Wives with Knives (2012–…): Season 3, Episode 6 - Stranger in My Home - full transcript
I DO.
Narrator: WHEN A SUBURBAN MOTHER'S
PERFECT MARRIAGE FALLS APART...
YOU WERE THE ONE
WHO WANTED THESE KIDS.
THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH
THE END RIGHT THERE.
Narrator:
...SHE FALLS RECKLESSLY IN LOVE
WITH A HANDSOME STRANGER
AND COMES FACE-TO-FACE
WITH THE DEVIL HIMSELF.
I FELT LIKE I WAS COMPLETELY,
ABSOLUTELY TRAPPED.
Narrator:
IT'S A HELL SHE CAN'T ESCAPE.
[ WHIMPERS ]
SHE'D ACTUALLY WAKE UP
SCREAMING.
Narrator: AND NEITHER CAN
THOSE AROUND HER.
I CAN'T EXPLAIN
WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
Narrator: NOT ALL FAIRY TALES
HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS.
[ WOMAN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY ]
WHEN LOVE GOES WRONG,
A WOMAN CAN DO THE UNTHINKABLE.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
IT'S A BIG DAY FOR 27-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH ELLEN JOHNSON,
KNOWN TO EVERYONE AS LIZ.
IN JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS,
SHE WILL BECOME
MRS. MICHAEL MILLER.
DAD,
YOU LOOK AMAZING.
YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL.
Elizabeth: THE BIG DEAL,
THE BIG WEDDING AT THE COUNTRY CLUB -
I THINK THAT WENT BACK
TO THE APPROVAL FROM MOM
TO GET MARRIED, HAVE KIDS,
AND DO
THE MORE RESPECTABLE THING.
THANK YOU, MOM.
Narrator: LIZ GREW UP
THE YOUNGEST OF FOUR CHILDREN
IN A MILITARY FAMILY.
HER FATHER
WAS A JAG CORPS OFFICER,
AND HER MOTHER
RAN THE HOUSEHOLD.
MOM,
YOU LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL.
YOU DO.
Elizabeth: SHE VERY MUCH ENJOYED
BEING A MILITARY WIFE,
HAD THE COCKTAIL PARTIES,
ALWAYS HAD TO LOOK GOOD,
ALWAYS HAD THE FAMILY LOOK GOOD.
YOUR DAD DOTED ON YOU.
HE DID.
AND WE WERE CLOSE,
BUT THERE WERE ONLY
CERTAIN SUBJECTS
THAT YOU WOULD
TALK ABOUT.
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DIG
TOO DEEP.
SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE
IN A MILITARY FAMILY,
YOUR EMOTIONS WERE SUPPOSED TO
BE RATHER SUPPRESSED.
VERY SUPPRESSED.
Narrator: DR. CASEY JORDAN
STUDIES CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
LIZ'S FAMILY WAS ALL ABOUT
THE EXTERNAL APPEARANCE
TO THE OUTSIDE.
HER THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
DIDN'T MATTER,
SO SHE LEARNED TO BOTTLE THEM UP
FROM A VERY EARLY AGE,
AND THIS IS DEFINITELY
GOING TO AFFECT HER ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE
AND RELATE TO OTHERS
IN FUTURE RELATIONSHIPS.
I'M FREAKING OUT.
WHY?
I'M TOTALLY FREAKING OUT!
Narrator: IN HER FAMILY, LIZ IS
CLOSEST WITH HER BROTHER TONY.
THIS IS YOUR BIG DAY.
YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY.
YES.
MY BROTHER AND ME, WE WERE
ONE YEAR AND FIVE DAYS APART.
YOU HAD A REALLY GOOD BOND
WITH YOUR BROTHER.
MM-HMM.
I'LL BE RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
LIZ MET HER HUSBAND-TO-BE,
MICHAEL, AT WORK.
SHE MAKES A GOOD LIVING
AS AN OFFICE SUPERVISOR
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
HEY, LIZ. HI.
HI. I'M GOOD.HOW ARE YOU?
I HAVE TICKETS TO THIS CONCERT
NEXT FRIDAY.
IT WASN'T LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
[ LAUGHS ]
BUT HE WAS A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
KIND OF GUY.
WE STARTED
TO SEE EACH OTHER MORE.
SEE YOU THEN.
I WILL SEE YOU THEN.
SWEET.
IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
YOU SHOULD TELL MY DAD
THAT STORY.
Narrator: MICHAEL AND LIZ END UP
DATING FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
LIZ FEELS READY TO COMMIT,
AND MAYBE EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY,
HER PARENTS LIKE HIM.
JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
I FELT THAT HE COULD BE
A VIABLE PARTNER.
TRY IT ON.
SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
Narrator:
ON A SUNNY SPRING DAY IN 1984,
LIZ AND MICHAEL
EXCHANGE THEIR VOWS
IN FRONT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
Dr. Jordan:
SO, YOU HAD THE BIG WEDDING
TO A MAN YOU MAY NOT HAVE EVEN
BEEN MADLY IN LOVE WITH.
MM-HMM.
BUT IT FIT YOUR NEEDS
AT THE TIME.
RIGHT.
SOUNDS SO MATTER OF FACT.
[ CHUCKLES ]
BUT IN LOOKING BACK,
THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT WAS.
I DO.
Dr. Jordan: WHAT WERE YOUR
DREAMS WHEN YOU EXCHANGED VOWS?
MY DREAMS WERE KIDS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BUT JUST AS LIZ AND MICHAEL
GET READY TO START A FAMILY,
THEY'RE HIT WITH
SOME DEVASTATING NEWS.
YOU ALL RIGHT? WHAT'S UP?
THE DOCTOR SAYS
THAT I CAN'T HAVE BABIES.
Elizabeth:
I WAS TOLD I COULDN'T HAVE KIDS,
THAT I HAD A DISEASE
OF THE TUBES,
THAT THE EGG
COULD NOT COME THROUGH,
SO I COULDN'T GET PREGNANT.
THERE'S A REALLY EXPENSIVE
PROCEDURE.
I'M SORRY.
IT'S OKAY.
IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
Narrator: THE NEWLYWEDS ARE TOLD
THEIR ONLY OPTION
IS TO TRY IN VITRO
FERTILIZATION, KNOWN AS I. V. F.
Elizabeth:
IT WAS VERY RADICAL AND NEW.
IT WAS 17% CHANCE THAT I WOULD
HAVE A FULL-TERM, LIVE BABY.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO?
Narrator: THEN SHE'S DEALT
ANOTHER TERRIBLE BLOW
THAT WILL IMPACT HER LIFE
FOREVER.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
I MEAN, I JUST TALKED TO HIM.
Dr. Jordan: YOU'RE MARRIED
ONLY SIX MONTHS.
YOU DANCED WITH YOUR BROTHER
AT YOUR WEDDING.
Elizabeth: MM-HMM.
AND SIX MONTHS LATER,
WHAT HAPPENS?
OH, MY GOD.
THAT SUMMER,
FOR WHATEVER REASON,
HE SEEMED -
HE SEEMED DEPRESSED.
OF COURSE,
THE FAMILY DYNAMICS
WAS WE DON'T TALK ABOUT
ANYTHING ANYWAY.
I REMEMBER COMMENTING
TO MY HUSBAND
WHEN WE GOT BACK
FROM THANKSGIVING
AT MY PARENTS' HOUSE
THAT HE SEEMED HAPPIER,
HE SEEMED BETTER,
SOMETHING HAD CHANGED.
AND WITHIN A WEEK,
HE WENT HOME AND SHOT HIMSELF.
Narrator: HER PARENTS
ARE CONSUMED WITH GRIEF.
[ Crying ] OH, MY GOD.
[ Voice breaking ]
I REALLY THINK OF IT
AS THAT WAS WHEN I LOST
MY PARENTS, TOO.
THEY CHANGED.
YES.
YOU'D NEVER SEEN YOUR DAD
LIKE THAT.
NEVER.
Narrator:
AND LIZ'S MOTHER FALLS APART.
LIZ TRIES TO MOVE PAST
HER OWN GRIEF
WHILE STILL STRUGGLING
WITH HER FERTILITY ISSUES.
YOUR MOTHER AND I
HAVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THAT PROCEDURE
THAT YOU WANTED.
Elizabeth:
I TALKED TO MY DAD ABOUT IT,
AND ACTUALLY MY DAD
PUT OUT THE MONEY
FOR ME TO GO THROUGH
AN I. V. F. PROCEDURE.
THANK YOU, DAD.
Dr. Jordan:
YOUR BROTHER WASN'T THERE.
THEN AT LEAST LIZ
CAN CARRY ON FAMILY TRADITION
BY HAVING CHILDREN?
YES.
Narrator:
IN JANUARY 1989,
AFTER NEARLY FIVE YEARS
OF MARRIAGE,
LIZ GIVES BIRTH TO HER SON,
JONATHAN, THROUGH I. V. F.
WE DID PRETTY GOOD.
SO, WHEN YOUR SON WAS BORN,
IT WAS BIG.
IT WAS HUGE FOR ME.
IT WAS HUGE FOR MY DAD.
OH, MAN,
LOOK AT THE TIME.
I...
I GOT TO GO, BABE.
UNFORTUNATELY,
MICHAEL SEEMS LESS THAN EXCITED
ABOUT BEING A FATHER.
Michael: I'M GONNA CALL JIM
REAL QUICK.
HERE WE HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL
10-POUND, 2-OUNCE BABY BOY.
WE CAME HOME.
IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE
SUPER BOWL SUNDAY,
AND HE WENT OFF TO THE BAR
TO GO WATCH THE SUPER BOWL.
NOT TREMENDOUSLY
REASSURING.
CORRECT.
TWO YEARS LATER,
LIZ MIRACULOUSLY GIVES BIRTH
TO HER DAUGHTER, TAYLOR,
WITHOUT I. V. F.
BUT ADDING A SECOND CHILD
TO THE MIX
JUST SEEMS TO PUSH MICHAEL
FARTHER AWAY.
JONATHAN'S ASLEEP, SO I'M GONNA
HEAD OUT, ALL RIGHT?
MICHAEL, CAN YOU PLEASE
NOT GO OUT TONIGHT?
BABE, I TOLD THE BOYS
I'D GO OUT, OKAY?
YOU'VE BEEN OUT
EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
ONE TIME I ASKED HIM. I SAID,
"CAN'T YOU STAY HOME AND HELP?"
AND HE SAYS...
YOU WERE THE ONE
WHO WANTED THESE KIDS, OKAY?
"AND YOU STAY HOME
AND TAKE CARE OF THEM."
AND THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE END
RIGHT THERE FOR ME.
Narrator: LIZ TURNS HER FOCUS
TO RAISING HER KIDS
AND HER GOVERNMENT JOB
WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,
ONE EVENING,
LIZ CLAIMS SHE DISCOVERS
THAT MICHAEL ISN'T ALWAYS JUST
HANGING OUT WITH HIS BUDDIES.
HEY.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HOME
SO LATE?
Elizabeth: I KNOW HE HAD
AN AFFAIR AT LEAST ONE NIGHT.
HE CAME HOME WITH HIS T-SHIRT ON
INSIDE OUT ONE TIME,
AND I ASKED HIM WHY IT WAS THAT.
ARE YOU CHEATING ON ME?
WHAT? I'M NOT CH-
I'M NOT CHEATING ON YOU.
JUST TELL ME THE TRUTH.
I'M TELLING YOU THAT I'M NOT...
Narrator: ACCORDING TO LIZ,
MICHAEL ULTIMATELY CONFESSES.
I WAS, OKAY?
I KNEW IT.
IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
LIZ HANDLES THE NEWS
THE WAY SHE'S LEARNED TO HANDLE
ANYTHING UNPLEASANT.
SHE BURIES IT DEEP INSIDE.
I'M HERE.
Elizabeth:
I DON'T KNOW.
THEN IT HAD JUST KIND OF BRUSHED
UNDER THE CARPET.
Dr. Jordan: YOU BOTTLED IT UP.
YES.
WELL, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU.
[ LAUGHS ]
I FOUND THAT OUT.
I'M - I'M GONNA GO TO BED
OR WATCH TV OR SOMETHING.
Dr. Jordan:
THIS IS A HUGE BLOW TO LIZ.
SHE IS ALREADY FEELING ABANDONED
BY MICHAEL.
NOW THAT WE HAVE INFIDELITY
INTO THE MIX,
HER SELF-ESTEEM
IS REALLY TAKING A BEATING.
WHAT DOES SHE DO
WITH THESE EMOTIONS?
SHE STUFFS IT DOWN,
LIKE PUTTING THE JACK-IN-THE-BOX
DOWN INTO THE CONTAINER.
BUT THE TENSION
IS GONNA WIND SO TIGHT
THAT IT'S REALLY BOUND TO POP UP
WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT.
Narrator:
AS THE NEXT FEW YEARS GO BY,
LIZ AND MICHAEL
GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS,
BUT IT'S CLEAR THE LOVE IS GONE.
I STARTED GOING ON WALKS.
I WAS OVERWHELMED
WITH MY MARRIAGE.
I WAS FEELING OVERWHELMED PRETTY
MUCH WITH ALL THE REST OF LIFE.
THE WALKS MADE ME FEEL BETTER.
Man: EXCUSE ME.
Narrator: ONE AFTERNOON,
SHE'S APPROACHED
BY A HANDSOME STRANGER.
MY NAME IS JOE.
HI, JOE. I'M LIZ.
NOW I MEET THIS PERSON
WHO IS SHOWING ME ATTENTION.
HOW DID IT FEEL
TO BE NOTICED?
IT FELT REAL GOOD.
MIND IF I WALK WITH YOU?
YEAH.
Elizabeth: [ LAUGHS ]
IT WAS REALLY NICE TO MEET
YOUR KIDS THE OTHER DAY.
THEY'RE REALLY COOL.
IT DOESN'T TAKE JOE LONG
TO WIN OVER LONELY LIZ.
YEAH, I TALKED TO JON.
HE WAS TELLING ME ALL ABOUT
HIS BASEBALL TEAM.
BROUGHT ME FLOWERS,
DID LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT
FOR ME,
WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE KIDS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY...
THERE WAS
SOME SEXUAL ENERGY THERE.
YOU WANTED TO BE WITH HIM.
MM-HMM.
Narrator: ONCE THINGS BETWEEN
LIZ AND JOE BECOME PHYSICAL,
SHE DECIDES SHE HAS TO COME
CLEAN WITH HER HUSBAND, MICHAEL.
I MET SOMEBODY.
WHAT?!
I MET...
SHE'S COMPLETELY UNPREPARED
FOR HOW HE REACTS.
ARE YOU CHEATING ON ME?
Michael: WHAT? I'M NOT CH-
Narrator: WHEN SHE FINDS OUT HER
HUSBAND'S BEEN CHEATING ON HER,
ELIZABETH MILLER FINDS SOLACE
IN THE ARMS OF ANOTHER MAN.
IT'S THE FINAL STRAW
THAT WILL LIKELY BREAK
THIS LOVELESS MARRIAGE.
HE WAS SHOCKED.
I WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF SURPRISED
HE WAS SHOCKED.
I'M - I'M READY
TO PARTICIPATE, OKAY?
Narrator: EVEN THOUGH
HE'S BEEN PRETTY ABSENT,
MICHAEL APPARENTLY
DOESN'T WANT OUT.
WE DON'T HAVE A LIFE TOGETHER.
YES, WE DO.
THE THRILL IS GONE,
THE MARRIAGE IS OVER?
YES.
IT'S TOO LATE, MICHAEL.
WHY?
IT'S BECAUSE
I WANT A DIVORCE.
MICHAEL MOVES OUT.
HE AND LIZ SHARE CUSTODY
OF THEIR KIDS.
WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS,
HER BOYFRIEND JOE MOVES IN.
Dr. Jordan:
CLEARLY, LIZ IS VERY VULNERABLE.
AND IF SHE'S LUCKY,
JOE COULD TURN OUT TO BE
HER KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR.
BUT IF HE IS ZONED IN
ON THAT VULNERABILITY,
HE COULD BE SETTING HER UP FOR
A WHOLE NEW KIND OF HEARTACHE.
Narrator: BUT ONCE JOE'S
MADE HIMSELF COMFORTABLE,
THE FAIRY TALE ABRUPTLY ENDS.
I MADE YOU MY SPECIALTY.
WHERE'S THE WHISKEY?
HE STARTED DRINKING,
AND THEN IT JUST STARTS TO TURN.
YOU FORGOT THE WHISKEY?
YOU WANT ME TO DRINK THIS?
I'M NOT GONNA DRINK IT!
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHARMING
GUY IN THE PARK BY THE LEVEE?
HE WAS GONE.
THIS NEW GUY
IN YOUR HOUSE...
I WAS AFRAID OF.
Narrator:
LIZ IS SHATTERED,
BUT SHE REFUSES TO ADMIT
SHE'S MADE A HUGE MISTAKE.
TO COPE,
SHE STARTS DRINKING, TOO.
SO, YOU START,
FOR LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE,
HITTING THE BOTTLE.
MM-HMM.
NOT EVERY NIGHT
WAS DRUNK BEYOND CAPACITY,
BUT I WAS PROBABLY DRINKING
EVERY NIGHT,
EXCEPT WHEN I DID SEE
THE KIDS.
I STILL ALWAYS PUT MY KIDS FIRST
AS BEST I COULD.
LIZ MANAGES TO PUT UP
WITH JOE'S BEHAVIOR,
UNTIL ONE NIGHT
WHEN HE CROSSES THE LINE.
POUR ME A DRINK.
POUR ME A DRINK.
Elizabeth: HE WAS VERY ANGRY
FOR SOME REASON.
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
Jonathan: I DID NOT LIKE JOE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS,
BUT I JUST GOT A REALLY WEIRD
VIBE FROM JOE.
Elizabeth: MY KIDS WERE UPSTAIRS
IN BED, ASLEEP.
BOTH OF THEM WERE ASLEEP.
Narrator: OR SO LIZ THINKS.
DRINKING ALL ALONE,
AND I COME IN,
AND YOU CAN'T EVEN
POUR ME ONE DRINK.
THE FIGHT WAKES UP
6-YEAR-OLD JONATHAN.
Jonathan: I HEARD SOME
WEIRD NOISE COMING DOWNSTAIRS,
AND I LOOK INTO THE LIVING ROOM,
AND I REMEMBER SEEING JOE
HIT MY MOM WITH AN OPEN HAND,
BUT IT WAS PRETTY HARD.
LIKE, SHE DID FALL TO
THE GROUND, AND JOE NOTICES ME.
SO, JOE PICKS UP MY MOM
OFF THE GROUND
AND PRETENDS TO DANCE WITH HER.
MY MOM'S CRYING, AND I WAS
KIND OF STUNNED, YOU KNOW.
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE
OR ANYTHING.
SO I WENT BACK UPSTAIRS.
I DON'T THINK MY MOM KNEW
I SAW THEM.
[ CRYING ]
Elizabeth: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
THIS HAD EVER HAPPENED TO ME, EVER.
AND I, UH - I CALLED 911.
[ CRYING ]
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
I'M IN THE LIVING ROOM!
COME IN!
YOU'VE TAKEN
LIKE 20 MINUTES!
I CALLED YOU
ALMOST HALF AN HOUR AGO!
Narrator: BY THE TIME THE POLICE
ARRIVE, JOE'S LONG GONE.
THE KIDS ARE UPSTAIRS?
YES.
Narrator:
JOE'S ATTACK SENDS LIZ REELING
AND CAUSES HER TO DO SOMETHING
COMPLETELY IRRATIONAL.
I WAS JUST SO UPSET
AND SO UPTIGHT.
I AM CALM!
I PICKED UP A PAIR
OF MY SON'S UNDERWEAR
AND I SLAPPED HER
ACROSS THE FACE WITH IT.
I, UH, WENT DOWN TO THE GROUND
PRETTY QUICK.
THEY ARRESTED ME FOR ASSAULT
ON A POLICE OFFICER.
Narrator: MICHAEL COMES
TO PICK UP THE KIDS
WHILE LIZ
SPENDS THE NIGHT IN JAIL.
Elizabeth:
IT WAS QUITE AN ORDEAL.
MY DAD COME DOWN AND GOT ME OUT,
AND THERE WERE NO CHARGES.
THEY WERE DROPPED.
Dr. Jordan: HAD YOUR DIVORCE
FINALIZED YET?
Elizabeth: NO.
SO THIS WAS REALLY AMMUNITION
HE COULD USE.
OH, YEAH, YEAH,
AND HE USED IT.
Narrator: HER SOON-TO-BE
EX-HUSBAND, MICHAEL,
IMMEDIATELY FILES
FOR FULL CUSTODY OF JONATHAN
AND TAYLOR, WHO WAS 4 YEARS OLD.
THEY DID NOT COME BACK
FOR NINE MONTHS.
Narrator:
LIZ RETURNS HOME TO JOE
AND A SITUATION THAT QUICKLY
SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
I NEED TO TALK TO YOU.
JUST COME OVER HERE
REAL QUICK.
Elizabeth:
HE JUST STARTS TAKING OVER.
THIS MAN KEPT TELLING ME
THAT IF I KICKED HIM OUT
OR CALLED THE POLICE
OR DID ANYTHING,
THEN HE WAS GONNA HURT
MY PARENTS.
HE KNEW WHERE MY KIDS WERE.
HE WAS THREATENING TO KILL THEM.
DON'T MAKE ME DO IT, LIZ.
I FELT LIKE I WAS COMPLETELY,
ABSOLUTELY TRAPPED.
Narrator: LIZ DRINKS HEAVILY
TO NUMB HER REALITY.
THEN SHE FALLS PREY TO SOMETHING
FAR MORE SINISTER - CRACK.
CHECK IT OUT.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
I REALLY DIDN'T.
JUST TRY IT.
JUST TAKE IT.
HE THREATENED ME.
I DON'T RECALL
THE EXACT WORDS HE SAID,
BUT HE SAID,
"YOU BETTER TRY IT."
WHAT WAS IT LIKE?
Elizabeth: ALL-ENVELOPING.
WHAT IT DOES IS IT ALMOST
RELAXED EVERY MUSCLE I HAD,
SO I DIDN'T HAVE
THAT NERVOUS PAIN ANYMORE.
Narrator: THE SUBURBAN MOM
IS INSTANTLY HOOKED.
YOU BEGIN TO CHASE IT,
AND IT'S NOT THE SAME ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST TIME
IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
IT HAD NEVER WORKED THE SAME
AGAIN.
BUT BY THE TIME
YOU FIGURE THAT OUT...
THEN IT WAS TOO LATE.
[ SIGHS ]
SOON, LIZ'S JOB IS ON THE LINE.
Elizabeth: THE PEOPLE AT WORK
ARE FINDING OUT
THAT LIFE IS NOT VERY GOOD
AT HOME.
HEY.
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
I'M JUST...
I'M WORKING IT OUT.
BY NOW I'M A LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
AND I'M WORKING
AT DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
I'M MORE CONCERNED
ABOUT YOU.
NO, I'M OKAY.
I'M DOING MY BEST
TO COVER IT UP.
BUT IT'S ALL [SIGHS]
FACADE.
YES, IT IS.
IT'S ALL FACADE.
BECAUSE LIZ WENT
FROM HER VERY PERFECT FAMILY
INTO AN EARLY MARRIAGE,
SHE NEVER STOOD ON HER OWN FEET
AND LEARNED HOW TO SOLVE
PROBLEMS ON HER OWN.
SHE'S VERY AFRAID OF JOE,
BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW
HOW TO ADMIT SHE NEEDS HELP
AND REACH OUT FOR IT.
THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.
BECAUSE LIZ DOESN'T HAVE
COPING MECHANISMS,
SHE'S GONNA KEEP SELF-MEDICATING
TO AVOID ALL THE PAIN.
Joe: DON'T WALK AWAY
FROM ME, LIZ!
Narrator: AT HOME, THINGS ARE
COMPLETELY UNRAVELING.
Elizabeth:
IT WAS VALENTINE'S DAY.
I CAME HOME FROM WORK.
I DON'T KNOW WHY HE WAS MAD,
BECAUSE BY THIS TIME
IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER.
DON'T EVER
WALK AWAY FROM ME!
DON'T EVER WALK AWAY!
HE JUST - HE HAD THIS KNIFE,
AND HE JUST WENT BAM
RIGHT IN MY HAND.
YOU DID IT TO YOURSELF,
LIZ!
YOU DID IT TO YOURSELF!
GET OUT OF HERE!
THREW A BEER BOTTLE AT ME.
DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!
Narrator:
AS THE PHYSICAL ABUSE ESCALATES,
SO DOES THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
I GOT FIRED TODAY.
WHAT?
I WAS SMOKING A LOT OF CRACK
COCAINE TOWARDS THE VERY END.
TELL ME WHY.
HOPELESS.
I'M OUT OF A JOB THAT I WORKED
VERY HARD FOR AS A CAREER.
I'VE LOST MY KIDS.
THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME
FROM REALLY NOT GOING AHEAD
AND KILLING MYSELF
WAS 'CAUSE MY BROTHER HAD
AND I DIDN'T WANT
TO LEAVE MY KIDS ALONE.
YOU HAVE TO STAY ALIVE
FOR YOUR KIDS.
YEAH.
I DON'T EVEN -
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
IT DOESN'T MATTER, OKAY?
I GOT SOMETHING LINED UP
FOR US.
Narrator: JOE CONVINCES LIZ
TO DRIVE HIM 400 MILES SOUTH
TO SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA,
FOR A JOB.
I GOT SOMETHING BETTER.
I CAN'T GO TO SANTA MONICA.
THINGS JUST GOT WORSE.
Narrator:
THEY'RE STAYING IN A MOTEL,
BUT JOE IS LOW ON CASH.
ACCORDING TO LIZ,
HE SOON COMES UP
WITH A TERRIFYING WAY
TO GET SOME.
I GOT US SOME WORK.
THAT'S GOOD.
YEAH.
I SHOWED THEM YOUR PICTURE.
THEY LIKED IT.
MY PICTURE?
YEAH, YOUR PICTURE.
HE HAD CALLED THESE PORN SITES
THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO FILM ME
SO THAT HE COULD GET MONEY.
IT'S NOT THAT BAD.
IT IS NOT THAT BAD, OKAY?
THEY'RE GONNA PAY US WELL,
OKAY?
I THINK YOU'RE CRAZY.
AND I REFUSED,
AND I WOULDN'T DO THAT.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT.
OH, I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!
I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!
HE LOVED THROWING STUFF,
AND HE'S THROWING THIS STUFF
AT ME,
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT IT IS.
Narrator: LIZ MAY HAVE
FINALLY HIT ROCK BOTTOM.
NO! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!
DON'T EVER
WALK AWAY FROM ME!
Narrator:
IN THE PAST NINE MONTHS,
ELIZABETH MILLER HAS LOST
HER KIDS, HER JOB,
AND BECOME ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL
AND CRACK COCAINE.
I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!
I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!
WHEN HER BOYFRIEND
TRIES TO GET HER TO DO PORN,
SHE HITS HER BREAKING POINT.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!
UP TO NOW, LIZ HAS KEPT
HER PERSONAL ISSUES A SECRET
FROM HER FATHER,
KNOWING HE'D DISAPPROVE.
BUT SHE'S DESPERATE,
SO SHE REACHES OUT FOR HELP.
Elizabeth: I CALLED MY DAD,
AND HE SENT MONEY
FOR ME TO COME BACK UP
TO SACRAMENTO,
AND I FLEW TO SACRAMENTO, AND I
IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO REHAB.
IT SAVED YOUR LIFE?
YES.
THE PHYSICAL WITHDRAWAL
FROM CRACK IS NOT BAD.
IT WAS
THE EMOTIONAL WITHDRAWAL.
AND SO I, FROM THAT POINT ON,
NEVER HAD ANY.
Narrator:
SHE ALSO NEVER SEES JOE AGAIN.
LIZ SPENDS FIVE MONTHS IN REHAB,
WORKING ON HER RECOVERY.
SHE'S DIAGNOSED
WITH CLINICAL DEPRESSION
AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
DISORDER.
I'VE BEEN GIVING YOUR CASE
A LOT OF THOUGHT.
Dr. Jordan:
EXPLAIN HOW YOU CAN HAVE
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
DISORDER
WHEN YOU'VE NEVER BEEN
IN A WAR
SO THAT PEOPLE
CAN UNDERSTAND.
[ Voice breaking ] THE TRAUMA
WAS BEING AFRAID
EVERY SINGLE DAY
THAT IF I DIDN'T DO SOMETHING
A CERTAIN WAY
THAT PERHAPS MY MOM AND DAD
WOULD BE HURT
OR MY KIDS WOULD BE HURT,
DEALING WITH A PERSON THAT WAS
BASICALLY HOLDING YOU HOSTAGE.
IT WAS A WAR
WITHIN MY OWN HOME,
WHERE I WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE.
LIZ IS ABLE TO GET HER FIRING
BY THE STATE
CONVERTED TO A DISABILITY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE GETS BACK
PARTIAL CUSTODY OF HER KIDS.
WHAT WAS YOUR NEW CALLING?
I ENDED UP WORKING
IN THE REHAB,
AND I'M WORKING MYSELF UP TO BE
ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
JENNIFER.
HI.
YOU MADE IT.
HI.
NICE TO MEET YOU
IN PERSON.
SHE FOCUSES ON THE TREATMENT
OF PREGNANT WOMEN
AND THEIR CHILDREN.
ACTUALLY I ALREADY HAVE
YOUR ROOM READY,
AND I WAS WORKING
ON YOUR PAPERWORK.
VERY FULFILLING?
YES.
OVER TIME,
LIZ DEVELOPS A CLOSE BOND
WITH ONE OF THE PATIENTS,
A WOMAN NAMED JENNIFER.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU LOVED HER
LIKE A DAUGHTER.
I DID.
WE'LL GET YOU
ALL SETTLED IN.
Dr. Jordan: LIZ HAS A CHANCE
FOR A FRESH START HERE.
SHE HAS HER ADDICTIONS
UNDER CONTROL,
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
SHE HAS RE-ESTABLISHED
A RELATIONSHIP
WITH HER CHILDREN.
IF SHE CAN TAKE
ALL OF THIS NEW EXPERIENCE,
EVERYTHING SHE'S LEARNED,
AND TURN IT INTO HELPING OTHERS,
THIS COULD BE A VERY POSITIVE
TURNING POINT.
Narrator: LIZ HAS FINALLY FOUND
HER GROOVE,
AND THE NEXT 10 YEARS
ARE HAPPY AND PEACEFUL.
THEN, WHEN HER KIDS
JONATHAN AND TAYLOR ARE TEENS,
THEY MOVE BACK IN WITH HER
FULL-TIME.
WHEN I WAS A CERTAIN AGE,
I COULD CHOOSE
WHO I WANT TO BE WITH.
AND IT PROBABLY HURT
MY DAD A LOT,
BUT I WANTED TO BE WITH MY MOM.
JONATHAN,
COME DOWNSTAIRS.
OKAY, OKAY,
I'M COMING.
Jonathan: SHE WAS MORE LENIENT,
YOU KNOW, JUST HAD A LOOSER LEASH,
AND THAT'S WHY I, YOU KNOW,
CHOSE TO LIVE WITH MY MOM.
THANK YOU.
Narrator: JONATHAN TAKES FULL
ADVANTAGE OF HIS MOM'S LAX RULES,
AND LIZ SOON LEARNS
SINGLE-PARENTING TWO TEENAGERS
IS NO EASY TASK.
MY SON WAS STARTING
TO FIND HIMSELF
WITH PEOPLE THAT PARTIED
WAY TOO MUCH.
I WAS INTRODUCED TO, YOU KNOW,
PARTYING, DRINKING,
ALL THAT STUFF.
Narrator: TAYLOR SOON STARTS
FOLLOWING IN JONATHAN'S FOOTSTEPS.
I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH MY
BROTHER AND HIS FRIENDS A LOT,
WHICH WE'RE NOT EXACTLY THE
BEST GROUP TO GET ALONG WITH.
WHY ARE YOU HOME
SO EARLY?
[ SCOFFS ]
I LEFT.
MY GRADES, OBVIOUSLY, DECLINED.
I WAS BASICALLY FAILING SCHOOL.
Narrator: LIZ DECIDES
SHE NEEDS TO BE MORE PRESENT
IN HER KIDS' LIVES.
HI, GUYS.
Narrator:
SHE'S ALSO BURNT OUT
FROM THE STRAIN
OF WORKING WITH ADDICTS.
I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING
JUST COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
Narrator: SHE DECIDES TO BECOME
AN AESTHETICIAN,
A LOW-STRESS JOB
WITH FLEXIBLE HOURS.
I COULD STILL MAKE A LIVING
BUT BE WITH MY KIDS.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
Narrator:
ONE DAY, JENNIFER,
WHO LIZ BEFRIENDED
AT THE SHELTER 10 YEARS EARLIER,
DECIDES TO PLAY MATCHMAKER.
SHE'S CONVINCED LIZ WOULD
HIT IT OFF WITH HER FRIEND ERIC,
A KIND-HEARTED MAN WITH
A DECEPTIVELY ROUGH EXTERIOR.
SHE CALLED ME UP AND GOES,
"I KNOW THIS REALLY NICE LADY.
"YOU SEEM
LIKE YOU'RE KIND OF LONELY,
SO WHY DON'T YOU GIVE HER
A CALL?"
YES, MAY I SPEAK
WITH LIZ, PLEASE?
YES, THIS IS.
YES. HELLO, LIZ.
UH, THIS IS ERIC CAHOON.
JENNIFER TOLD ME
THAT YOU'D BE CALLING.
Narrator: ERIC LIVES IN ELKO,
NEVADA, A SMALL GOLD-MINING TOWN
SIX HOURS FROM SACRAMENTO.
THE FIRST TIME I TALKED TO HER,
IT WAS LIKE 3 1/2 HOURS.
WE JUST SEEMED LIKE WE CLICKED,
JUST STARTED TALKING.
IT WAS REALLY EASY,
AND WE FOUND
A LOT OF THINGS IN COMMON.
Liz:
IT WASN'T FLIRTING.
THERE WAS NO PRESSURE.
IT WAS JUST TALKING,
TALKING ABOUT DAILY HAPPENINGS
WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING,
WHO WE ARE,
AND I HAD NO IDEA
WHEN I'D EVEN MEET HIM,
IF I WOULD.
AND IT WAS LIKE, "IF I CALL YOU
IN A COUPLE DAYS."
WE WENT FROM THERE.
Dr. Jordan: EVEN THOUGH
IT'S BEEN A REALLY LONG TIME
SINCE LIZ WAS WITH JOE,
YOU HAVE TO ASK,
HAS SHE REALLY HEALED?
THE LEGACY
OF SUCH PHYSICAL ABUSE
CAUSES SCARS
THAT CAN BE EASILY REOPENED
WITH THE SLIGHTEST TRIGGER.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: LIZ AND ERIC SPEND
THE NEXT THREE MONTHS
CONNECTING OVER THE PHONE,
OFTEN FOR HOURS AT A TIME.
SO, HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY MORE
THOUGHT TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW...
ERIC FINALLY DECIDES IT'S TIME
TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP
AND INVITES HIMSELF
TO SACRAMENTO.
HE KNEW MOST OF MY LIFE,
AND HE STILL WANTED TO COME OUT
TO SACRAMENTO TO MEET ME.
YEAH, NO, YOU SHOULD
ABSOLUTELY COME - COME, PLEASE.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO HERE.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
WHAT WAS IT LIKE
WHEN THE DOOR OPENED
AND YOU SAW HIM
FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Eric: HEY.
HOW ARE YOU?
I REMEMBER BOTH OF US TAKING
A STEP BACK
AND LOOKING AT EACH OTHER
A LITTLE BIT,
AND THEN WE JUST HUGGED.
IT WAS LIKE TWO OLD FRIENDS
GETTING BACK TOGETHER,
YOU KNOW, SO IT DIDN'T FEEL
LIKE OUR FIRST MEETING.
Narrator: THEIR FIRST DATE ENDS
UP BEING TAKEOUT HAMBURGERS.
IT'S SO NICE
TO FINALLY MEET YOU, LIZ.
YEAH.
LUCKILY, THERE'S ALSO
A STRONG PHYSICAL ATTRACTION.
YEAH.
Eric: THE NEXT THING I KNOW,
IT'S LIKE 2:00, 3:00 IN THE MORNING,
AND I'M GOING,
"WOW. IT'S PRETTY LATE."
SHE GOES, "OH, NO,
I GOT TO GET HOME." [LAUGHS]
"THE KIDS, YOU KNOW,
ARE GONNA WONDER WHERE I'M AT."
OKAY. NO.
OKAY.
COME BACK.
Narrator: BUT IT'S CLEAR TO BOTH OF
THEM THAT THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL.
OKAY. BYE.
ALL RIGHT. BYE.
ERIC STARTS VISITING LIZ
EVERY MONTH,
AND THE RELATIONSHIP BLOSSOMS.
NOW, WHEN ERIC VISITS,
HE STAYS AT LIZ'S HOUSE.
WELL, YOU KNOW,
I THINK I CAN WASH DISHES.
I'M NOT MUCH OF A COOK.
[ LAUGHS ]
IT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
OH, MY GOD,
JONATHAN DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL.
HE'S BEING SUCH AN IDIOT.
CAN YOU AT LEAST SAY...?
HEY, ERIC.
IT GIVES HIM A FRONT-ROW SEAT
TO THE DRAMA HAPPENING
WITH HER KIDS.
Liz: MY SON WAS CAUSING
A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN THE HOUSE.
HE TURNED 18 IN JANUARY
AND WENT IN THAT DAY
TO THE VICE PRINCIPAL
AND DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL,
AND I WAS SO ANGRY WITH HIM.
HE HAD JUST
THAT ONE SEMESTER LEFT.
HEY.
Liz: YOUR SISTER TELLS ME THAT
YOU DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL TODAY.
WHAT THE HELL?
WHY'D YOU TELL HER?
I HAD TO.
I'M JUST DROPPING OUT.
IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
Jonathan: I WOULDN'T SAY
IT WAS REBELLIOUS.
I JUST REALLY WANTED TO DO
MY OWN THING, YOU KNOW?
AND THAT REALLY GOT TO HER.
SOUNDS LIKE YOUR KIDS WERE
KIND OF PUSHING YOUR BUTTONS.
THEY WERE.
I'LL FIGURE IT -
I'LL FIGURE IT OUT!
[ GROANS ]
HONEY, I -
Narrator: ERIC CAN'T STAND TO SEE
THE WOMAN HE'S FALLEN IN LOVE WITH
IN SO MUCH PAIN.
I'M SORRY. THEY'RE TEENAGERS.
I CAN'T CONTROL THEM.
I FIGURED OUT,
"THIS IS ENOUGH," YOU KNOW?
IF THESE KIDS WANT
TO BE THAT WAY,
THEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM
TO GROW UP A LITTLE BIT.
WE ALWAYS HAVE MY PLACE
DOWN IN ELKO.
Narrator: ERIC SUGGESTS
SHE MOVES IN WITH HIM IN ELKO.
THAT SOUNDS GOOD, HUH?
JUST RUN AWAY.
Liz: I BELIEVE HE FELT
LIKE HE NEEDED TO RESCUE ME,
AND THE KIDS WOULD BE FINE.
YOU'RE SO AWESOME.
Narrator:
LIZ IS TEMPTED,
BUT SHE'S PRETTY SURE
THE KIDS WON'T WANT TO GO,
AND FEELS GUILTY ABOUT THE
THOUGHT OF LEAVING THEM BEHIND.
[ ROCK MUSIC PLAYS ]
THEN, ONE EVENING,
WHILE LIZ IS OUT,
JONATHAN AND TAYLOR THROW
A RAGER.
THANKS.
ME AND MY BROTHER THROW
THIS SHEBANG AT MY HOUSE.
I WAS 16.
I REALLY DIDN'T REALLY THINK
MUCH MORE THAN MYSELF.
WHAT THE HELL IS
GOING ON?
WHO ARE
THESE PEOPLE?!
Narrator: WHEN LIZ COMES HOME
UNEXPECTEDLY, SHE'S FURIOUS.
WHAT IS THIS?
WHAT IS THIS?
LIZ FEELS USED
AND DISRESPECTED.
THE BETRAYAL STIRS UP
UGLY FEELINGS
FROM HER ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH JOE.
SHE WANTS OUT
AND DECIDES TO TAKE THE PLUNGE
AND MOVE TO ELKO WITH ERIC.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
THE DEMONS FROM HER PAST ARE
ALONG FOR THE RIDE.
[ SOBBING ]
FOR MORE
ON HOW LIZ IS DOING NOW,
I'VE BEEN GIVING YOUR CASE
A LOT OF THOUGHT.
Narrator: ELIZABETH MILLER
HAS BEEN SOBER FOR 10 YEARS.
WHEN HER TEENAGE CHILDREN
PUSH HER OVER THE EDGE,
SHE TAKES UP
HER NEW BOYFRIEND, ERIC,
ON HIS INVITATION
TO LEAVE SACRAMENTO
AND MOVE IN WITH HIM
IN ELKO, NEVADA.
AND SHE, AFTER THAT NIGHT,
WAS LIKE,
"OKAY, I'M LEAVING.
I'M GONNA GO,"
AND JUST BASICALLY LEFT ME
AND MY BROTHER,
WHICH, AT THE TIME,
I WAS REALLY MAD AT HER.
Narrator: JONATHAN, WHO'S 18,
GETS HIS OWN PLACE.
TAYLOR'S DAD IS HER ONLY OPTION.
I WENT TO MY DAD'S
'CAUSE I WAS 16.
MY MOM GAVE OUR HOUSE
TO THIS FAMILY FRIEND.
YES.
JONATHAN MIGHT BE BY.
Narrator: LIZ LETS JENNIFER,
HER FRIEND FROM THE REHAB,
AND HER FAMILY MOVE IN
TO HER SACRAMENTO HOUSE
FOR A MODEST RENT.
IT'LL BE FINE.
IT'LL BE FINE.
YOU'LL BE FINE.
OKAY. AND CALL ME.
SHE EVEN LEAVES
MOST OF HER STUFF IN THE HOUSE
FOR THEM TO USE.
THE INTENTION WAS
TO GET MY THINGS WHEN I COULD
WHEN WE GOT OUR NEW PLACE.
Dr. Jordan: LIZ IS READY
FOR A NEW LEASE ON LIFE,
AND MOVING TO ELKO
TO BE WITH ERIC,
A MAN WHO REALLY
LOVES HER UNCONDITIONALLY,
SEEMS LIKE THE ANSWER.
BUT AS AN ADDICT IN RECOVERY,
IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE
A SUPPORT NETWORK.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE HER CHILDREN.
THERE'S NO STRUCTURE
TO HER LIFE,
NO JOB TO GO TO DURING THE DAY.
AND THE ISOLATION OF BEING
A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND
COULD CAUSE HER TO RELAPSE.
Narrator: LIZ HOPES THE MOVE TO
ELKO WILL GIVE HER A FRESH START.
BUT YOU WEREN'T ANTICIPATING
KIND OF THE CULTURE SHOCK
OF MOVING TO THE DESERT.
RIGHT.
LIZ KNOWS NO ONE, ERIC WORKS
14-HOUR SHIFTS AT THE MINES,
AND WHEN SHE TRIES TO LAUNCH
A SKIN-CARE BUSINESS,
IT GOES NOWHERE.
YOU GOT PLANS
FOR THIS MORNING?
UM... NOT REALLY.
SO, SHE HAD
A LOT OF TIME ON HER HANDS.
IT WAS TOUGH.
I GOT TO GO.
BUT I'LL GIVE YOU A CALL
ON MY BREAK
AND LET YOU KNOW
WHAT'S UP.
OKAY.
YEAH?
LOVE YOU.
LOVE YOU, TOO.
WHEN ERIC GETS HOME FROM WORK,
HE SEES HOW UNHAPPY LIZ LOOKS.
I JUST FEEL
REALLY OUT OF PLACE HERE.
I SAID,
"WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON?"
AND SHE GOES,
"WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T HAVE ANY ROOTS."
WELL, DO YOU THINK MAYBE
IT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IF WE WENT AND GOT MARRIED?
AND SHE SAYS, "WELL, OKAY."
I SAID,
"OKAY, FINE, LET'S DO IT."
SHE GOES, "REALLY?"
AND I GO, "YEAH."
SHE GOES, "WHEN?"
AND I GO, "WELL, TODAY.
IT'S NEVADA. TODAY.
WHY NOT?"
[ LAUGHS ]
Eric: NO, COME ON.
NO, I WANT TO LOOK PRETTY.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL COME HELP YOU.
JUST WAIT.
OKAY.
Narrator: THEY TIE THE KNOT
ON DECEMBER 19, 2007,
AT THE LOCAL COURTHOUSE.
WE BOTH KEEP SAYING, "THIS IS
THE ONE THAT'S GONNA LAST."
THAT WAS PERFECT.
YEAH?
YES.
MWAH.
FOR ME, IT WAS THE BEST THING
THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME.
READY? COME ON.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
WHILE THE MARRIAGE HELPS LIZ
FEEL MORE SECURE
IN HER RELATIONSHIP,
IT DOESN'T ERASE THE LONELINESS.
AND THAT'S
WHEN YOU FELL OFF THE WAGON.
I STARTED
DRINKING AGAIN -
NOT ALL THE TIME,
MORE THE BINGE KIND OF THING.
HOW MANY YEARS
HAD YOU BEEN SOBER?
11.
Eric:
SHE KIND OF STARTED DRINKING,
AND THEN IT ESCALATED
A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK IT WAS,
LIKE, A REALLY LONELY TIME,
ALONE IN HER THOUGHTS.
OKAY.
I WOULD CALL MY KIDS.
I WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.
TRIED ALL KINDS
OF CRAFT THINGS
'CAUSE I'M NOT A "SIT THERE
AND WATCH TV" KIND OF PERSON.
Narrator: BUT AS LIZ HEADS
TO A LOCAL CASINO
FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY...
[ SIREN WAILS ]
IT'S CLEAR SHE'S HAD
A FEW TOO MANY
AND LANDS IN THE COUNTY JAIL.
LIZ GETS A D.U.I. AND LOSES
HER LICENSE FOR THREE MONTHS.
Dr. Jordan: YOU ARE NOW NOT JUST
A PRISONER OF YOUR HEAD.
NOW YOU'RE LITERALLY
A PRISONER OF YOUR HOUSE.
YES.
LUCKILY, HER NEW HUSBAND
IS UNDERSTANDING.
HOW DID ERIC REACT
WITH YOUR D. U. I.?
JUST SUPPORTIVE.
I MEAN, ANGRY AT FIRST,
YOU KNOW?
"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?"
THAT KIND OF ARGUMENT,
BUT IT WASN'T A "PUT YOU DOWN."
IT SOUNDS LIKE
HE WASN'T GONNA GIVE UP ON YOU.
NO, HE WASN'T.
LIZ'S PERSONAL HELL IS
EVEN WORSE AFTER DARK.
DON'T EVER WALK -
[ SOBBING ]
THE LONELINESS AND ISOLATION
STEMMING FROM HER D.U.I.
TRIGGER NIGHT TERRORS.
NO, NO, NO.
SHE'D ACTUALLY WAKE UP
SCREAMING AND CRYING,
AND AT FIRST,
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
SHE STARTED OPENING UP
A LOT MORE TO ME.
Narrator:
THE NIGHTMARES ARE ABOUT JOE,
HER ABUSIVE BOYFRIEND
FROM OVER 10 YEARS AGO.
[ SOBBING ]
Eric: WELL, YOU KNOW,
WE REALLY GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS,
SO WE ACTUALLY GOT AHOLD
OF A GOOD COUNSELOR.
Liz: ERIC IS SUPPORTING ME
IN EVERY WAY HE CAN.
AND I FEEL
LIKE I'M GOING DOWNHILL.
Dr. Jordan:
IN HER WAKING HOURS,
LIZ CAN ACTIVELY MANAGE THAT
HISTORY OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
BUT WHEN SHE SLEEPS,
ALL OF THAT TRAUMA,
ALL OF THE RESIDUE
OF ALL THE BAD THINGS
THAT HAVE EVER HAPPENED TO HER
THAT SHE'S SUPPRESSED
NOW BUBBLES TO THE SURFACE
AND MANIFESTS ITSELF
IN TERRIBLE NIGHTMARES.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO?
Narrator: THEN, LIZ IS DEALT
ANOTHER CRUSHING BLOW.
I'M SORRY.
WHAT?
JENNIFER...
SHE TOOK EVERYTHING.
HER SON CALLED LIZ
AND TOLD LIZ
THEY HAD TAKEN
EVERYTHING OUT OF THE HOUSE.
NO, I TOLD HER
TO WATCH MY THINGS.
I HAVE THESE PEOPLE LIVING
IN MY HOME IN SACRAMENTO
THAT ARE NOW NOT PAYING RENT.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON DRUGS.
I ASKED THEM TO MOVE,
AND THEY STOLE EVERYTHING
IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE.
AND I JUST KIND OF
WENT DOWNHILL AGAIN.
I FELT PTSD.
I FELT VIOLATED.
I FELT, YOU KNOW -
THE WHOLE THING WAS COMING BACK.
Eric: SHE REALLY FREAKED OUT
ABOUT THAT.
THAT WAS WHEN SHE REALLY
KIND OF HAD A BREAKDOWN.
I NOTICED A BIG CHANGE IN HER.
Narrator:
DESPITE ALL THAT'S HAPPENED,
LIZ AND ERIC CLAIM THAT,
WITH THE HELP OF HER COUNSELOR,
SHE MANAGES TO STOP DRINKING.
Eric: WHAT DO WE GOT
GOING ON IN HERE?
BAKING A CAKE.
REALLY?
YEAH.
BUT ON JUNE 30, 2011,
THE COUPLE'S WORLD COMES
CRASHING DOWN AROUND THEM.
I WAS GONNA WORK THAT NIGHT.
SHE WAS ACTUALLY MAKING
A CAKE FOR ME
TO TAKE SOME CAKE
AND STUFF TO WORK.
I'M GONNA GO OUTSIDE
AND WORK ON MY BIKE, OKAY?
IT WAS A DAY
LIKE ANY OTHER DAY.
IT WAS A DAY
LIKE ANY OTHER DAY.
NOTHING BAD
WAS HAPPENING TO YOU.
NO.
I CAN'T EXPLAIN
WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
I MADE A CHOCOLATE CAKE.
[ Voice breaking ]
THE ONLY THING I REMEMBER
IS PUTTING THE CAKE
IN THE OVEN.
[ GASPS ]
THERE WAS A LOT OF FUZZINESS
IN MY HEAD.
Narrator: ERIC'S WORKING AWAY
IN THE GARAGE,
COMPLETELY UNPREPARED
FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
THE WHOLE REST OF THE DAY IS
A BLANK.
Narrator: ELIZABETH IS BAKING
HER HUSBAND, ERIC, A CAKE
TO TAKE TO THE NIGHT SHIFT
AT THE MINES.
I'M GONNA GO OUTSIDE
AND WORK ON MY BIKE.
EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL
AT THE CAHOON HOUSE.
BUT TODAY IS NO ORDINARY DAY.
Eric:
I WAS WORKING ON MY BIKE
AND DIDN'T EVEN HEAR HER
COME IN.
NEXT THING I KNOW, I FELT
THIS INTENSE PAIN IN MY BACK.
AAH!
I KNEW I WAS BLEEDING
PRETTY BADLY
'CAUSE IT WAS COMING UP
OVER MY SHOULDERS, MY BACK.
AND I TURNED AROUND,
AND I LOOKED AT HER,
AND SHE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE BLOOD
THAT SPLATTERED ON HER FACE,
AND SHE JUST LOOKED
COMPLETELY WHITE,
NO NOTHING, JUST GLASSY-EYED.
BEFORE ERIC HAS
A CHANCE TO SPEAK,
LIZ DISAPPEARS OUT FRONT.
I KNEW,
EVERY TIME I BREATHED,
I COULD HEAR
MY LUNG GASPING FOR AIR.
I FELT,
"WELL, I BETTER GO CALL 911
AND GET SOMEBODY OUT HERE."
My wife just stabbed me
in the back.
I'm bleeding profusely.
Need an ambulance quickly,
please.
MAN: Is the wife still there?
YES.
Did she do it on purpose?
Yes.
Had you guys been arguing a lot?
No. Nothing.
She was a manic depressant.
And she just, out of the blue,
stabbed you in the back?
Yes.
Where is the knife at this time?
Right here beside me.
Narrator: WHILE ERIC WAITS
FOR THE PARAMEDICS,
LIZ HEADS BACK INTO THE HOUSE.
LIZ?
SHE JUST WALKED RIGHT PAST ME
LIKE I WAS NOTHING,
JUST LIKE I WAS A GHOST,
I WAS JUST NOT THERE.
WALKED BACK IN THE HOUSE.
I FIGURED, OKAY, WELL, NOTHING
I CAN DO ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
[ GROANS ]
Man: SIR, PARAMEDICS ARE
ON THE WAY.
S- SHE'S OUT OF HER MIND.
SHE DOESN'T KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.
Man #2: OKAY, ARE THERE
ANY OTHER WEAPONS?
NO, NO.
PLEASE DON'T HURT HER.
I TOLD THEM
SHE HAD A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN,
MENTAL BREAKDOWN.
Man: FREEZE, MA'AM.
MA'AM, PUT YOUR HANDS
BEHIND YOUR HEAD.
Narrator:
POLICE PLACE LIZ UNDER ARREST.
COME FORWARD.
[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]
Narrator:
ERIC IS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL.
HE'S IMMEDIATELY TAKEN
INTO SURGERY.
HIS DOCTOR TOLD HIM
A FEW MILLIMETERS HERE OR THERE,
HE WOULD'VE DIED.
MEANWHILE, LIZ IS BOOKED
AT THE ELKO COUNTY JAIL,
WHERE SHE CLAIMS SHE FINALLY
EMERGES FROM HER TRANCE.
ONE OF THE PRISON GUARDS
TOLD ME,
"DO YOU EVEN KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE IN HERE FOR?"
I SAID, "NO."
NO.
ATTEMPTED MURDER.
Dr. Jordan:
IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 10 YEARS
SINCE LIZ WAS
IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP.
SHE HAS THIS NEW,
WONDERFUL, LOVING HUSBAND,
AND THEN, OUT OF THE BLUE,
SHE SINKS A KNIFE INTO HIS BACK.
NO ONE COULD'VE SEEN
THIS COMING,
AND WITHOUT
A NEUROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS
AND NO DRUGS
OR ALCOHOL INVOLVED,
THERE IS JUST
NO OBVIOUS EXPLANATION
FOR WHAT TRIGGERED IT.
Narrator: TAYLOR AND JONATHAN ARE
STUNNED WHEN THEY HEAR THE NEWS.
Taylor: ERIC CALLED ME UP,
AND I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT
'CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING
MY MOM WOULD NEVER DO.
SHE WOULD NEVER HURT ANYONE
IN HER RIGHT MIND.
SHE JUST WOULDN'T.
I COULDN'T IMAGINE HER
EVER DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST -
IT SHOCKED ME.
Narrator: ERIC'S FIRST STOP
WHEN HE LEAVES THE HOSPITAL
IS THE ELKO COUNTY JAIL.
Dr. Jordan:
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE,
FACING THE MAN THAT YOU HAD
STABBED IN THE BACK?
Liz:
THAT WAS HORRIBLE.
HE HAD A BIG BANDAGE ON,
AND HE COULD HARDLY TALK.
Eric: IN THE HOSPITAL,
I THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
AM I GONNA DIVORCE HER?
WHAT AM I GONNA DO?
AND I SAYS, "NO.
IT WASN'T HER."
IT'D BE THE LAST THING I THOUGHT
SHE'D EVER DO, YOU KNOW?
Narrator:
HE REFUSES TO PRESS CHARGES.
BUT THE WAY NEVADA LAWS ARE,
I HAD NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER.
I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.
[ SOBBING ]
HE JUST LOOKED AT ME,
AND HE SAYS...
WE NEED
TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE.
I KNOW
YOU DIDN'T MEAN THIS.
Narrator: LIZ'S BAIL
HAS BEEN SET AT $50,000.
ERIC PUTS UP HIS HOUSE
TO GET HER OUT OF JAIL.
IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
SHE CHECKS IN
TO THE SALT LAKE CITY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER.
Liz:
I HAD SOME TESTS DONE,
AND THEY CONFIRMED THE
CLINICAL DEPRESSION AND PTSD,
AND THERE WAS -
WHAT THEY COULD TELL,
THERE WERE NO NEUROLOGICAL
REASONS FOR IT TO HAPPEN.
Narrator: EVENTUALLY,
LIZ IS ALLOWED TO PLEAD GUILTY
TO A CLASS "C" BATTERY FELONY.
SHE RECEIVES
FIVE YEARS PROBATION.
Dr. Jordan: WHAT'S THE
EXPLANATION FOR HOW IT HAPPENED?
Liz: I DON'T KNOW
IF THERE IS ONE.
WHAT'S YOUR THEORY?
THAT I WAS ATTACKING JOE.
Narrator: ERIC AGREES.
SHE DOESN'T LIKE CONFLICT
WHATSOEVER.
SHE'S ONE OF
THE MOST GIVING, CARING PEOPLE
I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE.
THAT'S WHY I KNEW IT WASN'T HER.
IT WASN'T ME
SHE WAS STABBING TO BEGIN WITH.
IS IT GOOD
THAT YOU DON'T REMEMBER IT?
[SOBS] I THINK
IT HELPS ME SURVIVE.
Narrator: TODAY, LIZ AND ERIC ARE
STILL TOGETHER AND STILL IN LOVE.
I HAVE NEVER FELT
THAT KIND OF LOVE BEFORE.
IS THIS THE MAN
YOU'RE GROWING OLD WITH?
YEAH. HE IS.
HE KEEPS SAYING THAT
WE SHOULD'VE MET 25 YEARS AGO,
AND THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD
TO HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THIS.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
AND THINGS BETWEEN LIZ
AND HER KIDS ARE MUCH BETTER.
HER DAUGHTER'S GROWN UP TO BE
A REALLY MATURE, LOVING LADY.
HER SON'S ACTUALLY GOING
TO COLLEGE TO BECOME A NURSE.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE
A REAL GOOD FAMILY OUT OF IT.
I HAVE AN OBVIOUS QUESTION,
WHICH IS DO YOU WORRY, LIZ,
THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN?
NO, I DON'T.
I WATCH MYSELF.
I TALK WITH MY HUSBAND
A LOT MORE.
NO, I DON'T THINK
IT WOULD EVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
Narrator: WHEN A SUBURBAN MOTHER'S
PERFECT MARRIAGE FALLS APART...
YOU WERE THE ONE
WHO WANTED THESE KIDS.
THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH
THE END RIGHT THERE.
Narrator:
...SHE FALLS RECKLESSLY IN LOVE
WITH A HANDSOME STRANGER
AND COMES FACE-TO-FACE
WITH THE DEVIL HIMSELF.
I FELT LIKE I WAS COMPLETELY,
ABSOLUTELY TRAPPED.
Narrator:
IT'S A HELL SHE CAN'T ESCAPE.
[ WHIMPERS ]
SHE'D ACTUALLY WAKE UP
SCREAMING.
Narrator: AND NEITHER CAN
THOSE AROUND HER.
I CAN'T EXPLAIN
WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
Narrator: NOT ALL FAIRY TALES
HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS.
[ WOMAN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY ]
WHEN LOVE GOES WRONG,
A WOMAN CAN DO THE UNTHINKABLE.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
IT'S A BIG DAY FOR 27-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH ELLEN JOHNSON,
KNOWN TO EVERYONE AS LIZ.
IN JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS,
SHE WILL BECOME
MRS. MICHAEL MILLER.
DAD,
YOU LOOK AMAZING.
YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL.
Elizabeth: THE BIG DEAL,
THE BIG WEDDING AT THE COUNTRY CLUB -
I THINK THAT WENT BACK
TO THE APPROVAL FROM MOM
TO GET MARRIED, HAVE KIDS,
AND DO
THE MORE RESPECTABLE THING.
THANK YOU, MOM.
Narrator: LIZ GREW UP
THE YOUNGEST OF FOUR CHILDREN
IN A MILITARY FAMILY.
HER FATHER
WAS A JAG CORPS OFFICER,
AND HER MOTHER
RAN THE HOUSEHOLD.
MOM,
YOU LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL.
YOU DO.
Elizabeth: SHE VERY MUCH ENJOYED
BEING A MILITARY WIFE,
HAD THE COCKTAIL PARTIES,
ALWAYS HAD TO LOOK GOOD,
ALWAYS HAD THE FAMILY LOOK GOOD.
YOUR DAD DOTED ON YOU.
HE DID.
AND WE WERE CLOSE,
BUT THERE WERE ONLY
CERTAIN SUBJECTS
THAT YOU WOULD
TALK ABOUT.
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DIG
TOO DEEP.
SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE
IN A MILITARY FAMILY,
YOUR EMOTIONS WERE SUPPOSED TO
BE RATHER SUPPRESSED.
VERY SUPPRESSED.
Narrator: DR. CASEY JORDAN
STUDIES CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
LIZ'S FAMILY WAS ALL ABOUT
THE EXTERNAL APPEARANCE
TO THE OUTSIDE.
HER THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
DIDN'T MATTER,
SO SHE LEARNED TO BOTTLE THEM UP
FROM A VERY EARLY AGE,
AND THIS IS DEFINITELY
GOING TO AFFECT HER ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE
AND RELATE TO OTHERS
IN FUTURE RELATIONSHIPS.
I'M FREAKING OUT.
WHY?
I'M TOTALLY FREAKING OUT!
Narrator: IN HER FAMILY, LIZ IS
CLOSEST WITH HER BROTHER TONY.
THIS IS YOUR BIG DAY.
YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY.
YES.
MY BROTHER AND ME, WE WERE
ONE YEAR AND FIVE DAYS APART.
YOU HAD A REALLY GOOD BOND
WITH YOUR BROTHER.
MM-HMM.
I'LL BE RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
LIZ MET HER HUSBAND-TO-BE,
MICHAEL, AT WORK.
SHE MAKES A GOOD LIVING
AS AN OFFICE SUPERVISOR
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
HEY, LIZ. HI.
HI. I'M GOOD.HOW ARE YOU?
I HAVE TICKETS TO THIS CONCERT
NEXT FRIDAY.
IT WASN'T LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
[ LAUGHS ]
BUT HE WAS A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
KIND OF GUY.
WE STARTED
TO SEE EACH OTHER MORE.
SEE YOU THEN.
I WILL SEE YOU THEN.
SWEET.
IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
YOU SHOULD TELL MY DAD
THAT STORY.
Narrator: MICHAEL AND LIZ END UP
DATING FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
LIZ FEELS READY TO COMMIT,
AND MAYBE EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY,
HER PARENTS LIKE HIM.
JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
I FELT THAT HE COULD BE
A VIABLE PARTNER.
TRY IT ON.
SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
Narrator:
ON A SUNNY SPRING DAY IN 1984,
LIZ AND MICHAEL
EXCHANGE THEIR VOWS
IN FRONT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
Dr. Jordan:
SO, YOU HAD THE BIG WEDDING
TO A MAN YOU MAY NOT HAVE EVEN
BEEN MADLY IN LOVE WITH.
MM-HMM.
BUT IT FIT YOUR NEEDS
AT THE TIME.
RIGHT.
SOUNDS SO MATTER OF FACT.
[ CHUCKLES ]
BUT IN LOOKING BACK,
THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT WAS.
I DO.
Dr. Jordan: WHAT WERE YOUR
DREAMS WHEN YOU EXCHANGED VOWS?
MY DREAMS WERE KIDS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BUT JUST AS LIZ AND MICHAEL
GET READY TO START A FAMILY,
THEY'RE HIT WITH
SOME DEVASTATING NEWS.
YOU ALL RIGHT? WHAT'S UP?
THE DOCTOR SAYS
THAT I CAN'T HAVE BABIES.
Elizabeth:
I WAS TOLD I COULDN'T HAVE KIDS,
THAT I HAD A DISEASE
OF THE TUBES,
THAT THE EGG
COULD NOT COME THROUGH,
SO I COULDN'T GET PREGNANT.
THERE'S A REALLY EXPENSIVE
PROCEDURE.
I'M SORRY.
IT'S OKAY.
IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
Narrator: THE NEWLYWEDS ARE TOLD
THEIR ONLY OPTION
IS TO TRY IN VITRO
FERTILIZATION, KNOWN AS I. V. F.
Elizabeth:
IT WAS VERY RADICAL AND NEW.
IT WAS 17% CHANCE THAT I WOULD
HAVE A FULL-TERM, LIVE BABY.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO?
Narrator: THEN SHE'S DEALT
ANOTHER TERRIBLE BLOW
THAT WILL IMPACT HER LIFE
FOREVER.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
I MEAN, I JUST TALKED TO HIM.
Dr. Jordan: YOU'RE MARRIED
ONLY SIX MONTHS.
YOU DANCED WITH YOUR BROTHER
AT YOUR WEDDING.
Elizabeth: MM-HMM.
AND SIX MONTHS LATER,
WHAT HAPPENS?
OH, MY GOD.
THAT SUMMER,
FOR WHATEVER REASON,
HE SEEMED -
HE SEEMED DEPRESSED.
OF COURSE,
THE FAMILY DYNAMICS
WAS WE DON'T TALK ABOUT
ANYTHING ANYWAY.
I REMEMBER COMMENTING
TO MY HUSBAND
WHEN WE GOT BACK
FROM THANKSGIVING
AT MY PARENTS' HOUSE
THAT HE SEEMED HAPPIER,
HE SEEMED BETTER,
SOMETHING HAD CHANGED.
AND WITHIN A WEEK,
HE WENT HOME AND SHOT HIMSELF.
Narrator: HER PARENTS
ARE CONSUMED WITH GRIEF.
[ Crying ] OH, MY GOD.
[ Voice breaking ]
I REALLY THINK OF IT
AS THAT WAS WHEN I LOST
MY PARENTS, TOO.
THEY CHANGED.
YES.
YOU'D NEVER SEEN YOUR DAD
LIKE THAT.
NEVER.
Narrator:
AND LIZ'S MOTHER FALLS APART.
LIZ TRIES TO MOVE PAST
HER OWN GRIEF
WHILE STILL STRUGGLING
WITH HER FERTILITY ISSUES.
YOUR MOTHER AND I
HAVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THAT PROCEDURE
THAT YOU WANTED.
Elizabeth:
I TALKED TO MY DAD ABOUT IT,
AND ACTUALLY MY DAD
PUT OUT THE MONEY
FOR ME TO GO THROUGH
AN I. V. F. PROCEDURE.
THANK YOU, DAD.
Dr. Jordan:
YOUR BROTHER WASN'T THERE.
THEN AT LEAST LIZ
CAN CARRY ON FAMILY TRADITION
BY HAVING CHILDREN?
YES.
Narrator:
IN JANUARY 1989,
AFTER NEARLY FIVE YEARS
OF MARRIAGE,
LIZ GIVES BIRTH TO HER SON,
JONATHAN, THROUGH I. V. F.
WE DID PRETTY GOOD.
SO, WHEN YOUR SON WAS BORN,
IT WAS BIG.
IT WAS HUGE FOR ME.
IT WAS HUGE FOR MY DAD.
OH, MAN,
LOOK AT THE TIME.
I...
I GOT TO GO, BABE.
UNFORTUNATELY,
MICHAEL SEEMS LESS THAN EXCITED
ABOUT BEING A FATHER.
Michael: I'M GONNA CALL JIM
REAL QUICK.
HERE WE HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL
10-POUND, 2-OUNCE BABY BOY.
WE CAME HOME.
IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE
SUPER BOWL SUNDAY,
AND HE WENT OFF TO THE BAR
TO GO WATCH THE SUPER BOWL.
NOT TREMENDOUSLY
REASSURING.
CORRECT.
TWO YEARS LATER,
LIZ MIRACULOUSLY GIVES BIRTH
TO HER DAUGHTER, TAYLOR,
WITHOUT I. V. F.
BUT ADDING A SECOND CHILD
TO THE MIX
JUST SEEMS TO PUSH MICHAEL
FARTHER AWAY.
JONATHAN'S ASLEEP, SO I'M GONNA
HEAD OUT, ALL RIGHT?
MICHAEL, CAN YOU PLEASE
NOT GO OUT TONIGHT?
BABE, I TOLD THE BOYS
I'D GO OUT, OKAY?
YOU'VE BEEN OUT
EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
ONE TIME I ASKED HIM. I SAID,
"CAN'T YOU STAY HOME AND HELP?"
AND HE SAYS...
YOU WERE THE ONE
WHO WANTED THESE KIDS, OKAY?
"AND YOU STAY HOME
AND TAKE CARE OF THEM."
AND THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE END
RIGHT THERE FOR ME.
Narrator: LIZ TURNS HER FOCUS
TO RAISING HER KIDS
AND HER GOVERNMENT JOB
WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,
ONE EVENING,
LIZ CLAIMS SHE DISCOVERS
THAT MICHAEL ISN'T ALWAYS JUST
HANGING OUT WITH HIS BUDDIES.
HEY.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HOME
SO LATE?
Elizabeth: I KNOW HE HAD
AN AFFAIR AT LEAST ONE NIGHT.
HE CAME HOME WITH HIS T-SHIRT ON
INSIDE OUT ONE TIME,
AND I ASKED HIM WHY IT WAS THAT.
ARE YOU CHEATING ON ME?
WHAT? I'M NOT CH-
I'M NOT CHEATING ON YOU.
JUST TELL ME THE TRUTH.
I'M TELLING YOU THAT I'M NOT...
Narrator: ACCORDING TO LIZ,
MICHAEL ULTIMATELY CONFESSES.
I WAS, OKAY?
I KNEW IT.
IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
LIZ HANDLES THE NEWS
THE WAY SHE'S LEARNED TO HANDLE
ANYTHING UNPLEASANT.
SHE BURIES IT DEEP INSIDE.
I'M HERE.
Elizabeth:
I DON'T KNOW.
THEN IT HAD JUST KIND OF BRUSHED
UNDER THE CARPET.
Dr. Jordan: YOU BOTTLED IT UP.
YES.
WELL, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU.
[ LAUGHS ]
I FOUND THAT OUT.
I'M - I'M GONNA GO TO BED
OR WATCH TV OR SOMETHING.
Dr. Jordan:
THIS IS A HUGE BLOW TO LIZ.
SHE IS ALREADY FEELING ABANDONED
BY MICHAEL.
NOW THAT WE HAVE INFIDELITY
INTO THE MIX,
HER SELF-ESTEEM
IS REALLY TAKING A BEATING.
WHAT DOES SHE DO
WITH THESE EMOTIONS?
SHE STUFFS IT DOWN,
LIKE PUTTING THE JACK-IN-THE-BOX
DOWN INTO THE CONTAINER.
BUT THE TENSION
IS GONNA WIND SO TIGHT
THAT IT'S REALLY BOUND TO POP UP
WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT.
Narrator:
AS THE NEXT FEW YEARS GO BY,
LIZ AND MICHAEL
GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS,
BUT IT'S CLEAR THE LOVE IS GONE.
I STARTED GOING ON WALKS.
I WAS OVERWHELMED
WITH MY MARRIAGE.
I WAS FEELING OVERWHELMED PRETTY
MUCH WITH ALL THE REST OF LIFE.
THE WALKS MADE ME FEEL BETTER.
Man: EXCUSE ME.
Narrator: ONE AFTERNOON,
SHE'S APPROACHED
BY A HANDSOME STRANGER.
MY NAME IS JOE.
HI, JOE. I'M LIZ.
NOW I MEET THIS PERSON
WHO IS SHOWING ME ATTENTION.
HOW DID IT FEEL
TO BE NOTICED?
IT FELT REAL GOOD.
MIND IF I WALK WITH YOU?
YEAH.
Elizabeth: [ LAUGHS ]
IT WAS REALLY NICE TO MEET
YOUR KIDS THE OTHER DAY.
THEY'RE REALLY COOL.
IT DOESN'T TAKE JOE LONG
TO WIN OVER LONELY LIZ.
YEAH, I TALKED TO JON.
HE WAS TELLING ME ALL ABOUT
HIS BASEBALL TEAM.
BROUGHT ME FLOWERS,
DID LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT
FOR ME,
WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE KIDS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY...
THERE WAS
SOME SEXUAL ENERGY THERE.
YOU WANTED TO BE WITH HIM.
MM-HMM.
Narrator: ONCE THINGS BETWEEN
LIZ AND JOE BECOME PHYSICAL,
SHE DECIDES SHE HAS TO COME
CLEAN WITH HER HUSBAND, MICHAEL.
I MET SOMEBODY.
WHAT?!
I MET...
SHE'S COMPLETELY UNPREPARED
FOR HOW HE REACTS.
ARE YOU CHEATING ON ME?
Michael: WHAT? I'M NOT CH-
Narrator: WHEN SHE FINDS OUT HER
HUSBAND'S BEEN CHEATING ON HER,
ELIZABETH MILLER FINDS SOLACE
IN THE ARMS OF ANOTHER MAN.
IT'S THE FINAL STRAW
THAT WILL LIKELY BREAK
THIS LOVELESS MARRIAGE.
HE WAS SHOCKED.
I WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF SURPRISED
HE WAS SHOCKED.
I'M - I'M READY
TO PARTICIPATE, OKAY?
Narrator: EVEN THOUGH
HE'S BEEN PRETTY ABSENT,
MICHAEL APPARENTLY
DOESN'T WANT OUT.
WE DON'T HAVE A LIFE TOGETHER.
YES, WE DO.
THE THRILL IS GONE,
THE MARRIAGE IS OVER?
YES.
IT'S TOO LATE, MICHAEL.
WHY?
IT'S BECAUSE
I WANT A DIVORCE.
MICHAEL MOVES OUT.
HE AND LIZ SHARE CUSTODY
OF THEIR KIDS.
WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS,
HER BOYFRIEND JOE MOVES IN.
Dr. Jordan:
CLEARLY, LIZ IS VERY VULNERABLE.
AND IF SHE'S LUCKY,
JOE COULD TURN OUT TO BE
HER KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR.
BUT IF HE IS ZONED IN
ON THAT VULNERABILITY,
HE COULD BE SETTING HER UP FOR
A WHOLE NEW KIND OF HEARTACHE.
Narrator: BUT ONCE JOE'S
MADE HIMSELF COMFORTABLE,
THE FAIRY TALE ABRUPTLY ENDS.
I MADE YOU MY SPECIALTY.
WHERE'S THE WHISKEY?
HE STARTED DRINKING,
AND THEN IT JUST STARTS TO TURN.
YOU FORGOT THE WHISKEY?
YOU WANT ME TO DRINK THIS?
I'M NOT GONNA DRINK IT!
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHARMING
GUY IN THE PARK BY THE LEVEE?
HE WAS GONE.
THIS NEW GUY
IN YOUR HOUSE...
I WAS AFRAID OF.
Narrator:
LIZ IS SHATTERED,
BUT SHE REFUSES TO ADMIT
SHE'S MADE A HUGE MISTAKE.
TO COPE,
SHE STARTS DRINKING, TOO.
SO, YOU START,
FOR LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE,
HITTING THE BOTTLE.
MM-HMM.
NOT EVERY NIGHT
WAS DRUNK BEYOND CAPACITY,
BUT I WAS PROBABLY DRINKING
EVERY NIGHT,
EXCEPT WHEN I DID SEE
THE KIDS.
I STILL ALWAYS PUT MY KIDS FIRST
AS BEST I COULD.
LIZ MANAGES TO PUT UP
WITH JOE'S BEHAVIOR,
UNTIL ONE NIGHT
WHEN HE CROSSES THE LINE.
POUR ME A DRINK.
POUR ME A DRINK.
Elizabeth: HE WAS VERY ANGRY
FOR SOME REASON.
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
Jonathan: I DID NOT LIKE JOE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS,
BUT I JUST GOT A REALLY WEIRD
VIBE FROM JOE.
Elizabeth: MY KIDS WERE UPSTAIRS
IN BED, ASLEEP.
BOTH OF THEM WERE ASLEEP.
Narrator: OR SO LIZ THINKS.
DRINKING ALL ALONE,
AND I COME IN,
AND YOU CAN'T EVEN
POUR ME ONE DRINK.
THE FIGHT WAKES UP
6-YEAR-OLD JONATHAN.
Jonathan: I HEARD SOME
WEIRD NOISE COMING DOWNSTAIRS,
AND I LOOK INTO THE LIVING ROOM,
AND I REMEMBER SEEING JOE
HIT MY MOM WITH AN OPEN HAND,
BUT IT WAS PRETTY HARD.
LIKE, SHE DID FALL TO
THE GROUND, AND JOE NOTICES ME.
SO, JOE PICKS UP MY MOM
OFF THE GROUND
AND PRETENDS TO DANCE WITH HER.
MY MOM'S CRYING, AND I WAS
KIND OF STUNNED, YOU KNOW.
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE
OR ANYTHING.
SO I WENT BACK UPSTAIRS.
I DON'T THINK MY MOM KNEW
I SAW THEM.
[ CRYING ]
Elizabeth: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
THIS HAD EVER HAPPENED TO ME, EVER.
AND I, UH - I CALLED 911.
[ CRYING ]
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
I'M IN THE LIVING ROOM!
COME IN!
YOU'VE TAKEN
LIKE 20 MINUTES!
I CALLED YOU
ALMOST HALF AN HOUR AGO!
Narrator: BY THE TIME THE POLICE
ARRIVE, JOE'S LONG GONE.
THE KIDS ARE UPSTAIRS?
YES.
Narrator:
JOE'S ATTACK SENDS LIZ REELING
AND CAUSES HER TO DO SOMETHING
COMPLETELY IRRATIONAL.
I WAS JUST SO UPSET
AND SO UPTIGHT.
I AM CALM!
I PICKED UP A PAIR
OF MY SON'S UNDERWEAR
AND I SLAPPED HER
ACROSS THE FACE WITH IT.
I, UH, WENT DOWN TO THE GROUND
PRETTY QUICK.
THEY ARRESTED ME FOR ASSAULT
ON A POLICE OFFICER.
Narrator: MICHAEL COMES
TO PICK UP THE KIDS
WHILE LIZ
SPENDS THE NIGHT IN JAIL.
Elizabeth:
IT WAS QUITE AN ORDEAL.
MY DAD COME DOWN AND GOT ME OUT,
AND THERE WERE NO CHARGES.
THEY WERE DROPPED.
Dr. Jordan: HAD YOUR DIVORCE
FINALIZED YET?
Elizabeth: NO.
SO THIS WAS REALLY AMMUNITION
HE COULD USE.
OH, YEAH, YEAH,
AND HE USED IT.
Narrator: HER SOON-TO-BE
EX-HUSBAND, MICHAEL,
IMMEDIATELY FILES
FOR FULL CUSTODY OF JONATHAN
AND TAYLOR, WHO WAS 4 YEARS OLD.
THEY DID NOT COME BACK
FOR NINE MONTHS.
Narrator:
LIZ RETURNS HOME TO JOE
AND A SITUATION THAT QUICKLY
SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
I NEED TO TALK TO YOU.
JUST COME OVER HERE
REAL QUICK.
Elizabeth:
HE JUST STARTS TAKING OVER.
THIS MAN KEPT TELLING ME
THAT IF I KICKED HIM OUT
OR CALLED THE POLICE
OR DID ANYTHING,
THEN HE WAS GONNA HURT
MY PARENTS.
HE KNEW WHERE MY KIDS WERE.
HE WAS THREATENING TO KILL THEM.
DON'T MAKE ME DO IT, LIZ.
I FELT LIKE I WAS COMPLETELY,
ABSOLUTELY TRAPPED.
Narrator: LIZ DRINKS HEAVILY
TO NUMB HER REALITY.
THEN SHE FALLS PREY TO SOMETHING
FAR MORE SINISTER - CRACK.
CHECK IT OUT.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
I REALLY DIDN'T.
JUST TRY IT.
JUST TAKE IT.
HE THREATENED ME.
I DON'T RECALL
THE EXACT WORDS HE SAID,
BUT HE SAID,
"YOU BETTER TRY IT."
WHAT WAS IT LIKE?
Elizabeth: ALL-ENVELOPING.
WHAT IT DOES IS IT ALMOST
RELAXED EVERY MUSCLE I HAD,
SO I DIDN'T HAVE
THAT NERVOUS PAIN ANYMORE.
Narrator: THE SUBURBAN MOM
IS INSTANTLY HOOKED.
YOU BEGIN TO CHASE IT,
AND IT'S NOT THE SAME ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST TIME
IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
IT HAD NEVER WORKED THE SAME
AGAIN.
BUT BY THE TIME
YOU FIGURE THAT OUT...
THEN IT WAS TOO LATE.
[ SIGHS ]
SOON, LIZ'S JOB IS ON THE LINE.
Elizabeth: THE PEOPLE AT WORK
ARE FINDING OUT
THAT LIFE IS NOT VERY GOOD
AT HOME.
HEY.
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
I'M JUST...
I'M WORKING IT OUT.
BY NOW I'M A LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
AND I'M WORKING
AT DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
I'M MORE CONCERNED
ABOUT YOU.
NO, I'M OKAY.
I'M DOING MY BEST
TO COVER IT UP.
BUT IT'S ALL [SIGHS]
FACADE.
YES, IT IS.
IT'S ALL FACADE.
BECAUSE LIZ WENT
FROM HER VERY PERFECT FAMILY
INTO AN EARLY MARRIAGE,
SHE NEVER STOOD ON HER OWN FEET
AND LEARNED HOW TO SOLVE
PROBLEMS ON HER OWN.
SHE'S VERY AFRAID OF JOE,
BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW
HOW TO ADMIT SHE NEEDS HELP
AND REACH OUT FOR IT.
THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.
BECAUSE LIZ DOESN'T HAVE
COPING MECHANISMS,
SHE'S GONNA KEEP SELF-MEDICATING
TO AVOID ALL THE PAIN.
Joe: DON'T WALK AWAY
FROM ME, LIZ!
Narrator: AT HOME, THINGS ARE
COMPLETELY UNRAVELING.
Elizabeth:
IT WAS VALENTINE'S DAY.
I CAME HOME FROM WORK.
I DON'T KNOW WHY HE WAS MAD,
BECAUSE BY THIS TIME
IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER.
DON'T EVER
WALK AWAY FROM ME!
DON'T EVER WALK AWAY!
HE JUST - HE HAD THIS KNIFE,
AND HE JUST WENT BAM
RIGHT IN MY HAND.
YOU DID IT TO YOURSELF,
LIZ!
YOU DID IT TO YOURSELF!
GET OUT OF HERE!
THREW A BEER BOTTLE AT ME.
DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!
Narrator:
AS THE PHYSICAL ABUSE ESCALATES,
SO DOES THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
I GOT FIRED TODAY.
WHAT?
I WAS SMOKING A LOT OF CRACK
COCAINE TOWARDS THE VERY END.
TELL ME WHY.
HOPELESS.
I'M OUT OF A JOB THAT I WORKED
VERY HARD FOR AS A CAREER.
I'VE LOST MY KIDS.
THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME
FROM REALLY NOT GOING AHEAD
AND KILLING MYSELF
WAS 'CAUSE MY BROTHER HAD
AND I DIDN'T WANT
TO LEAVE MY KIDS ALONE.
YOU HAVE TO STAY ALIVE
FOR YOUR KIDS.
YEAH.
I DON'T EVEN -
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
IT DOESN'T MATTER, OKAY?
I GOT SOMETHING LINED UP
FOR US.
Narrator: JOE CONVINCES LIZ
TO DRIVE HIM 400 MILES SOUTH
TO SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA,
FOR A JOB.
I GOT SOMETHING BETTER.
I CAN'T GO TO SANTA MONICA.
THINGS JUST GOT WORSE.
Narrator:
THEY'RE STAYING IN A MOTEL,
BUT JOE IS LOW ON CASH.
ACCORDING TO LIZ,
HE SOON COMES UP
WITH A TERRIFYING WAY
TO GET SOME.
I GOT US SOME WORK.
THAT'S GOOD.
YEAH.
I SHOWED THEM YOUR PICTURE.
THEY LIKED IT.
MY PICTURE?
YEAH, YOUR PICTURE.
HE HAD CALLED THESE PORN SITES
THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO FILM ME
SO THAT HE COULD GET MONEY.
IT'S NOT THAT BAD.
IT IS NOT THAT BAD, OKAY?
THEY'RE GONNA PAY US WELL,
OKAY?
I THINK YOU'RE CRAZY.
AND I REFUSED,
AND I WOULDN'T DO THAT.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT.
OH, I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!
I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!
HE LOVED THROWING STUFF,
AND HE'S THROWING THIS STUFF
AT ME,
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT IT IS.
Narrator: LIZ MAY HAVE
FINALLY HIT ROCK BOTTOM.
NO! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!
DON'T EVER
WALK AWAY FROM ME!
Narrator:
IN THE PAST NINE MONTHS,
ELIZABETH MILLER HAS LOST
HER KIDS, HER JOB,
AND BECOME ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL
AND CRACK COCAINE.
I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!
I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!
WHEN HER BOYFRIEND
TRIES TO GET HER TO DO PORN,
SHE HITS HER BREAKING POINT.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!
UP TO NOW, LIZ HAS KEPT
HER PERSONAL ISSUES A SECRET
FROM HER FATHER,
KNOWING HE'D DISAPPROVE.
BUT SHE'S DESPERATE,
SO SHE REACHES OUT FOR HELP.
Elizabeth: I CALLED MY DAD,
AND HE SENT MONEY
FOR ME TO COME BACK UP
TO SACRAMENTO,
AND I FLEW TO SACRAMENTO, AND I
IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO REHAB.
IT SAVED YOUR LIFE?
YES.
THE PHYSICAL WITHDRAWAL
FROM CRACK IS NOT BAD.
IT WAS
THE EMOTIONAL WITHDRAWAL.
AND SO I, FROM THAT POINT ON,
NEVER HAD ANY.
Narrator:
SHE ALSO NEVER SEES JOE AGAIN.
LIZ SPENDS FIVE MONTHS IN REHAB,
WORKING ON HER RECOVERY.
SHE'S DIAGNOSED
WITH CLINICAL DEPRESSION
AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
DISORDER.
I'VE BEEN GIVING YOUR CASE
A LOT OF THOUGHT.
Dr. Jordan:
EXPLAIN HOW YOU CAN HAVE
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
DISORDER
WHEN YOU'VE NEVER BEEN
IN A WAR
SO THAT PEOPLE
CAN UNDERSTAND.
[ Voice breaking ] THE TRAUMA
WAS BEING AFRAID
EVERY SINGLE DAY
THAT IF I DIDN'T DO SOMETHING
A CERTAIN WAY
THAT PERHAPS MY MOM AND DAD
WOULD BE HURT
OR MY KIDS WOULD BE HURT,
DEALING WITH A PERSON THAT WAS
BASICALLY HOLDING YOU HOSTAGE.
IT WAS A WAR
WITHIN MY OWN HOME,
WHERE I WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE.
LIZ IS ABLE TO GET HER FIRING
BY THE STATE
CONVERTED TO A DISABILITY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE GETS BACK
PARTIAL CUSTODY OF HER KIDS.
WHAT WAS YOUR NEW CALLING?
I ENDED UP WORKING
IN THE REHAB,
AND I'M WORKING MYSELF UP TO BE
ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
JENNIFER.
HI.
YOU MADE IT.
HI.
NICE TO MEET YOU
IN PERSON.
SHE FOCUSES ON THE TREATMENT
OF PREGNANT WOMEN
AND THEIR CHILDREN.
ACTUALLY I ALREADY HAVE
YOUR ROOM READY,
AND I WAS WORKING
ON YOUR PAPERWORK.
VERY FULFILLING?
YES.
OVER TIME,
LIZ DEVELOPS A CLOSE BOND
WITH ONE OF THE PATIENTS,
A WOMAN NAMED JENNIFER.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU LOVED HER
LIKE A DAUGHTER.
I DID.
WE'LL GET YOU
ALL SETTLED IN.
Dr. Jordan: LIZ HAS A CHANCE
FOR A FRESH START HERE.
SHE HAS HER ADDICTIONS
UNDER CONTROL,
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
SHE HAS RE-ESTABLISHED
A RELATIONSHIP
WITH HER CHILDREN.
IF SHE CAN TAKE
ALL OF THIS NEW EXPERIENCE,
EVERYTHING SHE'S LEARNED,
AND TURN IT INTO HELPING OTHERS,
THIS COULD BE A VERY POSITIVE
TURNING POINT.
Narrator: LIZ HAS FINALLY FOUND
HER GROOVE,
AND THE NEXT 10 YEARS
ARE HAPPY AND PEACEFUL.
THEN, WHEN HER KIDS
JONATHAN AND TAYLOR ARE TEENS,
THEY MOVE BACK IN WITH HER
FULL-TIME.
WHEN I WAS A CERTAIN AGE,
I COULD CHOOSE
WHO I WANT TO BE WITH.
AND IT PROBABLY HURT
MY DAD A LOT,
BUT I WANTED TO BE WITH MY MOM.
JONATHAN,
COME DOWNSTAIRS.
OKAY, OKAY,
I'M COMING.
Jonathan: SHE WAS MORE LENIENT,
YOU KNOW, JUST HAD A LOOSER LEASH,
AND THAT'S WHY I, YOU KNOW,
CHOSE TO LIVE WITH MY MOM.
THANK YOU.
Narrator: JONATHAN TAKES FULL
ADVANTAGE OF HIS MOM'S LAX RULES,
AND LIZ SOON LEARNS
SINGLE-PARENTING TWO TEENAGERS
IS NO EASY TASK.
MY SON WAS STARTING
TO FIND HIMSELF
WITH PEOPLE THAT PARTIED
WAY TOO MUCH.
I WAS INTRODUCED TO, YOU KNOW,
PARTYING, DRINKING,
ALL THAT STUFF.
Narrator: TAYLOR SOON STARTS
FOLLOWING IN JONATHAN'S FOOTSTEPS.
I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH MY
BROTHER AND HIS FRIENDS A LOT,
WHICH WE'RE NOT EXACTLY THE
BEST GROUP TO GET ALONG WITH.
WHY ARE YOU HOME
SO EARLY?
[ SCOFFS ]
I LEFT.
MY GRADES, OBVIOUSLY, DECLINED.
I WAS BASICALLY FAILING SCHOOL.
Narrator: LIZ DECIDES
SHE NEEDS TO BE MORE PRESENT
IN HER KIDS' LIVES.
HI, GUYS.
Narrator:
SHE'S ALSO BURNT OUT
FROM THE STRAIN
OF WORKING WITH ADDICTS.
I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING
JUST COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
Narrator: SHE DECIDES TO BECOME
AN AESTHETICIAN,
A LOW-STRESS JOB
WITH FLEXIBLE HOURS.
I COULD STILL MAKE A LIVING
BUT BE WITH MY KIDS.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
Narrator:
ONE DAY, JENNIFER,
WHO LIZ BEFRIENDED
AT THE SHELTER 10 YEARS EARLIER,
DECIDES TO PLAY MATCHMAKER.
SHE'S CONVINCED LIZ WOULD
HIT IT OFF WITH HER FRIEND ERIC,
A KIND-HEARTED MAN WITH
A DECEPTIVELY ROUGH EXTERIOR.
SHE CALLED ME UP AND GOES,
"I KNOW THIS REALLY NICE LADY.
"YOU SEEM
LIKE YOU'RE KIND OF LONELY,
SO WHY DON'T YOU GIVE HER
A CALL?"
YES, MAY I SPEAK
WITH LIZ, PLEASE?
YES, THIS IS.
YES. HELLO, LIZ.
UH, THIS IS ERIC CAHOON.
JENNIFER TOLD ME
THAT YOU'D BE CALLING.
Narrator: ERIC LIVES IN ELKO,
NEVADA, A SMALL GOLD-MINING TOWN
SIX HOURS FROM SACRAMENTO.
THE FIRST TIME I TALKED TO HER,
IT WAS LIKE 3 1/2 HOURS.
WE JUST SEEMED LIKE WE CLICKED,
JUST STARTED TALKING.
IT WAS REALLY EASY,
AND WE FOUND
A LOT OF THINGS IN COMMON.
Liz:
IT WASN'T FLIRTING.
THERE WAS NO PRESSURE.
IT WAS JUST TALKING,
TALKING ABOUT DAILY HAPPENINGS
WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING,
WHO WE ARE,
AND I HAD NO IDEA
WHEN I'D EVEN MEET HIM,
IF I WOULD.
AND IT WAS LIKE, "IF I CALL YOU
IN A COUPLE DAYS."
WE WENT FROM THERE.
Dr. Jordan: EVEN THOUGH
IT'S BEEN A REALLY LONG TIME
SINCE LIZ WAS WITH JOE,
YOU HAVE TO ASK,
HAS SHE REALLY HEALED?
THE LEGACY
OF SUCH PHYSICAL ABUSE
CAUSES SCARS
THAT CAN BE EASILY REOPENED
WITH THE SLIGHTEST TRIGGER.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: LIZ AND ERIC SPEND
THE NEXT THREE MONTHS
CONNECTING OVER THE PHONE,
OFTEN FOR HOURS AT A TIME.
SO, HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY MORE
THOUGHT TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW...
ERIC FINALLY DECIDES IT'S TIME
TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP
AND INVITES HIMSELF
TO SACRAMENTO.
HE KNEW MOST OF MY LIFE,
AND HE STILL WANTED TO COME OUT
TO SACRAMENTO TO MEET ME.
YEAH, NO, YOU SHOULD
ABSOLUTELY COME - COME, PLEASE.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO HERE.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
WHAT WAS IT LIKE
WHEN THE DOOR OPENED
AND YOU SAW HIM
FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Eric: HEY.
HOW ARE YOU?
I REMEMBER BOTH OF US TAKING
A STEP BACK
AND LOOKING AT EACH OTHER
A LITTLE BIT,
AND THEN WE JUST HUGGED.
IT WAS LIKE TWO OLD FRIENDS
GETTING BACK TOGETHER,
YOU KNOW, SO IT DIDN'T FEEL
LIKE OUR FIRST MEETING.
Narrator: THEIR FIRST DATE ENDS
UP BEING TAKEOUT HAMBURGERS.
IT'S SO NICE
TO FINALLY MEET YOU, LIZ.
YEAH.
LUCKILY, THERE'S ALSO
A STRONG PHYSICAL ATTRACTION.
YEAH.
Eric: THE NEXT THING I KNOW,
IT'S LIKE 2:00, 3:00 IN THE MORNING,
AND I'M GOING,
"WOW. IT'S PRETTY LATE."
SHE GOES, "OH, NO,
I GOT TO GET HOME." [LAUGHS]
"THE KIDS, YOU KNOW,
ARE GONNA WONDER WHERE I'M AT."
OKAY. NO.
OKAY.
COME BACK.
Narrator: BUT IT'S CLEAR TO BOTH OF
THEM THAT THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL.
OKAY. BYE.
ALL RIGHT. BYE.
ERIC STARTS VISITING LIZ
EVERY MONTH,
AND THE RELATIONSHIP BLOSSOMS.
NOW, WHEN ERIC VISITS,
HE STAYS AT LIZ'S HOUSE.
WELL, YOU KNOW,
I THINK I CAN WASH DISHES.
I'M NOT MUCH OF A COOK.
[ LAUGHS ]
IT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
OH, MY GOD,
JONATHAN DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL.
HE'S BEING SUCH AN IDIOT.
CAN YOU AT LEAST SAY...?
HEY, ERIC.
IT GIVES HIM A FRONT-ROW SEAT
TO THE DRAMA HAPPENING
WITH HER KIDS.
Liz: MY SON WAS CAUSING
A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN THE HOUSE.
HE TURNED 18 IN JANUARY
AND WENT IN THAT DAY
TO THE VICE PRINCIPAL
AND DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL,
AND I WAS SO ANGRY WITH HIM.
HE HAD JUST
THAT ONE SEMESTER LEFT.
HEY.
Liz: YOUR SISTER TELLS ME THAT
YOU DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL TODAY.
WHAT THE HELL?
WHY'D YOU TELL HER?
I HAD TO.
I'M JUST DROPPING OUT.
IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
Jonathan: I WOULDN'T SAY
IT WAS REBELLIOUS.
I JUST REALLY WANTED TO DO
MY OWN THING, YOU KNOW?
AND THAT REALLY GOT TO HER.
SOUNDS LIKE YOUR KIDS WERE
KIND OF PUSHING YOUR BUTTONS.
THEY WERE.
I'LL FIGURE IT -
I'LL FIGURE IT OUT!
[ GROANS ]
HONEY, I -
Narrator: ERIC CAN'T STAND TO SEE
THE WOMAN HE'S FALLEN IN LOVE WITH
IN SO MUCH PAIN.
I'M SORRY. THEY'RE TEENAGERS.
I CAN'T CONTROL THEM.
I FIGURED OUT,
"THIS IS ENOUGH," YOU KNOW?
IF THESE KIDS WANT
TO BE THAT WAY,
THEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM
TO GROW UP A LITTLE BIT.
WE ALWAYS HAVE MY PLACE
DOWN IN ELKO.
Narrator: ERIC SUGGESTS
SHE MOVES IN WITH HIM IN ELKO.
THAT SOUNDS GOOD, HUH?
JUST RUN AWAY.
Liz: I BELIEVE HE FELT
LIKE HE NEEDED TO RESCUE ME,
AND THE KIDS WOULD BE FINE.
YOU'RE SO AWESOME.
Narrator:
LIZ IS TEMPTED,
BUT SHE'S PRETTY SURE
THE KIDS WON'T WANT TO GO,
AND FEELS GUILTY ABOUT THE
THOUGHT OF LEAVING THEM BEHIND.
[ ROCK MUSIC PLAYS ]
THEN, ONE EVENING,
WHILE LIZ IS OUT,
JONATHAN AND TAYLOR THROW
A RAGER.
THANKS.
ME AND MY BROTHER THROW
THIS SHEBANG AT MY HOUSE.
I WAS 16.
I REALLY DIDN'T REALLY THINK
MUCH MORE THAN MYSELF.
WHAT THE HELL IS
GOING ON?
WHO ARE
THESE PEOPLE?!
Narrator: WHEN LIZ COMES HOME
UNEXPECTEDLY, SHE'S FURIOUS.
WHAT IS THIS?
WHAT IS THIS?
LIZ FEELS USED
AND DISRESPECTED.
THE BETRAYAL STIRS UP
UGLY FEELINGS
FROM HER ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH JOE.
SHE WANTS OUT
AND DECIDES TO TAKE THE PLUNGE
AND MOVE TO ELKO WITH ERIC.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
THE DEMONS FROM HER PAST ARE
ALONG FOR THE RIDE.
[ SOBBING ]
FOR MORE
ON HOW LIZ IS DOING NOW,
I'VE BEEN GIVING YOUR CASE
A LOT OF THOUGHT.
Narrator: ELIZABETH MILLER
HAS BEEN SOBER FOR 10 YEARS.
WHEN HER TEENAGE CHILDREN
PUSH HER OVER THE EDGE,
SHE TAKES UP
HER NEW BOYFRIEND, ERIC,
ON HIS INVITATION
TO LEAVE SACRAMENTO
AND MOVE IN WITH HIM
IN ELKO, NEVADA.
AND SHE, AFTER THAT NIGHT,
WAS LIKE,
"OKAY, I'M LEAVING.
I'M GONNA GO,"
AND JUST BASICALLY LEFT ME
AND MY BROTHER,
WHICH, AT THE TIME,
I WAS REALLY MAD AT HER.
Narrator: JONATHAN, WHO'S 18,
GETS HIS OWN PLACE.
TAYLOR'S DAD IS HER ONLY OPTION.
I WENT TO MY DAD'S
'CAUSE I WAS 16.
MY MOM GAVE OUR HOUSE
TO THIS FAMILY FRIEND.
YES.
JONATHAN MIGHT BE BY.
Narrator: LIZ LETS JENNIFER,
HER FRIEND FROM THE REHAB,
AND HER FAMILY MOVE IN
TO HER SACRAMENTO HOUSE
FOR A MODEST RENT.
IT'LL BE FINE.
IT'LL BE FINE.
YOU'LL BE FINE.
OKAY. AND CALL ME.
SHE EVEN LEAVES
MOST OF HER STUFF IN THE HOUSE
FOR THEM TO USE.
THE INTENTION WAS
TO GET MY THINGS WHEN I COULD
WHEN WE GOT OUR NEW PLACE.
Dr. Jordan: LIZ IS READY
FOR A NEW LEASE ON LIFE,
AND MOVING TO ELKO
TO BE WITH ERIC,
A MAN WHO REALLY
LOVES HER UNCONDITIONALLY,
SEEMS LIKE THE ANSWER.
BUT AS AN ADDICT IN RECOVERY,
IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE
A SUPPORT NETWORK.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE HER CHILDREN.
THERE'S NO STRUCTURE
TO HER LIFE,
NO JOB TO GO TO DURING THE DAY.
AND THE ISOLATION OF BEING
A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND
COULD CAUSE HER TO RELAPSE.
Narrator: LIZ HOPES THE MOVE TO
ELKO WILL GIVE HER A FRESH START.
BUT YOU WEREN'T ANTICIPATING
KIND OF THE CULTURE SHOCK
OF MOVING TO THE DESERT.
RIGHT.
LIZ KNOWS NO ONE, ERIC WORKS
14-HOUR SHIFTS AT THE MINES,
AND WHEN SHE TRIES TO LAUNCH
A SKIN-CARE BUSINESS,
IT GOES NOWHERE.
YOU GOT PLANS
FOR THIS MORNING?
UM... NOT REALLY.
SO, SHE HAD
A LOT OF TIME ON HER HANDS.
IT WAS TOUGH.
I GOT TO GO.
BUT I'LL GIVE YOU A CALL
ON MY BREAK
AND LET YOU KNOW
WHAT'S UP.
OKAY.
YEAH?
LOVE YOU.
LOVE YOU, TOO.
WHEN ERIC GETS HOME FROM WORK,
HE SEES HOW UNHAPPY LIZ LOOKS.
I JUST FEEL
REALLY OUT OF PLACE HERE.
I SAID,
"WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON?"
AND SHE GOES,
"WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T HAVE ANY ROOTS."
WELL, DO YOU THINK MAYBE
IT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IF WE WENT AND GOT MARRIED?
AND SHE SAYS, "WELL, OKAY."
I SAID,
"OKAY, FINE, LET'S DO IT."
SHE GOES, "REALLY?"
AND I GO, "YEAH."
SHE GOES, "WHEN?"
AND I GO, "WELL, TODAY.
IT'S NEVADA. TODAY.
WHY NOT?"
[ LAUGHS ]
Eric: NO, COME ON.
NO, I WANT TO LOOK PRETTY.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL COME HELP YOU.
JUST WAIT.
OKAY.
Narrator: THEY TIE THE KNOT
ON DECEMBER 19, 2007,
AT THE LOCAL COURTHOUSE.
WE BOTH KEEP SAYING, "THIS IS
THE ONE THAT'S GONNA LAST."
THAT WAS PERFECT.
YEAH?
YES.
MWAH.
FOR ME, IT WAS THE BEST THING
THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME.
READY? COME ON.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
WHILE THE MARRIAGE HELPS LIZ
FEEL MORE SECURE
IN HER RELATIONSHIP,
IT DOESN'T ERASE THE LONELINESS.
AND THAT'S
WHEN YOU FELL OFF THE WAGON.
I STARTED
DRINKING AGAIN -
NOT ALL THE TIME,
MORE THE BINGE KIND OF THING.
HOW MANY YEARS
HAD YOU BEEN SOBER?
11.
Eric:
SHE KIND OF STARTED DRINKING,
AND THEN IT ESCALATED
A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK IT WAS,
LIKE, A REALLY LONELY TIME,
ALONE IN HER THOUGHTS.
OKAY.
I WOULD CALL MY KIDS.
I WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.
TRIED ALL KINDS
OF CRAFT THINGS
'CAUSE I'M NOT A "SIT THERE
AND WATCH TV" KIND OF PERSON.
Narrator: BUT AS LIZ HEADS
TO A LOCAL CASINO
FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY...
[ SIREN WAILS ]
IT'S CLEAR SHE'S HAD
A FEW TOO MANY
AND LANDS IN THE COUNTY JAIL.
LIZ GETS A D.U.I. AND LOSES
HER LICENSE FOR THREE MONTHS.
Dr. Jordan: YOU ARE NOW NOT JUST
A PRISONER OF YOUR HEAD.
NOW YOU'RE LITERALLY
A PRISONER OF YOUR HOUSE.
YES.
LUCKILY, HER NEW HUSBAND
IS UNDERSTANDING.
HOW DID ERIC REACT
WITH YOUR D. U. I.?
JUST SUPPORTIVE.
I MEAN, ANGRY AT FIRST,
YOU KNOW?
"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?"
THAT KIND OF ARGUMENT,
BUT IT WASN'T A "PUT YOU DOWN."
IT SOUNDS LIKE
HE WASN'T GONNA GIVE UP ON YOU.
NO, HE WASN'T.
LIZ'S PERSONAL HELL IS
EVEN WORSE AFTER DARK.
DON'T EVER WALK -
[ SOBBING ]
THE LONELINESS AND ISOLATION
STEMMING FROM HER D.U.I.
TRIGGER NIGHT TERRORS.
NO, NO, NO.
SHE'D ACTUALLY WAKE UP
SCREAMING AND CRYING,
AND AT FIRST,
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
SHE STARTED OPENING UP
A LOT MORE TO ME.
Narrator:
THE NIGHTMARES ARE ABOUT JOE,
HER ABUSIVE BOYFRIEND
FROM OVER 10 YEARS AGO.
[ SOBBING ]
Eric: WELL, YOU KNOW,
WE REALLY GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS,
SO WE ACTUALLY GOT AHOLD
OF A GOOD COUNSELOR.
Liz: ERIC IS SUPPORTING ME
IN EVERY WAY HE CAN.
AND I FEEL
LIKE I'M GOING DOWNHILL.
Dr. Jordan:
IN HER WAKING HOURS,
LIZ CAN ACTIVELY MANAGE THAT
HISTORY OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
BUT WHEN SHE SLEEPS,
ALL OF THAT TRAUMA,
ALL OF THE RESIDUE
OF ALL THE BAD THINGS
THAT HAVE EVER HAPPENED TO HER
THAT SHE'S SUPPRESSED
NOW BUBBLES TO THE SURFACE
AND MANIFESTS ITSELF
IN TERRIBLE NIGHTMARES.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO?
Narrator: THEN, LIZ IS DEALT
ANOTHER CRUSHING BLOW.
I'M SORRY.
WHAT?
JENNIFER...
SHE TOOK EVERYTHING.
HER SON CALLED LIZ
AND TOLD LIZ
THEY HAD TAKEN
EVERYTHING OUT OF THE HOUSE.
NO, I TOLD HER
TO WATCH MY THINGS.
I HAVE THESE PEOPLE LIVING
IN MY HOME IN SACRAMENTO
THAT ARE NOW NOT PAYING RENT.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON DRUGS.
I ASKED THEM TO MOVE,
AND THEY STOLE EVERYTHING
IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE.
AND I JUST KIND OF
WENT DOWNHILL AGAIN.
I FELT PTSD.
I FELT VIOLATED.
I FELT, YOU KNOW -
THE WHOLE THING WAS COMING BACK.
Eric: SHE REALLY FREAKED OUT
ABOUT THAT.
THAT WAS WHEN SHE REALLY
KIND OF HAD A BREAKDOWN.
I NOTICED A BIG CHANGE IN HER.
Narrator:
DESPITE ALL THAT'S HAPPENED,
LIZ AND ERIC CLAIM THAT,
WITH THE HELP OF HER COUNSELOR,
SHE MANAGES TO STOP DRINKING.
Eric: WHAT DO WE GOT
GOING ON IN HERE?
BAKING A CAKE.
REALLY?
YEAH.
BUT ON JUNE 30, 2011,
THE COUPLE'S WORLD COMES
CRASHING DOWN AROUND THEM.
I WAS GONNA WORK THAT NIGHT.
SHE WAS ACTUALLY MAKING
A CAKE FOR ME
TO TAKE SOME CAKE
AND STUFF TO WORK.
I'M GONNA GO OUTSIDE
AND WORK ON MY BIKE, OKAY?
IT WAS A DAY
LIKE ANY OTHER DAY.
IT WAS A DAY
LIKE ANY OTHER DAY.
NOTHING BAD
WAS HAPPENING TO YOU.
NO.
I CAN'T EXPLAIN
WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
I MADE A CHOCOLATE CAKE.
[ Voice breaking ]
THE ONLY THING I REMEMBER
IS PUTTING THE CAKE
IN THE OVEN.
[ GASPS ]
THERE WAS A LOT OF FUZZINESS
IN MY HEAD.
Narrator: ERIC'S WORKING AWAY
IN THE GARAGE,
COMPLETELY UNPREPARED
FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
THE WHOLE REST OF THE DAY IS
A BLANK.
Narrator: ELIZABETH IS BAKING
HER HUSBAND, ERIC, A CAKE
TO TAKE TO THE NIGHT SHIFT
AT THE MINES.
I'M GONNA GO OUTSIDE
AND WORK ON MY BIKE.
EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL
AT THE CAHOON HOUSE.
BUT TODAY IS NO ORDINARY DAY.
Eric:
I WAS WORKING ON MY BIKE
AND DIDN'T EVEN HEAR HER
COME IN.
NEXT THING I KNOW, I FELT
THIS INTENSE PAIN IN MY BACK.
AAH!
I KNEW I WAS BLEEDING
PRETTY BADLY
'CAUSE IT WAS COMING UP
OVER MY SHOULDERS, MY BACK.
AND I TURNED AROUND,
AND I LOOKED AT HER,
AND SHE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE BLOOD
THAT SPLATTERED ON HER FACE,
AND SHE JUST LOOKED
COMPLETELY WHITE,
NO NOTHING, JUST GLASSY-EYED.
BEFORE ERIC HAS
A CHANCE TO SPEAK,
LIZ DISAPPEARS OUT FRONT.
I KNEW,
EVERY TIME I BREATHED,
I COULD HEAR
MY LUNG GASPING FOR AIR.
I FELT,
"WELL, I BETTER GO CALL 911
AND GET SOMEBODY OUT HERE."
My wife just stabbed me
in the back.
I'm bleeding profusely.
Need an ambulance quickly,
please.
MAN: Is the wife still there?
YES.
Did she do it on purpose?
Yes.
Had you guys been arguing a lot?
No. Nothing.
She was a manic depressant.
And she just, out of the blue,
stabbed you in the back?
Yes.
Where is the knife at this time?
Right here beside me.
Narrator: WHILE ERIC WAITS
FOR THE PARAMEDICS,
LIZ HEADS BACK INTO THE HOUSE.
LIZ?
SHE JUST WALKED RIGHT PAST ME
LIKE I WAS NOTHING,
JUST LIKE I WAS A GHOST,
I WAS JUST NOT THERE.
WALKED BACK IN THE HOUSE.
I FIGURED, OKAY, WELL, NOTHING
I CAN DO ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
[ GROANS ]
Man: SIR, PARAMEDICS ARE
ON THE WAY.
S- SHE'S OUT OF HER MIND.
SHE DOESN'T KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.
Man #2: OKAY, ARE THERE
ANY OTHER WEAPONS?
NO, NO.
PLEASE DON'T HURT HER.
I TOLD THEM
SHE HAD A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN,
MENTAL BREAKDOWN.
Man: FREEZE, MA'AM.
MA'AM, PUT YOUR HANDS
BEHIND YOUR HEAD.
Narrator:
POLICE PLACE LIZ UNDER ARREST.
COME FORWARD.
[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]
Narrator:
ERIC IS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL.
HE'S IMMEDIATELY TAKEN
INTO SURGERY.
HIS DOCTOR TOLD HIM
A FEW MILLIMETERS HERE OR THERE,
HE WOULD'VE DIED.
MEANWHILE, LIZ IS BOOKED
AT THE ELKO COUNTY JAIL,
WHERE SHE CLAIMS SHE FINALLY
EMERGES FROM HER TRANCE.
ONE OF THE PRISON GUARDS
TOLD ME,
"DO YOU EVEN KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE IN HERE FOR?"
I SAID, "NO."
NO.
ATTEMPTED MURDER.
Dr. Jordan:
IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 10 YEARS
SINCE LIZ WAS
IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP.
SHE HAS THIS NEW,
WONDERFUL, LOVING HUSBAND,
AND THEN, OUT OF THE BLUE,
SHE SINKS A KNIFE INTO HIS BACK.
NO ONE COULD'VE SEEN
THIS COMING,
AND WITHOUT
A NEUROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS
AND NO DRUGS
OR ALCOHOL INVOLVED,
THERE IS JUST
NO OBVIOUS EXPLANATION
FOR WHAT TRIGGERED IT.
Narrator: TAYLOR AND JONATHAN ARE
STUNNED WHEN THEY HEAR THE NEWS.
Taylor: ERIC CALLED ME UP,
AND I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT
'CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING
MY MOM WOULD NEVER DO.
SHE WOULD NEVER HURT ANYONE
IN HER RIGHT MIND.
SHE JUST WOULDN'T.
I COULDN'T IMAGINE HER
EVER DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST -
IT SHOCKED ME.
Narrator: ERIC'S FIRST STOP
WHEN HE LEAVES THE HOSPITAL
IS THE ELKO COUNTY JAIL.
Dr. Jordan:
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE,
FACING THE MAN THAT YOU HAD
STABBED IN THE BACK?
Liz:
THAT WAS HORRIBLE.
HE HAD A BIG BANDAGE ON,
AND HE COULD HARDLY TALK.
Eric: IN THE HOSPITAL,
I THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
AM I GONNA DIVORCE HER?
WHAT AM I GONNA DO?
AND I SAYS, "NO.
IT WASN'T HER."
IT'D BE THE LAST THING I THOUGHT
SHE'D EVER DO, YOU KNOW?
Narrator:
HE REFUSES TO PRESS CHARGES.
BUT THE WAY NEVADA LAWS ARE,
I HAD NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER.
I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.
[ SOBBING ]
HE JUST LOOKED AT ME,
AND HE SAYS...
WE NEED
TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE.
I KNOW
YOU DIDN'T MEAN THIS.
Narrator: LIZ'S BAIL
HAS BEEN SET AT $50,000.
ERIC PUTS UP HIS HOUSE
TO GET HER OUT OF JAIL.
IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
SHE CHECKS IN
TO THE SALT LAKE CITY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER.
Liz:
I HAD SOME TESTS DONE,
AND THEY CONFIRMED THE
CLINICAL DEPRESSION AND PTSD,
AND THERE WAS -
WHAT THEY COULD TELL,
THERE WERE NO NEUROLOGICAL
REASONS FOR IT TO HAPPEN.
Narrator: EVENTUALLY,
LIZ IS ALLOWED TO PLEAD GUILTY
TO A CLASS "C" BATTERY FELONY.
SHE RECEIVES
FIVE YEARS PROBATION.
Dr. Jordan: WHAT'S THE
EXPLANATION FOR HOW IT HAPPENED?
Liz: I DON'T KNOW
IF THERE IS ONE.
WHAT'S YOUR THEORY?
THAT I WAS ATTACKING JOE.
Narrator: ERIC AGREES.
SHE DOESN'T LIKE CONFLICT
WHATSOEVER.
SHE'S ONE OF
THE MOST GIVING, CARING PEOPLE
I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE.
THAT'S WHY I KNEW IT WASN'T HER.
IT WASN'T ME
SHE WAS STABBING TO BEGIN WITH.
IS IT GOOD
THAT YOU DON'T REMEMBER IT?
[SOBS] I THINK
IT HELPS ME SURVIVE.
Narrator: TODAY, LIZ AND ERIC ARE
STILL TOGETHER AND STILL IN LOVE.
I HAVE NEVER FELT
THAT KIND OF LOVE BEFORE.
IS THIS THE MAN
YOU'RE GROWING OLD WITH?
YEAH. HE IS.
HE KEEPS SAYING THAT
WE SHOULD'VE MET 25 YEARS AGO,
AND THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD
TO HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THIS.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
AND THINGS BETWEEN LIZ
AND HER KIDS ARE MUCH BETTER.
HER DAUGHTER'S GROWN UP TO BE
A REALLY MATURE, LOVING LADY.
HER SON'S ACTUALLY GOING
TO COLLEGE TO BECOME A NURSE.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE
A REAL GOOD FAMILY OUT OF IT.
I HAVE AN OBVIOUS QUESTION,
WHICH IS DO YOU WORRY, LIZ,
THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN?
NO, I DON'T.
I WATCH MYSELF.
I TALK WITH MY HUSBAND
A LOT MORE.
NO, I DON'T THINK
IT WOULD EVER HAPPEN AGAIN.