Posted on 03/15/2005 12:29:47 AM PST by beyond the sea
ATLANTA — She trembled with fear before the armed man who was wanted in the shooting deaths of a judge and three others. But Ashley Smith kept her head, even when Brian Gene Nichols pushed into her home by sticking a gun in her ribs, and bound her with masking tape, an extension cord and a curtain.
"I didn't want to die," she said Sunday. "I didn't want him to hurt anybody else."
The 26-year-old woman, credited by police for bringing a massive search for Nichols to a nonviolent end Saturday, resurfaced a day later with a harrowing account of the 7 1/2 hours she spent as Nichols' hostage in the apartment she had moved into only two days before in an Atlanta suburb.
Captor and captive talked, and he untied her, she recalled on CNN and in accounts posted on the website of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He looked at her family photos, she read to him from the Bible and "The Purpose-Driven Life," and cooked him a breakfast of pancakes and eggs.
" 'Wow, real butter,' " Smith said Nichols told her.
Progressively, she gained the trust of the man who, at that time, was Georgia's most-wanted fugitive, with a $60,000 reward on his head in connection with the slayings. "I really didn't want him to hurt himself, or anyone else to hurt him," she said.
Watching TV news about the carnage being blamed on him, and the multi-agency law enforcement operation mounted to capture him, she said Nichols told her: " 'I cannot believe that's me on there.'
"He needed hope for his life," Smith said. "He said, 'Look at my eyes, I'm already dead.' I said: 'You're not dead. You're standing right in front of me. If you want to die, you can. It's your choice.' "
(Excerpt) Read more at story.news.yahoo.com ...
Could a man have pulled off what Ashley did? I can't picture it.
I don't know how this will get along with Nichols' earlier comments about being a "soldier".
Could a man have pulled off what Ashley did (with Nichols)? I would think it would be a lot tougher for a guy. I know I most likely couldn't, and I'm a 58 year old male.
This girl is one cool cutomer.
How about a testimony to Christ's teachings.
No poser under the for real life circumstances.
I just heard her statement of LKLive and she wants to be left alone but all who lost loved ones will be in her prayers.
She humbled herself.
Quite a wise young woman for her age of 26. It personally took me a decade longer to come that mature in my walk.
Despite her violent loss of her husband she chose the narrow gate.
Her daughter will be well with her as a Mom.
I am glad she is going to get the reward too, a little boost to better her families living situation.
Nichols and food sure came up alot in this saga.
When he initially raped his ex girl he brought a cooler of food.
And he ended it all with a good breakfest.
The irony.
------
It sure looks that way. Ashley Smith is solid.
< Quite a wise young woman for her age of 26. ...
Despite her violent loss of her husband she chose the narrow gate. >
I suspect that #1 has a bit to do wih #2.
This woman has learned in 26 years what many never, ever learn. She's a good person.
I doubt it. I wouldn't have even been thinking about talking to him or discussing his life story or fixing him breakfast ... I would have been thinking only of how to get an opportune moment to hurt or kill him.
Men and women are different, thank God. Men should have been guarding him, and chances are he never would have escaped. But since he did escape and go on his rampage, the only hope he had to get out of that situation with a heartbeat was to be talked back to reality by a female.
Instead of a tent peg, a purpose; life rather than death when both were in her power to give.
I was thinking her to be more equivalent to Abigail who went out to meet a very angry David and his army. Her kindness, food, and wise discussion turned away his wrath. In any case, it is truly an amazing thing that she came out of this alive. Surely God protected her.
Thanks for the ping!
B'shem Y'shua
chuck
I'm a woman, and I don't think I could have done it...but I think my brother could have, if Nichols would have listened to a man at all.
It took a serenity that I haven't achieved yet.
'Instead of a tent peg'
What a wonderful parallel!
Abigail is a great, parallel too.
I think because these are "types" of Christ, foreshadowing what He does for us. Turning away the wrath of God from us. Not pounding the tent peg through our brains.
He lays down His life to protect the world from the eternal consequences of sin. God knew we needed Him. Ashley knew her daughter needed her, and other possible victims, and Brian himself needed her. She sacrificed her comfort, and instead of being rightfully pissed off, gave to him instead.
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