Girl Is Missing For Days Before Reappearing With Strange Story For Police
It’s never easy for parents to let a child leave the nest, but it becomes even more difficult when that child moves farther than you expected. When a young Colorado woman packed her bags in search of better opportunities in Los Angeles, all her parents wanted was to stay in touch. One day, however, her texts stopped coming. After hours of worrying, they received a final, chilling message that sent them on an adrenaline-pumping hunt to discover the truth…
Starting Out In Life
After graduating from Colorado State University, Laura Lynne Stacy knew exactly what she wanted to do in life. Taking a job as a real estate agent had long been the goal for this smart dreamer.
Onward And Upward
Laura found immediate success in the local real estate game, but the lure of the luxury markets – and hefty commissions – of California eventually became too much to resist. And so, Laura hopped a plane and made her way to the bright lights and opportunities of Los Angeles.
Constant Contact
Despite being far from home, Laura always made sure to keep in touch with her family and even some of the clients she had worked with during her time in Colorado. Her parents Marcy and Steve didn't mind the distance at first... until one day Laura didn't text back.
Strange Silence
The first unanswered message didn't raise any red flags, but when Marcy's follow-up texts produced no response she knew something wasn't right. Even texts from her siblings and friends in Colorado were met with an eerie and unusual silence.
Not Like Laura
Marcy and Steve waited, hoping that Laura had misplaced or even broken her phone, anything to explain their daughter's lack of communication. Sure enough, Marcy received a text from Laura's phone later that day. But there was just one problem: it wasn't Laura.
30 Miles Away
The individual on the other end of the line explained to the worried parents that they'd found Laura's phone at Golden Valley Park in Santa Clarita, a full 30 miles from Laura's apartment in Los Angeles. This was all Marcy and Steve needed to hear to take action.
No Sign
No sooner did they hang up the phone that the couple raced to Los Angeles. Their fears were confirmed when they visited Laura's apartment to speak with her roommate: she hadn't seen or heard from her since the day before.
Off-Road Search
Laura's parents immediately phoned the police, who, along with several of the missing girl's friends, began a search of the area between Los Angeles and Santa Clarita. They even brought in off-road vehicles, and they didn't stop there...
Eyes In The Sky
The police also deployed a helicopter. The chopper quickly spotted a vehicle matching the description of Laura's parked on the side of a highway in Antelope Valley, but when the search party converged on the car, the missing girl was nowhere to be found.
More Questions
It was Laura's car for sure, but Marcy had no idea what her daughter would be doing on the edge of the Mojave Desert. After breaking into the vehicle, the police found no sign of foul play. Everyone was stumped.
Just A Theory
One theory posited that Laura's car had broken down while she was on her way to show a home. With no auto shops or gas stations for miles, she likely hitched a ride with a passing driver. But that didn't explain everything.
Distance Between
The biggest mystery was the fact that her phone was discovered miles from where her car was found. With her vehicle broken down and no phone to call for help, would this young woman really have taken a chance by getting into a car with a complete stranger?
All A Bad Dream
"It’s been a nightmare and I just want to be woken up from a bad dream," said Marcy after several days of futile searching. "A lot of people love her and [are] praying for her and want her home safely."
Located Alive!
Then, on Wednesday afternoon, the LAPD made a miraculous discovery. Just three days after her disappearance, Laura Stacy was found wandering along the side of a nearby freeway. She appeared in good health, but after speaking with her for just a few moments something seemed... off...
Not Herself
According to police, Laura was out of sorts when they approached her, describing her as "somewhat disoriented" and "confused." Not only that, but it also appeared that she was suffering from exposure, even despite being fully clothed.
Medical Help
Marcy and Steve were quick to rush Laura to the nearest hospital, where doctors went to work evaluating her mental state while also attempting to get to the bottom of her strange disappearance. In the meanwhile, Laura's parents issued a statement thanking those who had aided them in their search.
The Official Statement
"Specifically, we would like to thank the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for their swift response, the LASD Volunteer Search and Rescue team and local volunteers who came out to search," said Marcy.
Time To Heal
In the end, the Stacys have decided to keep the truth behind what happened to their daughter out of the media. Citing their desire to quietly deal with their trauma and the potential medical issues that Laura may face, the family has asked for privacy during this trying time.
Request For Privacy
"Our daughter’s physical condition is currently being evaluated by medical professionals, and we await the results," Marcy and Steve told local reporters. "Our family is not in a position to grant interviews at this time and, as a result, we respectfully request privacy…"
Behind The Wheel
But one questions remains: what really happened to Laura Lynne Stacy? While some believe that an emotional breakdown brought on by the stress of her work may have led to her disappearance, Laura is the only one to truly know what happened on the road that fateful day. But not everyone who gets behind the wheel is as lucky; for one family, a traumatic auto accident almost spelled disaster, but an unexplainable coincidence on the road changed their lives in the most unexpected way.
The Winn Family's Struggles
Residing in Texas, the Winn family were a loving bunch. Their tight-knit bond made them each others' best friends, and this proved beneficial, as they were battling through some seriously hard times.
Joy Without Joy
See, the family matriarch, Joy Winn — mother of four and wife of Alan Winn — had been diagnosed with breast cancer at 43-years-old. The family needed all the love they could get.
All Those Terrible Things
To move forward, it was either fight with everything they had or lose mom for good... and losing wasn't an option. So Joy went through chemo, radiation, and a mastectomy.
Alan Says a Prayer
All of these necessary medical expenses started to pile up and the financial hardships they faced weighed heavily on Alan. Still, he supported Joy the best way he knew how... through his faith.
The Next Problem
After years of treatment, surgeries, and a slow recovery, the Winns received the news they'd been waiting for: the cancer was gone from Joy's body, and they could finally move on with their lives. Unfortunately, the celebration was short lived.
The Winns Lose
Tragically, while still drowning under piles of medical bills, Alan lost his job. Their main source of income went up in smoke. How would the Winns pay back their debt, let alone get back on their feet?
The Hunt
Alan sought out work for over a year, applying to job after job. Resumes went unnoticed; interviews went nowhere. Finally, though, his prayers were answered. He landed a job!
On the Turnpike
But before he started work, one June afternoon, Alan was running errands while driving along the President George Bush Turnpike. All of a sudden, he felt a pain in his chest, which caused him to lose control of his vehicle.
Shoulder Check
His car swerved in and out of the painted lanes as he tried to gain control. In a daze, Alan managed to guide the car off the busy highway, rolling to a stop in the shoulder.
Noticing Something
Traveling alongside Alan, a woman witnessed his erratic driving. Rather than steering clear of harm's way, something in her gut told her that she needed to pull over and assess the situation.
Dial 9-1-1
Upon approaching the car, the woman saw no movement coming from the driver's seat. Alan was unconscious and slumped over the steering wheel. Shocked, she immediately called emergency services.
The Good Samaritan
The Good Samaritan waited five minutes for the EMTs to arrive as she tried to bring Alan back to consciousness. If they didn't arrive soon, he'd die.
Lethal Conditions
Indeed, the newly employed father had had a massive heart attack caused by a 100% blocked coronary artery on his left side — a condition that was usually lethal.
In an Effort to Save a Life...
Paramedics pulled Alan off the steering wheel and onto the ground. They began to perform CPR in an attempt to restart his heart and save his life.
Left Behind
The EMTs were able to successfully get his heart to beat once more. But because he still needed prompt medical attention, they rushed him to the nearest hospital, leaving the heroic woman behind.
Blurred
While in the ICU, Alan finally came through, surrounded by his family. His memory was blank. "I don’t remember anything that happened," he said. "I mean, it’s just kind of a blur." However, one key memory stood out.
Return of the Good Samaritan
It was then that Joy and Alan learned of the Good Samaritan who had stopped and bravely, yet calmly, contacted the emergency services that saved Alan's life. Joy and Alan were determined to find her.
Searching for a Hero
Alan's children then contacted the police in an effort to obtain the woman's name, but officers weren't able to disclose her personal information. Unwilling to give up, they turned to social media in an attempt to track her down.
Mrs. Amy Rodriquez
The Facebook post requesting information on this mystery woman went viral. In no time at all, Joy had the name and number of an Amy Rodriquez, a wife, and mother herself, who deserved more thanks than the Winns could give.
The Right Road
It turns out that Amy had also been wondering about the man in the vehicle that day. So, after a phone call, Amy was at the hospital and embracing the Winns, completely ecstatic that Alan was on the road to recovery.
A Big Thanks
In the following days, the Winns also tracked down the police, fire service, and EMTs that played a part in resuscitating Alan. If it weren't for Amy's actions, who knows what would have happened. Alan said, "She's an angel. An angel that saved my life." Medical professionals used this time to urge people to look out for certain signs of deteriorating health.
What the Winns Missed
To prevent situations like the Winn families', doctors suggest staying on top of your health. It's important to pay attention to the signs our bodies give to indicate that something isn't quite right. These subtle signals your body sends, if properly recognized, could end up saving your life.
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