Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry (2010–…): Season 2, Episode 21 - Nabella Henry - full transcript

Narrator:
ACCORDING TO MUSLIM TRADITION,

NABELA HENRY
WAS DESTINED TO MARRY YOUNG.

SO EVEN WHEN HER PARENTS
PICKED A MAN NABELA DESPISED,

SHE HONORED THEIR WISHES.

Henry: I WAS JUST CRYING,
AND I WAS SCARED.

EVERYTHING WAS JUST WRONG.

Narrator: BUT JUST WHEN NABELA
THOUGHT SHE HAD FOUND A WAY OUT,

HER HUSBAND WOULD DO
THE UNTHINKABLE.

SAAD WAS PUNISHING HER.
HE DIDN'T WANT HER TO BE HAPPY.

Narrator:
SAAD'S ACTIONS WOULD SEND NABELA

ON A MISSION OF A LIFETIME.



YOU FEEL THIS GREAT FEAR THAT
ANY MOMENT WE COULD BE CAUGHT.

Henry: WE KNEW THERE WAS A
CHANCE THAT I WOULD GO TO JAIL,

BUT THAT WAS A RISK
I WAS WILLING TO TAKE.

Narrator: WHEN IT COMES
TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS
AS THEY SEEM.

GROWING UP, NABELA HENRY

ALWAYS KNEW
WHAT HER DESTINY WOULD BE.

MY DAD IS LEBANESE,
AND MY MOM IS EGYPTIAN.

THEY'RE BOTH MUSLIMS.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR PARENTS
WANT YOU TO FOLLOW

THE ARAB BACKGROUND,
THE MUSLIM BACKGROUND.

SO WE ALWAYS KNEW WE WERE
GONNA GET MARRIED YOUNG.

Langley:
WE WENT TO SCHOOL, CAME BACK,

HELPED OUT
WITH THE FAMILY BUSINESS.



BUT THE PRIORITY WAS TO GET US
MARRIED AND GET US OUT.

Narrator: BY AUGUST OF 1986,

16-YEAR OLD NABELA

WAS A HIGH-SCHOOL SOPHOMORE
LIVING IN MIAMI,

WELL AWARE THAT HER SINGLE DAYS
WERE NUMBERED.

Henry:
I WAS AT A BIRTHDAY PARTY.

IT WAS SOME ARAB FRIENDS
OF MY MOM'S.

AND MY PARENTS ALWAYS TAUGHT US

YOU PICK UP AROUND
AND YOU CLEAN UP.

Narrator:
SO, WHILE THE PARTY CONTINUED,

NABELA BROUGHT DISHES
INTO THE EMPTY KITCHEN

AND QUICKLY REALIZED
THAT SHE WASN'T ALONE.

Henry:
AS I'M WASHING DISHES,

I COULD FEEL SOMEBODY
STARING AT ME.

AND I FINALLY TURNED AROUND
TO LOOK,

AND IT WAS THIS GUY,
STANDING ON THE SIDE.

AND HE WAS DRINKING,
AND HE WAS STARING.

Narrator:
THE MAN WAS A 28-YEAR-OLD

LEBANESE COMPUTER ENGINEER
NAMED SAAD.

AND WHEN NABELA'S PHONE RANG
THE FOLLOWING DAY,

HIS INTENTIONS BECAME CLEAR.

Henry: I REMEMBER MY MOM GETTING
A PHONE CALL IN THE KITCHEN.

"OH, THIS NICE GUY.
HE'S AN ENGINEER.

HE ASKED, YOU KNOW, THAT HE
WOULD LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU,"

AND, YOU KNOW...

I PLEADED WITH MY PARENTS,
ESPECIALLY MY MOM,

THAT I DON'T WANT TO MEET HIM.

I WASN'T ATTRACTED TO HIM.

BUT, YOU KNOW,

MY PARENTS THOUGHT
THAT HE HAD GOOD POTENTIAL.

BUT I COULDN'T SEE
ME FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM.

Narrator:
BUT SAAD WASN'T EASILY DETERRED.

AND BEFORE LONG, HE SHOWED UP
ON NABELA'S DOORSTEP

WITH THE BIGGEST, REDDEST APPLES
THE FAMILY HAD EVER SEEN.

EVERY DAY, HE JUST STARTED
COMING OVER MY PARENT'S HOUSE.

AND I USED TO FEEL SO MAD
BECAUSE I HATED TO SEE HIM.

I FELT LIKE HE WAS BOTHERING ME
EVERY DAY.

HE LIVED AN HOUR AWAY,

AND HE ACTED LIKE
HE LIVED AROUND THE CORNER.

Narrator: BY THE SPRING OF 1987,
NABELA'S WEDDING DATE WAS SET.

Henry: SAAD NEVER ASKED ME
TO MARRY HIM.

IT JUST HAPPENED, YOU KNOW?

I KNOW THAT I COULDN'T
GET THROUGH TO HIM.

I DIDN'T GET THROUGH TO MY MOM.

AND I WASN'T GONNA TALK
TO MY DAD.

IT WAS LIKE
EVERYTHING THAT I DID

DIDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Narrator: THAT AUGUST,

17-YEAR-OLD NABELA
WED 29-YEAR-OLD SAAD

IN A WEDDING CEREMONY
OUTSIDE OF MIAMI.

OUR WEDDING WAS A BLUR.

I REMEMBER MY MOM TELLING ME
TO SMILE,

BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S GONNA THINK
SOMETHING'S WRONG.

AND I REMEMBER TALKING TO HER
IN MY HEAD,

SAYING,
"THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG."

Narrator: IT WAS FAR
FROM THE WEDDING OF HER DREAMS,

BUT THE NEW BRIDE HAD NO IDEA OF
THE TEARS THAT WERE YET TO COME.

[ WOMAN VOCALIZING ]

FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS,

NABELA WOULD BE DESPERATE
TO GET AWAY FROM SAAD,

BUT ONE DAY,
THE TABLES WOULD SUDDENLY TURN.

ON HALLOWEEN WEEKEND OF 1993,

SAAD COMPLETELY VANISHED
FROM NABELA'S LIFE,

AND SHE WOULD STOP AT NOTHING
TO TRACK HIM DOWN.

I WAS REALLY SCARED.

I WAS PANICKED.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

SO I CALLED THE POLICE.

AND THEY JUST SAID
THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME.

Narrator: NABELA HENRY WAS ABOUT
TO FACE HER WORST NIGHTMARE.

WOULD SHE EVER SEE
HER HUSBAND AGAIN?

Henry:
I WOULD NEVER HAVE THOUGHT

THAT HE WOULD DO SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.

IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE
SHE DIDN'T CARE WHAT IT TOOK.

BELA WOULD HAVE RISKED ANYTHING.

Narrator:
BY THE FALL OF 1987,

SIX YEARS BEFORE HER HUSBAND
WOULD SUDDENLY VANISH,

MARRIED LIFE
ALREADY FELT LIKE PRISON

FOR 17-YEAR-OLD NABELA HENRY.

SHE HAD NEVER BEEN ATTRACTED
TO SAAD

AND WAS FAR FROM THE DOTING,
DOMESTICATED WIFE HE EXPECTED.

WHEN I FIRST GOT MARRIED,
I WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL,

SO I DIDN'T GET TO SEE HIM
THAT MUCH, WHICH WAS GREAT.

YOU KNOW, I WASN'T THINKING
ABOUT BEING A WIFE OR ANYTHING.

Narrator:
NABELA SOON FOUND OUT

THAT SHE NEEDED A FEW EXTRA
CREDITS TO GRADUATE ON TIME,

SO SHE ENROLLED IN NIGHT SCHOOL
AND SAVORED THE TIME AWAY.

BASICALLY, IT'S LIKE
HAVING A DOUBLE LIFE.

BECAUSE I DIDN'T WEAR MY RING
TO SCHOOL.

I DIDN'T TELL NOBODY
I WAS MARRIED.

I EVEN WOULD HANG

WITH ONE OF THE GIRLS THAT I MET
AFTER SCHOOL,

AND IT WAS LIKE BEING NORMAL.

Narrator: BUT WHEN SAAD FOUND
OUT ABOUT HIS WIFE'S NEW FRIEND,

HE WAS LESS THAN THRILLED.

Henry:
ONE NIGHT, I COME HOME,

AND MY PARENTS ARE THERE
IN MY HOUSE WITH SAAD,

AND THAT'S WHEN THEY TELL ME

THAT THEY DON'T THINK
I SHOULD GO TO SCHOOL NO MORE

AND, "YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE
NO SAY-SO IN THE MATTER."

I'M JUST, LIKE, LOOKING AT THEM,

AND THAT WAS THEIR DECISION,
AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

Narrator:
NABELA DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL,

AND OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS,
HER PARENTS

KEPT A WATCHFUL EYE
ON THEIR DAUGHTER

BY EMPLOYING HER
AT THE FAMILY FLEA MARKET.

BY JANUARY OF 1989,
IT SEEMED THEIR EFFORT PAID OFF,

AS NABELA AND SAAD

WELCOMED THEIR FIRST CHILD
INTO THE WORLD.

Henry:
AFTER RAMZY WAS BORN,

THE EXCITEMENT KICKED IN
WITH THIS NEW, LITTLE BABY

AND BEING BUSY WITH HIM.

YOU KNOW,
IT BROUGHT ME HAPPINESS.

I MEAN, IT WAS EASIER
ADJUSTING TO MOTHERHOOD

THAN MARRIAGE, YOU KNOW?

Narrator: LIFE GOT EVEN BUSIER
IN JUNE OF 1991

WHEN NABELA DELIVERED
A BABY GIRL NAMED NORA.

I JUST FELL SO IN LOVE WITH HER.

I MEAN,
IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW.

I'M GONNA TAKE THESE TWO KIDS,
AND I'M GONNA MAKE A LIFE.

Narrator:
BY NORA'S FIRST BIRTHDAY,

THE SPARK FOR HER HUSBAND
STILL WASN'T THERE.

FINALLY, NABELA TOLD HIM
SHE WANTED A SEPARATION.

Henry: I TOLD SAAD, "I'VE BEEN
WITH YOU FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS.

"I'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN HAPPY.

"I TRY TO MAKE IT WORK.

"I TRY TO BE HAPPY FOR THE KIDS.

BUT I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE
PRETENDING NO MORE."

AND I STILL FELT BAD

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
HERE I AM, BREAKING UP A FAMILY.

Narrator:
JUST THREE WEEKS LATER,

SAAD LOST HIS JOB

AND WAS FORCED TO TAKE A
TEMPORARY POSITION IN COLORADO,

OVER 2,000 MILES AWAY.

HE PLEADED WITH NABELA
TO JOIN HIM.

SIX MONTHS LATER, SAAD FLEW HOME

TO FIND THAT NOTHING HAD CHANGED
FOR NABELA.

IN JUNE OF 1993,

HE HIRED A LAWYER
TO BEGIN DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS,

BUT THERE WAS A CATCH.

Henry: HE SAID HE WANTS
FULL CUSTODY AND CHILD SUPPORT.

I TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS AMERICA,

THAT THEY TRY TO BRING
A MOTHER AND A CHILD TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, I'M SURE HE KNEW THAT
HE WAS NOT GONNA GET THE KIDS.

Narrator: NABELA DECIDED
TO SETTLE THE MATTER IN COURT.

IN THE MEANTIME, SHE AND SAAD

SPLIT THEIR TIME
WITH THE CHILDREN.

THE KIDS WERE WITH ME
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

BECAUSE RAMZY HAD SCHOOL.

SO, I TOLD SAAD, "FRIDAY NIGHT,

"YOU CAN PICK RAMZY UP
FROM SCHOOL AND NORA FROM ME,

AND THEN YOU CAN KEEP THEM
UNTIL SUNDAY."

AND, YOU KNOW, SAAD AND I
WOULD SPEAK ON THE PHONE

ABOUT WHERE WE WOULD MEET UP
FOR HIM TO PICK UP THE KIDS,

BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT HIM
TO KNOW WHERE I LIVED.

Narrator: NABELA WAS SURE
SHE HAD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.

SAAD, HOWEVER, WAS FAR FROM
PLEASED WITH THE ARRANGEMENT,

AND BY HALLOWEEN WEEKEND,

HE HAD ANOTHER PLAN IN STORE
FOR NABELA.

WE STARTED TO PANIC.
WE CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM.

THE HOUSE PHONE'S NOT WORKING.
OH, MY GOD.

Narrator: NABELA WAS
ABOUT TO LOSE EVERYTHING.

I WAS JUST HYSTERICAL, CRYING.

I WISH HE WOULD HAVE TRIED
TO KILL ME.

AT LEAST I WOULD HAVE HAD
A FIGHTING CHANCE.

Narrator:
BY HALLOWEEN WEEKEND OF 1993,

NABELA HENRY
AND HER HUSBAND, SAAD,

WERE SHARING CUSTODY
OF THEIR CHILDREN

AND MOVING FORWARD
WITH A DIVORCE.

AFTER SAAD GOT OFF OF WORK,

HE COMES, PICKS UP NORA
FROM MY JOB FIRST.

AND THEN HE'LL GO GET RAMZY,

AND THEN HE'LL TAKE THEM
FOR THE WEEKEND.

Narrator: BUT THAT FRIDAY,

WHEN SAAD STOPPED BY
AROUND 6:00 P.M.,

IT SEEMED THAT SOMETHING ELSE
WAS ON HIS MIND.

Henry: HE LOOKS DOWN,
AND HE SAYS TO ME,

"ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?"

AND I SAYS TO HIM,
"I'M VERY HAPPY.

YOU CAN LEAVE NOW."

AND THE WAY HE STARED AT ME,

I JUST FELT
SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.

Narrator: ON SUNDAY,
OCTOBER 31st, AT 5:00 P.M.,

NABELA CALLED SAAD
TO ARRANGE A PICKUP LOCATION,

BUT HER CALL WENT UNANSWERED.

Langley:
WE CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM.

THE HOUSE PHONE'S NOT WORKING.
OH, MY GOD.

WE CALLED EVERYONE...

EVERYBODY THAT HE KNEW
AND HER FRIENDS...

AND NOBODY'S SEEN THEM.

BY 7:00, I CALLED THE POLICE.

BY THEN,
I WAS JUST HYSTERICAL, CRYING.

YOU KNOW, HE TOOK MY KIDS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

AND THEY'RE LIKE, "WHO IS HE?"

AND WHEN I TELL THEM
THAT HE'S THE FATHER

AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE
NO CUSTODY ORDER IN PLACE YET,

THEY SAID, "THERE'S NOTHING YOU
CAN DO. THAT'S THEIR FATHER."

Narrator: NABELA HAD NO IDEA
WHAT TO DO NEXT

UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY

WHEN SHE GOT IN TOUCH
WITH SAAD'S BEST FRIEND.

I ASKED HIM,
"HAVE YOU HEARD FROM SAAD?"

AND HE SAYS
HE HASN'T HEARD FROM HIM,

BUT HE'S RECEIVED A LETTER
FROM HIM.

AND IN THE LETTER, HE SAYS

EITHER HE TAKES THE CHILDREN
TO LEBANON OR HE KILLS ME.

SO, HE JUST TOOK THE CHILDREN.

I WISH HE WOULD HAVE TRIED
TO KILL ME.

AT LEAST I WOULD HAVE HAD
A FIGHTING CHANCE.

Narrator: NABELA KNEW THAT GETTING
THE CHILDREN BACK FROM LEBANON

WOULD BE NO EASY FEAT.

LEBANON IS NOT PART
OF THE HAGUE TREATY.

THEY DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE
ANY COURT ORDERS FROM THE U.S.

AND THEY WILL NOT HELP YOU

WITH GETTING BACK THE CHILDREN
OR ANY OTHER ISSUE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING,
"HOW AM I GONNA GET OVER THERE,

AND HOW AM I GONNA GET MY KIDS?"

Narrator: NABELA CALLED
THE U.S. EMBASSY IN LEBANON

BUT WAS TOLD ALL THEY COULD DO

WAS CHECK TO MAKE SURE
THE CHILDREN WERE OKAY.

Henry: A WEEK LATER,
THEY CONTACTED ME BACK,

AND THEY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW,
MY KIDS ARE ENROLLED IN A SCHOOL

AND THEY'RE FINE.

AND THEN SAAD CALLED ME.

WE DIDN'T SPEAK
ABOUT HIM TAKING THE CHILDREN.

I COULDN'T GET MAD WITH HIM.
I COULDN'T SHOW HIM ANGER.

BECAUSE I HAD TO TALK
TO MY KIDS.

YOU KNOW, I HAD TO KEEP
EVERYTHING NICE.

Narrator: MEANWHILE,
NABELA CONTINUED TO CALL U.S. AUTHORITIES

AND WAS ABLE
TO TALK TO HER CHILDREN

NEARLY EVERY OTHER WEEK.

BUT AS THE MONTHS
DRAGGED ON,

PROGRESS ONLY CAME

IN THE FORM OF A FINALIZED
DIVORCE FROM SAAD,

AND SHE WAS GRANTED FULL CUSTODY
OF THE KIDS,

SHOULD THEY EVER RETURN.

NABELA WAS
RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE.

SOMETIMES YOU LOSE HOPE.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE HOPE.

BUT, YOU KNOW,
I KEPT MAKING PHONE CALLS

TO ANYBODY THAT WOULD LISTEN.

IT SEEMED LIKE WHATEVER SHE DID,
THERE WAS A ROADBLOCK.

WHAT WAS SHE GONNA DO NOW?

Narrator:
BY THE WINTER OF 1995,

TWO LONG YEARS
AFTER HER CHILDREN WERE TAKEN,

NABELA FINALLY RECEIVED THE
BREAK SHE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR

WHEN SHE REACHED OUT
TO AN ORGANIZATION

THAT SPECIALIZES
IN CASES LIKE HER OWN.

Miller: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
FOR LOST CHILDREN

IS A NONPROFIT CHARITY

THAT FINDS AND RESCUES
MISSING CHILDREN

AT NO COST TO THE PARENTS.

NABELA CONTACTED ME

ABOUT HER TWO CHILDREN
THAT WERE MISSING,

AND I WAS WILLING
TO HELP HER AND LOOK INTO IT.

Henry: MARK SAID HE THINKS HE
CAN HELP ME. I WAS SO EXCITED.

I MEAN, I WASN'T 100% SURE
IF WE CAN GET MY KIDS BACK,

BUT WE WERE WORKING
ON SOMETHING.

Narrator:
BY THE FOLLOWING AUGUST,

MARK MILLER AND HIS ASSOCIATE,
PATRICIA MOORE,

HAD DEVISED A PLAN.

IN LATE OCTOBER, THEY WOULD
TRAVEL WITH NABELA TO LEBANON

AND ATTEMPT
TO RETRIEVE THE CHILDREN

IN A DANGEROUS COVERT OPERATION.

Moore:
FOR US, GOING INTO LEBANON

MEANT THAT WE WERE REALLY
PUTTING OUR LIVES IN DANGER.

Henry: WE KNEW WE WERE
TAKING A CHANCE ON BEING THERE.

WE KNEW IT WAS RISKY.

AND WE ALSO KNEW THERE WAS A
CHANCE THAT I WOULD GO TO JAIL.

BUT THAT WAS A RISK
I WAS WILLING TO TAKE.

[ WOMAN VOCALIZING ]

Narrator: ON OCTOBER 27th,
THE TRIO ARRIVED IN BEIRUT

AND, EARLY THE NEXT MORNING,

TOOK A CAB
TO THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.

WHEN THEY ARRIVED,

NABELA AND PAT RUSHED
INTO THE CROWDED SCHOOL YARD

SEARCHING FOR THE CHILDREN.

Henry: I START ASKING THE KIDS
THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE AROUND 7,

"DO YOU KNOW RAMZY?
DO YOU KNOW RAMZY?"

AND MAYBE THE FOURTH
OR FIFTH CHILD...

SHE SAYS TO ME, "YEAH.
I KNOW HIM. THERE HE GOES."

AND WHEN I LOOK, HE'S LOOKING
DOWN INTO HIS BOOKBAG.

SO I WALK UP TO HIM,
AND I'M LIKE, "RAMZY."

AND HE LOOKS UP, AND I'M LIKE,
"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?"

AND HE GOES, "YEAH... MOMMY."

Moore:
SHE JUST GRABS HIS HAND,

AND WE JUST CONTINUE OUR PACE
IN OUR WALK.

NABELA PUT RAMSEY
IN THE BACK SEAT WITH MARK,

AND AT THIS POINT
OUR FEAR LEVEL HAS QUADRUPLED.

WE COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN.
WE DON'T KNOW.

BUT WE KNOW
THAT WE'RE GONNA GO FIND NORA.

Narrator: NABELA'S MISSION
TO RETRIEVE THE CHILDREN

WAS FAR FROM OVER,

AND DISASTER COULD BE
RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

AND I'M LIKE, "PAT,
IS SHE COMING? DID SHE SEE US?"

AND SHE'S LIKE,
"JUST GO, GO, GO!"

WE'VE GOT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD
TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY,

AND I STARTED TO THINK
THAT WE MAY NOT MAKE IT BACK.

Narrator:
ON OCTOBER 28th, 1996,

NABELA HENRY WAS IN THE MIDST
OF A DANGEROUS MISSION

TO RETRIEVE HER CHILDREN
FROM LEBANON.

WITH HER SON, RAMZY,
SAFELY IN THE TAXI,

NABELA AND PAT MOORE
RETURNED TO THE SCHOOL

TO FIND NABELA'S DAUGHTER.

Henry: THE PRINCIPAL JUST HAPPENS
TO WALK OUT OF THE SCHOOL.

AND SHE'S LIKE,
"HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"

SO, I'M LIKE,
"I'M LOOKING FOR MY DAUGHTER

BECAUSE I HAVE TO GIVE HER
LUNCH MONEY."

SHE SAYS, "OKAY."

BY THEN,
SHE'S IN HER LITTLE OFFICE.

Moore:
AT THAT MOMENT, THE PRINCIPAL

HAD TO GET UP
AND LEAVE THE BUILDING.

AND WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED,

NABELA DIDN'T ASK
ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL.

SHE GOT UP AND STARTED WALKING
DOWN THE HALLWAY,

WHERE WE SAW A DOOR OPEN.

Henry:
I STEPPED TO THE SIDE,

AND I ASKED
THIS THIRD LITTLE CHILD,

"DO YOU KNOW NORA?"

AND SHE TURNS AROUND, AND SHE
GOES, "YEAH, THERE SHE GOES."

RIGHT BEHIND HER.

I JUST LOOK. I'M LIKE, "NORA."
SHE LOOKS UP. THAT'S MY GIRL.

Moore: NORA LOOKED UP,
AND SHE SAID, "MOMMY."

AND SHE HADN'T SEEN MOMMY
IN THREE YEARS.

SO, NABELA JUST PICKED HER UP,
JUST GRABBED HER.

Henry: PAT IS, LIKE,
PUSHING MY BACK... "GO, GO, GO."

AND MY KNEES
ARE JUST ABOUT TO GIVE WAY.

YOU FEEL THIS GREAT FEAR
THAT SOMEONE IS BEHIND YOU.

SO, BY THE TIME
WE GOT TO THE CAR,

THERE'S THIS FEELING
OF ACCOMPLISHMENT,

BUT YOUR STORY'S NOT DONE YET.

Narrator: KNOWING THAT
THEY HAD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY

BEFORE SAAD FOUND OUT,

THE GROUP QUICKLY MADE THEIR WAY
TO THE AIRPORT.

MARK AND PAT... THEY KEPT TRYING
NOT TO MAKE ME WORRY.

LIKE, THEY KEPT SAYING,

"TALK TO THE KIDS.
DON'T LET THEM BE WORRIED."

SO I WOULD TURN AROUND.
AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THEM.

AND I KISSED THEM,
BUT I'M SO SCARED.

Narrator: AT THE AIRPORT,

MARK AND PAT BOUGHT FIVE TICKETS
TO PARIS, FRANCE...

THE ONLY AVAILABLE FLIGHT
OUT OF BEIRUT THAT DAY.

THEY TOLD NABELA THEY WOULD
HAVE TO GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.

WE DECIDED THE BEST THING
FOR ALL OF US WAS TO SEPARATE.

Miller: PATRICIA AND I ARE GONNA
GO TOGETHER LIKE WE'RE A COUPLE,

AND NABELA AND HER CHILDREN
WOULD BE ON A SEPARATE LINE.

Narrator: BUT AS NABELA WENT
THROUGH CUSTOMS WITH THE CHILDREN,

EVERYTHING CAME
TO A SCREECHING HALT.

Henry:
THEY LOOK AT OUR PASSPORTS.

AND HE LOOKS AGAIN,
AND THEN HE WAS LIKE,

"WHY AREN'T THE KIDS'
PASSPORTS STAMPED?"

"YOU CAME IN LAST NIGHT, RIGHT?"
AND THEN I SAYS, "YES."

AND I'M TRYING TO ACT
LIKE EVERYTHING IS FINE.

Miller: I ASKED PAT IF SHE COULD
WALK AROUND THE CORNER

AND JUST GLANCE DOWN
AT THE CHECKPOINT.

AND, SO, THEN SHE COME BACK,
AND SHE SAID

THAT NABELA IS STILL THERE
TALKING TO THE GUY.

Henry:
I'M, LIKE, DYING INSIDE.

YOU KNOW, SCARED, SHAKING.

AND THEY'RE ON THE PHONE,
AND I HEAR HIM SAYING,

"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
SHE CAME IN LAST NIGHT."

AND ALL I KNOW IS HE SAYS,

"IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE THE PLANE,
YOU BETTER HURRY UP AND RUN."

COME ON. LET'S GO.

Narrator: MOMENTS LATER,
ALL FIVE OF THEM

BOARDED THE PLANE
BOUND FOR PARIS.

WHEN THE PLANE TOOK OFF,
WE CRIED.

WE CRIED.
AND WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

AND THAT'S WHEN RAMZY ASKS ME,
"MOM, WHY ARE YOU CRYING?"

Abdo: SHE SAID THAT SHE'S CRYING
BECAUSE SHE'S HAPPY.

THAT'S MY ONE CRYSTAL-CLEAR
MEMORY OF THE PLANE.

Narrator:
THE FOLLOWING DAY,

WHEN THEY ARRIVED
BACK IN THE STATES,

THE GROUP COULDN'T BELIEVE THE
CELEBRATION THAT AWAITED THEM.

MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS THERE.

YOU WERE SURROUNDED
BY SO MANY PEOPLE

THAT ARE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU,

SO IT WAS DEFINITELY
A GOOD FEELING.

Narrator: ON OCTOBER 30th,

ONLY TWO DAYS AFTER
SHE LEFT LEBANON WITH THE KIDS,

NABELA RECEIVED A PHONE CALL
FROM SAAD.

HE WAS CRYING,

SAYING HE CAN'T EAT
AND HE CAN'T SLEEP.

AND I TOLD HIM, "I KNOW.

"I KNOW YOU CAN'T EAT,
I KNOW YOU CAN'T SLEEP,

BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT I WENT THROUGH."

Narrator: NABELA FEARED THAT SAAD
MIGHT RETURN FOR THE CHILDREN,

SO SHE KEPT HER EYES ON THEM
AT ALL TIMES.

Abdo: SHE WAS SCARED.
SHE WAS UNNERVED.

SHE WASN'T SURE
WHAT COULD HAPPEN.

SO WE WERE LOVED AND SMOTHERED.

BUT WE WEREN'T COMPLAINING
BECAUSE WE WANTED THAT, TOO.

Narrator: TODAY, NABELA HENRY
IS HAPPILY REMARRIED

AND NOW THE MOTHER OF FOUR.

Henry: I MET MY HUSBAND,
MICHAEL, AT WORK,

AND HE WAS JUST A NICE GUY.

AND RAMZY AND NORA HAVE
SO MUCH RESPECT FOR MICHAEL.

THAT'S THEIR DAD.

Narrator: NOW IN THEIR 20s
AND BOTH ENROLLED IN COLLEGE,

RAMZY AND NORA
ARE HAPPY, HEALTHY,

AND STILL THE LIGHT
OF THEIR MOTHER'S EYE.

THEY'RE VERY CLOSE,
AND I'M VERY CLOSE TO THEM,

AND I WOULD DO ANYTHING
FOR THEM.

THEY KNOW THAT.
THERE'S NOTHING I WOULDN'T DO.

MY MOM IS DEFINITELY
ME AND MY SISTER'S HERO.

YOU KNOW,
FOR WHAT SHE DID FOR US,

WE CAN NEVER REPAY HER.

Narrator: EVEN THOUGH SAAD
NEVER RETURNED FOR THE CHILDREN,

THE HURT STILL LINGERS.

BUT NABELA IS SURE
OF ONE THING...

CUSTOMS OF THE PAST
HAVE NO PLACE IN HER FUTURE.

I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD CHOOSE
WHO THEY WANT TO IN LIFE,

DESPITE RACE, RELIGION,
ANYTHING.

ONLY YOU KNOW
WHO YOU CAN CLICK WITH.

AND I JUST FEEL GLAD
I GOT TO PICK MY OWN.