Years ago, my wife and I were driving home from a party at 2 AM when our car broke down in a remote area. With no cell phones back then, we waited helplessly until a college student stopped and kindly drove us to town. When we offered him money, he refused, saying he was just happy to help.

Years later, my wife called me in tears, telling me to check the news. My heart sank as I saw the headline — that same “student” was actually a 35-year-old man wanted across several states for robbing over 30 people in forests and deserted areas late at night.

His method was terrifyingly clever: sometimes he pretended to be a lost hiker hitching a ride, other times he offered rides to stranded drivers. Once he gained their trust, he would rob them completely and abandon them in the middle of nowhere.

To this day, we don’t know why he spared us. Maybe it was because there were two of us, or because my size intimidated him. Whatever the reason, we were incredibly lucky to have escaped unharmed.