Transcripts For KNTV Dateline NBC 20131123

Her two boys on their own, some where else in the mall. She said she wanted her brothers. And i told her that we would see them later. But just when things seemed hopeless, two heroes would appear. I told the lady now and a little girl would show us all the meaning of courage. When porsche got up and ran, did you have a moment where you thought, oh, my god . Im lester holt and this is date line. Here is kate snow with nowhere to hide. Reporter its the modern day town square, a Gathering Place that fulfills our every need. Shopping, eating, socializing. A trip to the mall is an escape on weekends. And not just in america, in nairobi, kenya, the upscale, modern Westgate Mall was the place to unwind at the end of the workweek. It was the last place you would expect Something Like this. [ gunfire ] gunshots, explosions, armed men taking over every floor methodically shooting any one in their way. That was the unbelievably brutal scene that played out in front of a shocked world on september 21st. Just after the smoke cleared, dateline traveled to nairobi. Tonight, well fact you inside the mall attack. With never before seen pictures of how it unfolded, and new details from those who lived through it. You will hear from two mothers caught in the cross fire. It was pretty terrifying, it really was. It was very, very, fearful. Reporter two mothers caught on camera. What is going to happen . I am going to die. The kids are going to die. Reporter in a matter of second the moms, an american and a kenyan, would go from strolling through the mall, to being forced to make life and death decisions to save themselves and their children. For Katherine Walton it began like any other saturday. With her husband phillip away on business, she took their five kids to the Westgate Mall. It was a place where all of them could be entertained, the teens and the toddlers. Her kids liked the chicken place, the candy store. Just an opportunity to walk around kill a couple hours. I knew we would go home have naps. Everybody would be happy. Reporter the waltons close to move to kenya from texas. For katherine and phillip 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. Blez was born 14 years ago, then ian, 10, porsche, 4, gigi, 2. And petra, the baby, 13 months old was born in kenya. Their morning at the mall unfolded just as any familys might. They had lunch together in 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, called nakumart, mom and the girls were 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 moms hands, it happened. An explosion. The first thing that tells you something is wrong, a huge bang. Coming from where . It was the main entrance. It was off to my right. And behind me. Everyone was turning around and looking at it. And just seeing people screaming and running. Reporter in the first second, katherine was unsure what was happening. She thought it sounded like broken glass or something falling. But she immediately grasped she and her girls were in danger. The chaos confused another mother, not far from katherine on the main floor. Faith wambua was in the mall with her two children, 9yearold daughter psy, and 21monthold son, thai, the agricultural researcher was shopping for an anniversary present for her husband. She was in a flower shop when she first heard the noise. It was so loud i actually thought it must have been an earth quake and the building was collapsing. So thats the point when i just told my kids to lie down, of course, i am scanning the area wondering where we are going to go. Reporter scenes captured on Security Cameras in the mall show how quickly the attack began. You can see machine gun bullets flashing down the main concourse as shoppers frantically scramble and dive to the floor. And then i saw tracer round starting to hit the shops that were straight ahead. Reporter katherines first thought protect her kids. It was, you know, just instinct to grab the girls and run. But we must not have gone very far, a kenyan woman, came, scooped up porsche, and, and we both ran, right behind this, this display table, display cabinet. Katherine, her girls and the kenyan woman took cover the only place they could, here they are. Crouching under a flimsy temporary display table. Petra was crying. I was laying on her. It was loud. It was very loud. Very chaotic. Reporter what was happening around you . What are you hearing . Everybody was scrambling. The shooting was like coming from all directions. Reporter katherine knew her boys had been headed towards the Department Store, the nakumart amid the noise and commotion, she managed to call them and yell out a quick warning. I said dont come out, theyre shooting. Go, run, hide. Do not come out. Katherine knew the situation was dangerous, extremely dangerous, but at least she had some cover. Faith wambua and her kids were also trapped on the ground floor, but cowering out in the open exposed to the gunman stalking new victims. I am telling the kids lie down. Now there is this continuous loud sound. Thats when, i knew they were shooting. Then i thought uhoh. Wrong choice of hiding place. And i remember my daughter at one point asked me, mama was this the best place you could hide . The assault continued. Youre not hearing just one gun. It was all over. It sounded all look it was all over. Of course, in the building it was echoing and reverberating. You could look up and see other floors. Where i was laying. I could see across and up, the different levels. You know . It was just chaos. Reporter whats the smell like . The whole mall was cloudy and just smoke everywhere. Gunpowder. Burning. Smell. Reporter did any of them come near you . I saw two of them that walked from the main entrance in front of the line of stores that were directly in front of us. Reporter hold on. What did you see . I mean you saw their feet go by . No, i saw them, i saw two whole men. You know they were 50 yard, 30 yards away. I dont know. Reporter what did they look like . They had tan and gray clothing, and they were carrying very, very large weapons. Very large guns. Reporter hearing the gunfire and screams, echoing through the mall, both katherine and faith could tell the gunmen were spreading out killing people as they went along. Two mothers trapped with Young Children worried they would be next, and a growing fear, seized katherine. Her boys were no longer answering their phone. Where were they . One of the werest parts of the whole ordeal was just that. The terrifying, uncertainty for those inside the mall and loved ones outside. A phone call, your wife and sons are in there. Theyre separated. Soon, a friend of katherines who has been texting with her, would go from worried to frantic. When she sent that, my heart just sunk. Thats for heidi . [ guy ] oh, yeah. Oh, no. Shes gonna love it, right . [ all ] no. She will not. Four words he. Went. To. Jared. Jared . Jared. Trust us. Now, step away from the jersey and nobody gets hurt. [ female announcer ] jared, the galleria of jewelry has a large selection of tag heuer swiss timepieces including a new aquaracer, sophisticated, thin and elegant. The perfect gift. I love it [ female announcer ]. From an almostperfect guy, thats why he went to jared. 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Before her granddaughter used bank of americas mobile app to deposit something sweet. Even before she made a quick stop at the atm to pay for an interesting caricature. A grandmother did some banking online so they could spend the day celebrating offline. Thats banking for how you live your life. Thats bank of america. Reporter armed men stormed into the Westgate Mall in nairobi, kenya, firing round after fatal round. Katherine walton was hunkered down with a stranger and three young daughters and desperately worried about her sons who were somewhere out there. She had to focus on keeping her daughters quiet so they wouldnt attract attention. Are you hiding from gunmen . We are, we were laying down on the ground trying to hide from them so they couldnt seep us. Porsche kept her fingers in her ears. Gigi laid there and said, mom, i want my blanket and my mouse and my flashlight. She sleeps with those three things every night. She said she wanted her brothers. And i told her that we would see them later. Katherine could only hope that was true. Half a world away, a phone rang in a hotel in North Carolina. Katherines husband phillip a tech entrepreneur had gone back to the u. S. For business meetings, leaving his wife alone in nairobi with their five kids. I get woken up about 6 00 a. M. By a phone call, from, from paul weaver, our dear family friend. So i knew it was not, not good. Reporter do you remember what he said . There is an attack going on at westgate. And your wife and sons are in there and theyre separated. That is a call you dont want to have to make. Reporter paul weaver the Walton Family friend had been at home recovering from surgery when he got an urgent text from katherine. Reporter what time did the first message come in . The first one at 12 52. What did she say . Pray. Shooting in westgate. Hiding. That its a message. Just blew me away. So i actually wrote her back. Really . She said, i dont know where the boys are. Yes. She said find blez. Paul texted blez. He didnt ans ter. I started looking on the internet. Somebody put out a statement on facebook. Dont call anybody when the phone rings people are getting shot when it rings. Paul didnt call. Stayed in touch through Text Messages her live line to outside world. I sent a text, get me out of here. Not that i thought he could. I was desperate. When she sent that, my heart sunk. Skakatherine didnt text her husband phillip because he was too far away to do anything and knew she would panic him. Back in North Carolina all phillip could do was weight. 6 00 a. M. News of the attack hadnt hit the u. S. Yet. Reporter i am trying to imagine getting the phone call and being so far away . I think helplessness is a pretty accurate word. You know there is nothing you can do. I was so worried that the girls would be screaming, like, uncontrollably panicking. And drawing attention. Reporter exactly what katherine was trying to prevent the girls from doing. I just kept telling them to stay little, to stay very quiet. And the kenyan lady that was with porsche just kept kept patting her and soothing her. And gigi was curled up in a little ball. Her breathing was so quiet and so shallow. I just kept rubbing her back. And touching her. And because, i, i was like, maybe she is hurt. I dont realize it. Reporter cramped in her hiding spot she was desperate to reach her boys. After trying and trying, she finally got through again. I was able to send a text and said are you okay . He, he told me that they were owe cape. And that they were safe. Reporter you thought your boys had gotten snout. I did. When he told me they were safe. I thought they had gotten out. Reporter but they hadnt. The walton boys were hiding in the back of the store. Cell phone video captured the battlefield, the store became. The aisles were a bullet riddled maze. Shoppers were stunned. Some drawing fire. And now, there were gunmen headed towards katherines sons. And the other mother trapped in the nightmare, faith, she had her two Young Children with her and was worried about controlling her toddlers son. They heard gunfire all around them. I feel bad right now, i was lying on him. Trying to shield him at one point. I said, oh, my goodness. Lying on this floor. Then i am pressing down on his back. He must be so uncomfortable. At that point that is when i put my fingers in his mouth. You know, hoping to give him something to suck on. They remained like that frozen in place, first for minutes. Then for an hour. She was terrified her son would start crying and give them away. I can see he is face, creasing into a cry. And i know, i my goodness, he is going to cry. This is it. Coming up faith makes a fateful choice. Now, our cover has been blown. While our other mom, katherine becomes terrified that she and her girls are moments away from being discovered. I knew that as those men came around, behind us, that they could see us. 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[ doorbell ] [ gasps ] [ gong ] [ wisest kid ] mm mm good [ male announcer ] more room in economy plus. More comfort, more of what you need. Thats. Built around you friendly. Reporter Katherine Walton still in her make shift hiding spot on the main floor of the mall. An hour into the attack she was still trying to keep her three restless daughters contained under the flimsy table. Their only protection from the roaming gunmen. It was a job that got harder as the mall got quieter. There was a lull and petra picked up the phone and was playing with it. Gigi was trying to take it away from her. Then, the scene started again. One threw the phone and it got under our body. I couldnt reach it. Reporter you couldnt text anybody . I couldnt text any body or get ahold of any body. For a couple hours i was texting her. No more texting from then. Other people called, saying this is really bad. We have seen pictures of people being killed. Reporter she is not responding to you snow. No. Reporter just down the corridor, a mother struggled to keep her children quiet. I am here thinking about our survival. And will this stop and run to an area safe. Reporter there was nowhere else for faith and her children to go. She told them being quiet wasnt enough. She made an incredible decision they would all play dead. Her 9yearold daughter could understand how important it was to stay still. Amazingly, her 2yearold son seemed to sense it as well. He didnt move. Except for an occasional blink. Men with machine guns scoured every inch of the mall. We were right next to a corridor where we could hear them passing from time off to time. But there was no way i was going to change my position. Reporter as the the minutes dragged into hours, knowing her son might stir at any moment, faith was relieved when he dozed off for a bit. He was look there on the ground, you know, snoring away. I didnt know whether he was alive because when one eye was shut, the other was open. And it was hard to sleep. Reporter hot, cramped, with numb limbs, she urged her kids to fight the need to move. My daughter whenever i felt look she was twitching or changing her position because my hand was on her arm, i would just, you know, squeeze a little bit. Then she totally understood that to mean to stay still. But then 2yearold ty woke up. Faith wondered how much longer he could hold on. He took a chance and played a game. She pretended glass and cement were insects to keep him distracted. There is insect coming. He would watch it so fascinated. He really likes insects. The gunmen continued to brazenly troll the mall floors looking for victims. Katri katherine was worried they would see her and the girls. After all. She was seeing the gunmen. Reporter when they walked by you were they shooting . No. They were walking very slow. Almost had a demeanor like they owned the place. Look they knew they were in control. Reporter did they see you . They looked my direction. I knew that if the men came out of the store and came around behind us that they could see us. Reporter those men had already killed dozens of shoppers. In this video captured by a Security Camera, a wounded person is prodded by a terrorist. Other parts too graph tubing broadcast show the gunmen callously shooting people throughout the mall even the injured. As the the siege dragged on the outside world was beginning to get some if you how terrible it was. Good evening, loud explosions were heard tonight in the kenyan capital of nairobi. Reporter those still trapped inside the mall couldnt know they were part of a terrorist attack. Faith wamboa and their two kids remained absolutely still. Their only chance for survival. But her mind raced. Thinking about my husband. Where is he. How will he get to know, the incident. And i am wondering will, will any of my chdren get shot . Will i get shot and my children have no mother after this . Reporter faith was determined to protect her children at any cost. I remember at some pin the i wi some point i was covering the children. My sons head. My daughters head. And i said any bullet would have to pass through me first before it gets through my children. Faith and her children had been flat on the floor for 3 1 2 hours. When suddenly she heard something. We had heard voices from above us, on higher floors. Asking us to get up. Mother, mother with the children, you down there with the children. I knew they were now addressing me. But immediately we got up on to our knees and were trying to get up and go, the shooting started again. She thought by moving she had drawn attention to herself. We were scared first, because now our cover has been blown. Now they know that we are really not dead. Faith didnt trust anyone now. So when a man approached she was sure it wasnt good. Now when i felt somebody touching me. I knew they had come for us. Now they know we are alive. So we just laid down there. And i remember, shh, quiet. Coming up faith has to make a splitsecond decision. Their lives depend on it. Should she trust the man talking to her child. Baby, baby, touching my daughter, baby, baby. And then, a fresh shock for katherines husband. That was very traumatic to me. [ mom ] time for breakfast. [ male announcer ] mary larson will never forget the fateful morning that deliciously simple made her a believer. She couldnt believe she could pronounce everything in it. And she couldnt believe her daughter chose pancakes over her phone. Youre being weird [ male announcer ] new deliciously simple from i cant believe its not butter with 100 taste and zero artificial preservatives. Its time to. Believe. cause you dont want to wait to eat your raisins. You dont want to wait to eat your raisins . No why not . Because they will turn into grapes. Not sure thats the way it works. Yes are you competing for cutest kid right now . Yes. And what place are you in . 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Two moms and their kids are hunkered down, coaching to wait it out. But soon, each will face a critical decision. Stay where they are or make a break for it. Again, kate snow. Reporter for 3 1 2 hours after armed gunmen stormed the Westgate Mall, two mothers trapped. Katherine walton crouched for cover with three young daughters under a temporary kiosk, gunmen nearby. And faith wamboa, she and her two children played dead all that time. They moved once and were instantly shot at. As a man approached them. Faith held her position. But he wasnt a terrorist. He was a Police Officer. Baby, baby, touching my daughter. Baby, baby. Are you okay . Are you okay . I said, in my mind i am thinking this must be a good person. They want to find out if you are okay. Not are we alive . Are we okay. Then he said it is safe. It is safe. It is the police. Faiths 9yearold daughter, was the first to move. My daughter put up her head. And asked him are you with the bad guys . Because, i mean, i was still looking down at i was scared. I thought now we have come where we are. My daughter put her head up. Engaged the policeman in a conversation. Are you the bad people . Then said mama, look up. And then almost against her instincts, faith began to trust. When i looked up i had seen his civilian jacket. I didnt know who he was. I wasnt going to trust somebody except if theyre in a uniform. Then he as he sat up. Then i saw his shirt. I was able to recognize the uniform. And then, he said, its fine. I am going to lead you to safety. Get up. Desperately afraid to move. Faith agreed it was time to make a run for it. Still worried that gunfire would erupt again. Faith slowly got up and crept towards the xiexit with her children. I remember seeing a body, laying there as we ran out. I said i am focusing on where we are going. There was the policeman, carrying my daughter. Was running to fast. Way ahead. The one with my son was lag being hind. I am thinking dont separate us. I kept saying, my son, my son. Reporter after all those hours, forced to keep her children quiet, they were finally out. I am crying now because i am free. There is all these tears of joy. Reporter in his hotel room, 6,000 miles away in sherry lchh Phillip Walton could only hope his story would have a happy ending. He was combing through kenyan news reports he saw on social media. I remember one, specifically, where they said they were, somebody had just seen them. Bring a childs bed oody outen shopping cart. They said it was a 5, 6yearold little boy. I thought to myself i dont think they could confuse one of the boys for being 5 or 6, but could they confuse one of our little girls for being a buy. That piece of news was very traumatic to me. In agony and alone. He parade. A prayed. And started playing one song over and over in his mind. I do think we have a measure of grace that comes to us in difficult times. For me, a u2 song in the back of my head. 40, from the 40th psalm. I will sing, sing a new song just started reading that psalm over and over again. It was exactly what i needed to hear. And so i took a lot of comfort from that. Reporter its got that great. I know the song. It is an awesome song. How long to sing this song exactly. It became the inspiration of hope, gave me something to pray about during the time that i didnt know what was going on. Reporter he was comforted by his faith, but it was impossible not to worry. By now, he knew what his wife didnt. She is injured. That his entire family was caught in a carefully coordinated full blown terrorist attack. You think the worst, you know. When you know that, that these are terrorists. And and you know that their intent is not to steal something and get out of there. But it is it is to kill people. And you know that their intent is to is to hurt hurt christians. You know that their intent is to try to disrupt our, our way of life in kenya. You know its its, the realities of what that could mean. Are, are very present. Reporter he had no way of knowing whether his family was alive or not. No way of knowing that soon, some of his prayers would be answered. Coming up phillip and katherines sons are trapped in the most violent part of the mall. And a 14yearold realizes it is up to him to protect his younger brother. I just thought ian first, save them. Me second. What he did next when dateline continues. Face moisturizer. [ female announcer ] only aveeno® has an active naturals total soy formula that instantly brightens skin. And helps reduce the look of brown spots in just 4 weeks. For healthy radiant skin. Try it for a month. Then go ahead and try to spot a spot. Aveeno® positively radiant. Naturally beautiful results. When you dont have the time, theres new crest 3d white 1 hour express whitestrips. Removes years of stains in just 1 hour. 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He had been on his computer all morning checking for updates. Then suddenly he received a facebook message from a friend with a freeze frame, video, and there in the bottom right hand corner was an unmistakable sight. His two sons, alive. And outside the mall. My two sons standing with my business partner. A very big, noticeable man. Paul weaver raced down to the mall area and confirmed the picture was real. The boys were out. Just seeing them, i mean, i dont think there has any bigger hugs in the world. It was joy, at the same time, just seeing the anguish in their face. And blez, we sat on the floor and he just laid his head down all the emotions coming through him. One of the greatest moments and saddest moments at the same time. Reporter a joyful moment for phillip knowing his boys were finally safe. But too brief. He knew his wife and three young daughters were still trapped in that mall. The walton boys, 14yearold blez and 10yearold ian had endured 3 1 2 hours in the most dangerous area. In the Department Store where terrorists gunned down innocent victims, terrifying for any one but especially for two boys separated from their mother. This is blez walton. It was difficult for him to recount the story of what happened to him and his brother. But he wanted to tell it, starting from the beginning. The two brothers had just paid and were standing in the checkout line when they saw something strange. Whats the first thing you hear or see that is weird . Everybody looks to to the main entrance. And, we all look as well. Everybody, in nakuma, and then a loud sound happens. Three people go flying. Thats when people realize what is going on. And they run. Reporter three people going flying into the air. Just fell backwards. Just went it was scary. Reporter did you think it was a bomb or something . I thought it was a bomb. When i heard the two gunfire sounds. I knew it wasnt just a bomb. It was something else. Reporter he knew he had to protect himself. More than that he knew he was response bum fible for his youn brother. Reporter you grabbed your brother, fast as you could. Just ran. Reporter were you pushing him . Yes. Reporter you didnt want him to seep it . Thats hard, that would be hard for me. Hard for a grownup. Yeah. At 14, it is pretty darn hard. It really is. Reporter blez clutching his brother, ian race add way from the gunfire with just one thought. I just thought ian first. Save him. Me second. Reporter you headed towards the back of the store. Other people at the time were rushing back. We followed the crowd. Reporter they made it to a storeroom at the back of the store, others were hiding there too including an American Mother with her own kids. Without katherine there to comfort them, the boys stayed with that mother. Blez hoped they were far enough away from the gun toting terrorists but they werent. Surveillance video shows the terrorists made it all the way to the back, hunting for more victims. But this wise 14yearold did something ingenious. I finally pulled ian aside, sat him down on a thing of flour, one by one, meters of flour on all sides of him. Reporter like a barricade of flour bags . Yeah, pulled toilet per on top of our heads so nobody could see us. Reporter why did you need to be hid sndenhidden. We didnt know if people would walk back and look for us. We pulled out all stops. Reporter 10yearold ian walton remembers how scared he was. Did you see any of the bad guys . No. But it did seem like some one closed the gate to where we were and trying how to shoot through it and throw grenades to blow it up. They never got through. Reporter you heard a lot of loud sounds . Yeah. Reporter yikes you. Said you were back there, how long . 3 1 2 hours. Reporter you thought about it a little bit, yeah . When you were there, i know if it were me i would have been really, really scared. Were you pretty, pretty scared . All my brother and me did was just pray for our family and just laid there. Reporter they lay there and listened. Every once in a while we would hear gunfire, grenade sounds, and at one point, these people came and said we are the police. It is okay. Reporter the gunfire the walton boys had been hearing briefly paused. The voices identifying themselves as police were encouraging people to come out. Around him, blez heard people start moving. They walked out. 15 second later, you heard a lot of machine gunfire, for 30 second. Then it was just quiet. Reporter you think it was the bad guys luring them out. You did right thing by staying where you were . Yeah, the lady we were with. Told us what to do every step of the way. Without her, i dont think, i think me and my brother would have gone out with the crowd. Thanks to her we are still alive. Reporter the walton boys were holed up in the back room when eventually police were able to break down the door and get people out. This Security Camera shows the chaos in the crowd after being released. Look closely, there is blez in his red shirt. Ian with his backpack. Free, after 3 1 2 hours of being trapped. Relief washed over Phillip Walton when he saw his boys in the image his friend sent him. At least his sons were okay. I remember thinking at that time. At least i wont be alone. I remember thinking, however horrific this day is, at least the boys and i will have each other if it, if it turns out, worse than, we would than we would hope or imagine. Reporter his wife katherine was still trapped under that tiny table with her three girls. And now, things were looking worse. A man with a gun was headed their way. Coming up just who was he . And then a daring escape plan from an unlikely hero. I told the lady now. What happened next amazed the world. Coming up next friday on dateline. He is a monster. He is evil. He is pure evil. He could be a character in one of these horror movies. He is the character in the horror movies. He hid in the shadows, a killeren a mask. His targets, a doting young mom and her son. I saw look a dark figure. I just started screaming. Would she be next . I was terrified. Hunted in her own home, she says, held a virtual prisoner. Now she will face down evil. He was getting away with murder. And reveal a secret that will astonish everyone. There is nothing i can do to take it back. Nothing. I have everything to lose. Ng mu, does your mouth often feel dry . A dry mouth can be a side effect of many medications but it can also lead to tooth decay and bad breath. Thats why theres biotene. Available as an oral rinse, toothpaste, spray or gel, biotene can provide soothing relief, and it helps keep your mouth healthy, too. Remember, while your medication is doing you good, a dry mouth isnt. 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[ shouts ] guess whos going out tomorrow. [ female announcer ] swap one snack a week for a yoplait. It is so good. [ corbett ] if you havent checked your medicare drug plan this year, you could be at the corner of im throwing away money and i had no idea. Well, walgreens has your back. Our expert pharmacists can help you find a plan that could save you more with our free comparison report. So you can keep your money where it belongs. Check your plan at walgreens. And you could save up to 75 on prescription copays. At the corner of happy and healthy. And you could save up to 75 on prescription copays. Hall we do is go out to dinner. . Thats it . I mean, he picks up the tab every time, which is great. What . Hes using you. He probably has a Citi Thankyou card and gets 2x the points at restaurants. So hes just racking up points with me. Some people. Ugh no, ive got it. The Citi Thankyou preferred card. Now earn 2x the points on dining out and entertainment, with no annual fee. To apply, go to citi. Com thankyoucards i was working in a newsroom in omaha, i ran done to put it on the air, to see the vibrant young president struck down that way. I will never forget that. For more than four hours, Katherine Walton, her girls, and the kenyan woman helping them huddled in a hiding space barely bigger than a bathtub. Closed off from the outside world, katherine didnt know she was part of a terrorist attack. All she knew was that gunmen were canvassing the mall. Shooting at everyone. And now, a man with a gun was creeping toward her. You were under that table for hours. At some point you hear something, you see something. I think there was a little bit of commotion. And the kenyan woman said the cops are here. But it wasnt the police. It was a ykenyan man, the businessman and father of four, received a text message from his brother earlier that morning. The message was very brief. It read, at westgate. Terrorists. Pray for me. Abdul haji bolted to the mall and was stunned by what he saw when he got there. Carnage everywhere. He was terrified for his brother who works for the Kenyan Intelligence Service and had received Death Threats from alshabah, the same terror group now attacking the mall. At this point in time the magnitude of the situation dawned on me. Reporter Security Forces were just arriving. Were just arriving. And abdul who is licensed to carry a gun decided in an instant to join them. They entered the mall from the parking garage on the top floor. Abdul any brother was in the mall not far from Katherine Walton and her girls on the main floor. He was hiding in a bathroom, abdul worked his way done to the main floor and as he did, his brother managed to escape. I reached my phone, to try to call, call him. I see this message on my screen. Saying i am out. I am safe. Please come out. But abdul haji didnt come out, despite the scene, blood, bodies. Smell of smoke, constant gunfire. He decided to stay and help. Abdul searched through the mall looking for victims. Then he made a discovery that shocked him. I looked down and i see somebody hiding behind a table. It was a lady. She looked very scared. And im thinking sunny whe w the middle of the cross fire. Katherine spotted abdul, and sensed he wasnt a threat. How did you know they werent terrorists . They werent carrying the large guns we had seen. That the terrorists had. With just a few word between them, Katherine Walton and abdul haji quickly coordinated an exit strategy. We opened fire toward the door to scare the terrorists away. Then it was time. Then we hold fire. Then, then i told the lady now. And sudden lely this young girl appears out of nowhere. And i just call to her to run toward me. She starts running. And immediately i am thinking, what a brave girl. When porsche got up and ran, did you have a moment where you thought, oh, my god i think i realized it was precarious, but i was calls trusting that if they were telling us to run that it was safe. For katherine it was a gigantic leap of faith. After shielding her daughters for 4 1 2 hours, she knew that to save them, she would have off to let them go. The image of 4yearold porsche, running to abdul haji was one no one would soon forget. Katherine wasnt far behind. They werent alone. These images show the terror on the faces of others being rescued by the police in the same moments. Their desperation to be free. In North Carolina, phillip got a phone call from his business partner, eric hirschman. I got confirmation from eric that he was standing there with them. And that they were all safe. Reporter your whole family . Yeah. I broke down and cried. Yeah. Then it then, you know, then you can let go. You know then you can just kind of you can collapse. Later, a picture followed. His wife, and children, trapped in that mall for hours in terror, were now in the safety of a friends house together. Simply the most precious thing i could even imagine to see all of them sitting there and in safety and knowing that they had, they had come through it. Reporter phillip grabbed the first flight back to kenya. Must have felt really good when heap got o he got off the plane . Very good. As a mom when dad is not around you. Feel you have to keep it together. Be strong. The kids were excited to see him. They had been asking. They were relieved to finally be able to touch him and hug him and, and, have that extra security. These exclusive images show the devastation and destruction of the west gate mall, ravaged by a siege that dragged on for four days. Terrorists with links to al qaeda claim responsibility and the kenyan government says at least 67 people died. For the survivors, its been difficult to make sengs se of i all. To move on. Faith wamboa went home, hugged her husband and two days after the attack, there was cause for celebration and time for reflection. For being alive. For our children being alive. I am grateful to be reunited with my husband. I never thought i would see a second anniversary. We did. This incident has brought us more closer. We dont want to leave each others side. Reporter faith and her children were reunited with the Police Officer who reached out to her on that terrible day. Grateful, he risked his life to save theirs. Reporter the waltons too, are grateful for friends, new and old. Especially young porsche. Who beamed when we showed her a picture of her rescuer on a smart phone. Is that mr. Haji. What did he do . He saved us. Reporter he saved youve he saved you. Good, how are you . Nice to see you. Reporter three days after the worst day of their lives, the waltons were reunited with their hero. Abdul haji himself the father of a 4yearold daughter and a muslim. It is not lost on him that he is now forever linked to a Christian Family who chose to live in kenya. Thats what humanity is ab t about. It happened i was a muslim. They were christians. At that time what i was seeing was a little girl and her mother. I was not steeing what the religion was. As we have been able to tell the story, spend time with haji to see the courage of a man like that is an inspiration for me. Reporter at 14, blez walton has a new perspective. Reporter you have seen the worst of humanity and the best of humanity. Yeah, same day, just a miracle to deal with both of thosen one day. Reporter for katherine and her children, as dismal and dark as the events in that mall were, she refuses to do anything but grow and be positive for herself and her family. I dont want hem to come out of this in hate or be angry about what happened. Reporter it would be easy to be angry. It would be very easy to be angry. I dont want them to see the bad part of it. I want them to come turn that bad situation into something positive. What will you tell the girls when they get older . I think i will tell them that they were brave. You know . That we were in a bad situation. But they were so good. Thats what i tell them now. When i hug and kiss them. I just say, you are just my brave girls. You are so, i just cant believe you you, are so brave. Thats all. For this edition of date line. Well be back again next friday at 8 00, 7 00 secentral. Stay tuned for an nbc special, where were you the day jfk died. Reported by tom brokaw. Im lester holt. Thank you for joining us. I was a senior in high school. It was right after lunch. I was in school. I was i was on a bus going from colby to new haven for the rvard yale game. I was playing in the harva harvard yale game. I was in class. I was on a tractor, as a matter of fact. I was in a second flower apartment i was sharing with two other guys. Pennsylvania