the walton chose to move to kenya two years ago from texas. four katherine and phillip it, was like going home. they were both children of missionaries and grew up in countries in west africa. they met in boarding school in africa, married in the states, and started raising their family. at the time of the attack, blaise was 14 years old, ian ten, portia, four and gigi, too. and petra, the baby, 13 months old, was born in kenya. their morning at the mall unfolded just as any families might. they had lunch together on the third floor food court. after lunch, the boys decided to race down to the first floor to a big department store. sort of like a super walmart. mom and the three young girls were still finishing up lunch, so they lagged behind. as they were walking through the mall to catch up with the boys, with the baby in a sling, and the two toddlers holding mom s hands. it happened.
welcome back to dateline. the world watch in horror as a terrorist attack on nairobi s westgate mall on folded. many were still stuck inside with a little communication to the outside. phillip walton was in the u. s., far from his home in kenya, when he learned his wife and children among those in the building. all he could do was wait and pray. here is kate snow. three hours had passed since phillip walton was awakened by a call telling him his family was trapped inside the westgate mall, pinned down by gunfire. he d been on his computer all morning, checking for updates. then suddenly he received a facebook message from a friend with the freeze frame a video. and there, in the bottom right hand corner was an unmistakable sight.