Dan Girsch News Today

prisoners. a mother and son kidnapped by terrorists. >> we need 10 million u.s. dollars for the release of your family. >> 10 million? from me? are you losing your mind? >> a harrowing international hostage drama. >> its a big operation, its not this ragtag group of people. >> anything can happen, there are no guarantees. >> kind of father turned negotiator help bring them home. >> we prepared him for the worst. >> i am getting so worried. >> a lot of people were praying for them. a lo...

>> and this is dateline. >> i just cant imagine to be held in captivity. >> dad, just send the money. thats all they want. >> they have an american kid. a 14-year-old kid in the middle of the jungle. theyre thinking they have the jackpot. >> they were vacationers turned prisoners. a mother and son, kidnapped by terrorists. >> we need 10 million u.s. dollars for the release of your family. >> 10 million, from me? are you losing your mind? >> a harrowing international hostage drama. >> t...

Agent, dan girsch, was astonished. >> we received tremendous news that gerfa was released. heiko was excited. i could see and hear just joy. heiko could scarcely believe it was a news flash across the philippines. his wife gerfa was alive and free and safe. so, inexplicable joy. and then gerfa called him and heiko realized the nightmare was just beginning. >> she called me really sad, and crying. my first question was, where is kevin? >> he could hear the terror and her voice. abu sayyaf still h...

About kevin at all. >> just a terrible feeling. youre feeling helpless, totally helpless. useless. just sitting here, and hope for the best. >> that very day, halfway around the world, gerfa got word the fbi wanted to see her immediately. she rushed to the hotel. >> when i opened the door, everybody was looking at me so quiet, just staring at me. like, oh, something happened. something happened to kevin. >> an fbi agent was holding a phone. on the line, the mayor of a small town off the island. ...

>> its just a terrible feeling. youre feeling helpless, totally helpless, useless. im just sittin here and hope the best. >> reporter: that very day, half-way around the world, gerfa got word that the fbi wanted to see her immediately. she rushed to the hotel room. >> when i opened the door, everybody was looking at me so quiet. just stare at me. it was like, oh something happened, something happened to kevin. >> reporter: an fbi agent was holding a phone. on the line, the mayor of a small town ...

Even veteran fbi agent dan girsch was astonished. >> we received the tremendous news that gerfa was released. obviously, heikos very excited. i could see and hear just joy. joy. >> reporter: heiko could scarcely believe it. as the news flashed across the philippines and to lynchburg, virginia. his wife, gerfa, was alive. and free. and safe. so, inexpressible joy. and then gerfa called him. and heiko realized the nightmare was just beginning. >> she called me really, really sad and crying. so my ...

>> reporter: on the 9th of december 2011 heiko lunsmann sat in his barren kitchen in a sink-hole of despair. his fbi friends with their notes and equipment were long gone. in a manila hotel room now, with his wife who had no news about kevin at all. >> its just a terrible feeling. youre feeling helpless, totally helpless, useless. im just sitting here and hope the best. >> reporter: that very day, half-way around the world, gerfa got word that the fbi wanted to see her immediately. she rushed to...

December 2011 heiko lunsmann sat in his barren kitchen in a sink-hole of despair. his fbi friends with their notes and equipment were long gone. in a manila hotel room now, with his wife who had no news about kevin at all. >> its just a terrible feeling. youre feeling helpless, totally helpless, useless. im just sitting here and hope the best. >> reporter: that very day, half-way around the world, gerfa got word that the fbi wanted to see her immediately. she rushed to the hotel room. >> when i ...

In a manila hotel room now, with his wife who had no news about kevin at all. >> its just a terrible feeling. youre feeling helpless, totally helpless, useless. im just sitting here and hope the best. >> reporter: that very day, half-way around the world, gerfa got word that the fbi wanted to see her immediately. she rushed to the hotel room. >> when i opened the door, everybody was looking at me so quiet. just stare at me. i was like, "oh, something happened. something happened to kevin." >> re...

The best. >> reporter: that very day, half-way around the world, gerfa got word that the fbi wanted to see her immediately. she rushed to the hotel room. >> when i opened the door, everybody was looking at me so quiet. just stare at me. it was like, oh something happened, something happened to kevin. >> reporter: an fbi agent was holding a phone. on the line, the mayor of a small town on basilan island. its for you, the agent told gerfa. >> the mayor said, mrs. lunsmann? i was like, yeah? kevin ...