 232 and 233: We were each givenwriting materials
Page 234 and 235: The folks at BAMC treated us incred
Page 236 and 237: Keith’s son, Kyle, went from bein
Page 238 and 239: Marc with his family: (left to righ
Page 240 and 241: 206 OUT OF CAPTIVITYof images, but
Page 242 and 243: 208 OUT OF CAPTIVITYThe FARC came i
Page 244 and 245: 210 OUT OF CAPTIVITYmealtime and wa
Page 246 and 247: 212 OUT OF CAPTIVITYa mesh bag of e
Page 248 and 249: 214 OUT OF CAPTIVITYback over towar
Page 250 and 251: 216 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwere relieved t
Page 252 and 253: 218 OUT OF CAPTIVITYstood in stunne
Page 254 and 255: 220 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthe jungle comm
Page 256 and 257: 222 OUT OF CAPTIVITYKeith complaine
Page 258 and 259: 224 OUT OF CAPTIVITYIn the end, lit
Page 260 and 261: 226 OUT OF CAPTIVITYeracy. Like nea
Page 262 and 263: 228 OUT OF CAPTIVITYOther people I
Page 264 and 265: NINERuin and RecoverySeptember 2004
Page 266 and 267: 232 OUT OF CAPTIVITYa few kilometer
Page 268 and 269: 234 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthere was some
Page 270 and 271: 236 OUT OF CAPTIVITYof strength som
Page 272 and 273: 238 OUT OF CAPTIVITYShortly after f
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240 OUT OF CAPTIVITYAs much as it s
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242 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwords. One nigh
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244 OUT OF CAPTIVITYFARC having a l
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246 OUT OF CAPTIVITYKeith and Tom s
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248 OUT OF CAPTIVITYas an antenna.
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250 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwere diabolical
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252 OUT OF CAPTIVITYcomrades were a
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254 OUT OF CAPTIVITYColombians had
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256 OUT OF CAPTIVITYof our presence
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258 OUT OF CAPTIVITYGrunts in every
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260 OUT OF CAPTIVITYin this place a
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262 OUT OF CAPTIVITYity. Roosevelt
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264 OUT OF CAPTIVITYone of them had
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266 OUT OF CAPTIVITYrelieve stress.
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268 OUT OF CAPTIVITYstart to finish
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270 OUT OF CAPTIVITYKeith said, and
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272 OUT OF CAPTIVITYKeith shrugged.
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274 OUT OF CAPTIVITYup. The FARC ha
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276 OUT OF CAPTIVITYHe pressed some
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278 OUT OF CAPTIVITYtheir superiors
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280 OUT OF CAPTIVITYbarbed wire and
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282 OUT OF CAPTIVITYknown for manuf
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284 OUT OF CAPTIVITY“If you are e
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286 OUT OF CAPTIVITYboard from a sc
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288 OUT OF CAPTIVITYknow the number
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290 OUT OF CAPTIVITYhim, we saw his
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292 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwas pretty tall
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294 OUT OF CAPTIVITYknew she’d ha
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296 OUT OF CAPTIVITYJust a few mont
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TWELVERunning on EmptyMay 2006-Sept
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300 OUT OF CAPTIVITYbut Tom describ
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302 OUT OF CAPTIVITYbe very differe
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304 OUT OF CAPTIVITYTo top that off
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306 OUT OF CAPTIVITYa good thing. T
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308 OUT OF CAPTIVITYMilton’s “c
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310 OUT OF CAPTIVITYFrom the time S
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312 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwhite water. Ra
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314 OUT OF CAPTIVITYEven in our sle
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316 OUT OF CAPTIVITYUpon hearing th
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318 OUT OF CAPTIVITYtime, you have
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320 OUT OF CAPTIVITYof a captive’
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322 OUT OF CAPTIVITYmen we were wit
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324 OUT OF CAPTIVITYtively harmless
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326 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwas in a comple
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328 OUT OF CAPTIVITYThe heaviest th
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330 OUT OF CAPTIVITYMarc, Tom, and
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332 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwere involved i
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334 OUT OF CAPTIVITYMuddy Waters wo
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336 OUT OF CAPTIVITYbunch guarding
Page 372 and 373:
338 OUT OF CAPTIVITY“What did Mar
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340 OUT OF CAPTIVITYchess players a
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342 OUT OF CAPTIVITYI wasn’t goin
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344 OUT OF CAPTIVITYIngrid had been
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346 OUT OF CAPTIVITY“Yeah, Tom. I
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348 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthat. It seemed
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350 OUT OF CAPTIVITYdirty. We prote
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352 OUT OF CAPTIVITYI detected some
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354 OUT OF CAPTIVITYa large group.
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356 OUT OF CAPTIVITYShe didn’t te
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358 OUT OF CAPTIVITYout both the be
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360 OUT OF CAPTIVITYThe next thing
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362 OUT OF CAPTIVITYhappy? It seeme
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364 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthe cross fire.
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366 OUT OF CAPTIVITYHe didn’t loo
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368 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwho’d wandere
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370 OUT OF CAPTIVITYtor in front of
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FIFTEENPolitics and PawnsAugust 200
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374 OUT OF CAPTIVITYfocused on the
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376 OUT OF CAPTIVITYWe all looked a
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378 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthe FARC wanted
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380 OUT OF CAPTIVITYto focus more a
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382 OUT OF CAPTIVITYfeelings and st
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384 OUT OF CAPTIVITYhad a shot with
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386 OUT OF CAPTIVITYBy offering to
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388 OUT OF CAPTIVITYit, too—the p
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390 OUT OF CAPTIVITYcould let her k
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392 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthose birds hav
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394 OUT OF CAPTIVITY“I know, I do
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396 OUT OF CAPTIVITYchains went on
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398 OUT OF CAPTIVITYall the things
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400 OUT OF CAPTIVITYAs bad as the t
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402 OUT OF CAPTIVITYsaid she believ
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404 OUT OF CAPTIVITYlier. Having Wi
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406 OUT OF CAPTIVITYI did what he a
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408 OUT OF CAPTIVITYby asking for t
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410 OUT OF CAPTIVITYThe weeks follo
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412 OUT OF CAPTIVITYWe all quickly
Page 448 and 449:
414 OUT OF CAPTIVITYLike everybody
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416 OUT OF CAPTIVITYFARC mentioned
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418 OUT OF CAPTIVITYWe were all loa
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420 OUT OF CAPTIVITYtied. I could h
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422 OUT OF CAPTIVITYof the FARC wea
Page 458 and 459:
424 OUT OF CAPTIVITYwoman who was w
Page 460 and 461:
426 OUT OF CAPTIVITYstripped to his
Page 462 and 463:
428 OUT OF CAPTIVITYing to move for
Page 464 and 465:
EIG HTEENHomecomingJuly 2008-Octobe
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432 OUT OF CAPTIVITYThey believed t
Page 468 and 469:
434 OUT OF CAPTIVITY“Unreal. Look
Page 470 and 471:
436 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthing I’d bee
Page 472 and 473:
438 OUT OF CAPTIVITYThis was my fir
Page 474 and 475:
440 OUT OF CAPTIVITYto open the doo
Page 476 and 477:
442 OUT OF CAPTIVITYbook with all k
Page 478 and 479:
444 OUT OF CAPTIVITYgroup was tryin
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446 OUT OF CAPTIVITYhappy he was an
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448 OUT OF CAPTIVITYthat it wasn’
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450 OUT OF CAPTIVITYbefore the acci
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AcknowledgmentsThe three of us lear
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Acknowledgments 455the William Morr
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Acknowledgments 457vived alone. Tom
Page 493 and 494:
CreditsDesigned by Sunil Manchikant
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About the PublisherAustraliaHarperC
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Out of Captivity : Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle

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