Donna's
Story
Story
Donna's
Story
Story
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In August 1981, shortly after I graduated Round Rock High School. I went on a Mission Trip to Brazil. When I came
home I asked God to cause me to depend on Him like the people I met there did. Within six weeks he did that. On
September 30, 1981, I was at work, at Leviah's Jewelry on Anderson Lane, in Austin, Texas and a man came in to "ROB"
us. When I opened the door to go out and wait on him there he was pointing a gun at me. He was wearing bulky canvas
garden gloves and his teeth were all black. I later learned he was on speed and the gun was a very, very large automatic
pistol. He had timed the robbery during the shift change of the police department. When my boss, Brian Hoover, saw him
come in the back with me he set off a silent alarm. The police who responded to the alarm were unfamiliar with the area
and were looking for our store when the robber, Charles Willis, saw them. That was when he decided to take me hostage
so I could help him to get away. As we left the store we were confronted by 2 different Officers and the robber shoved the
gun into the back of my head and forced them to put down their guns. We headed into the parking lot looking for a car he
had taken keys to and encountered another Officer there. This officer was a rookie and he had his shot gun out but he had
left his car door open and the car running. He refused to put down his gun and the robber became very agitated causing me
to fear for my life. In that moment I thought he was going to kill me because he was so upset and I could feel the barrel of
the gun rammed into my head. Into my panic came the "perfect peace" of Jesus presence. I felt Him there with me and I felt
Him place His hand on my shoulder, and I heard His voice saying, I wasn't going to die that day, He had things for me to
do. I now know one of those things is sharing this story with all of you.
The robbers next choice was to take the rookie policeman's car so we could flee. He thought it was really cool that we
could hear all the policeman on the radio and was elated when they brought in a Helicopter. The chase went on for a while,
I don't know how long. I remember he ran over a curb at one point and the gun went off in the car. I remember looking
down to see if I had been shot. I had no idea how it would feel to be shot and Jesus said I wasn't going to die, not that I
wasn't going to be shot. His driving was crazy, he ran stop signs and did u-turns in the middle of the road all in the midst of
traffic. So, Officer Garcia rammed the car to get him to stop and even then he tried to pull back out and keep going. I
remember we were right in front of Sam and Rhonda Morgan's house there on Steck Ave. Also, we were right down from
the Channel 24 Television Station. It seemed in an instant, we were surrounded by police. Some with rifles others trying to
establish contact with the robber. This terrified the robber. He said to me he was afraid they were going to kill him. I
remember telling him they did not want to shoot him they just wanted him to let me go. Finally, after talking to several
policemen, he decided to put the gun down and get out of the car. During all of these negotiations the gun had been pointed
at my head again. Later the police told me they had considered shooting him but because of his gun, gloves, and the drugs
they recognized were in his system they were concerned his reaction could have killed me. The officer who got me out of
the car was the first one we saw upon exiting the store. His name was Officer Stephens, he was red headed and had a
mustache. I think it is amazing I can still remember things like that but can't remember half of the people I
graduated High School with.
I was then taken to the police station to give my statement and call my parents. I had no idea even where the police
station was in Austin. I was 18 and had never had a reason to know. I remember chatting with Officer Stephens on the
way to the station and then being mobbed by press when we arrived there. All of that was just like it is on TV. They
shoved microphones in my face, snapped pictures, and yelled questions at me. If they only knew that none of them
registered, because I was in shock. I didn't answer any questions or give any indication of who I was. I was taken upstairs
to write my statement out. I was concerned my parents would hear the story on the radios in their offices after seeing all of
the press. I was worried that if they heard a young girl had been taken hostage from a jewelry store on Anderson Lane they
would panic, especially if the store name was used. So, the first thing I did was call my mom's office. She was closer to the
police station and as children we never called Daddy at work, if something was important enough to contact him about,
mom did it. That call to her was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. How do you tell your mom what has
just happened to you and not scare her to death. It is still impossible for me to understand and relay to you all the
emotions I experienced on that day.
The story made the evening paper for the Austin American Statesman and the front page of the Thursday morning paper.
The Thursday paper had a picture of me that was snapped at the police station. The story with film footage made all the
television news stations for two days and I began dreading each report because the phone would start ringing. The article in
the Austin American Statesman quoted the police as saying that, "my being calm saved my life." They told me later, they
were all amazed at my composure. They had never seen anything like it. They asked me if I noticed how they hovered at
the station? They said they kept expecting me to collapse in hysteria. Obviously my relationship with Jesus had saved my
life. I was able to tell them in a letter of Thanks a few days later, "I was calm because of my faith in Jesus." When I heard
his voice and felt His presence, I knew His peace and protection. The police nor I ever understood why, but, they found
more bullets in the door of the car than I heard fired. I was in Gods care even in the midst of the evil which surrounded me.
On Sunday I learned that six people from my church, Hillcrest Baptist, were in cars or yards within a block of where the
police crashed into the car. They all told me they did not know what was going on but they were praying for whatever it
was. My Lord delivered me. He provided for every need before they happened. As far as I know I was the only person in
the store that day that had a personal relationship with Jesus. None of my co-workers were interested. I had shared with
them on many occasions. It was no accident that the robber took me. I had asked God to cause me to depend on Him.
He knew me and what it would take to make it happen.
What is important to understand about this story, my testimony of Jesus love, is this. I know that Jesus is real,
because I have heard His voice, felt His presence, and His peace. He loves us, all of us. He made us, all of
us. He desires a relationship with us, all of us. HE is ALL we need. We MUST have a relationship with
Jesus before we need it or we won't hear Him when He speaks peace to us. You can absolutely trust Jesus
every time, all the time. Even when things are hard, He will take care of you. Not only did I need Him that
day, but He is there for me EVERYDAY! He will be THERE, wherever there is, for you too! All you have to
do is ask Him to forgive your sins, be your Lord, and accept Him as your personal Savior.
are justified, and it is with your mouth that confess and are saved. For everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that you are a sinner. If you know Jesus Christ died on the
cross, and rose from the grave to pay for and forgive your sins, as a free gift, so that you can have eternal life, you
can be saved. All you have to do is say a simple prayer confessing these things, and thanking God for giving His
Son to die for us.
home I asked God to cause me to depend on Him like the people I met there did. Within six weeks he did that. On
September 30, 1981, I was at work, at Leviah's Jewelry on Anderson Lane, in Austin, Texas and a man came in to "ROB"
us. When I opened the door to go out and wait on him there he was pointing a gun at me. He was wearing bulky canvas
garden gloves and his teeth were all black. I later learned he was on speed and the gun was a very, very large automatic
pistol. He had timed the robbery during the shift change of the police department. When my boss, Brian Hoover, saw him
come in the back with me he set off a silent alarm. The police who responded to the alarm were unfamiliar with the area
and were looking for our store when the robber, Charles Willis, saw them. That was when he decided to take me hostage
so I could help him to get away. As we left the store we were confronted by 2 different Officers and the robber shoved the
gun into the back of my head and forced them to put down their guns. We headed into the parking lot looking for a car he
had taken keys to and encountered another Officer there. This officer was a rookie and he had his shot gun out but he had
left his car door open and the car running. He refused to put down his gun and the robber became very agitated causing me
to fear for my life. In that moment I thought he was going to kill me because he was so upset and I could feel the barrel of
the gun rammed into my head. Into my panic came the "perfect peace" of Jesus presence. I felt Him there with me and I felt
Him place His hand on my shoulder, and I heard His voice saying, I wasn't going to die that day, He had things for me to
do. I now know one of those things is sharing this story with all of you.
The robbers next choice was to take the rookie policeman's car so we could flee. He thought it was really cool that we
could hear all the policeman on the radio and was elated when they brought in a Helicopter. The chase went on for a while,
I don't know how long. I remember he ran over a curb at one point and the gun went off in the car. I remember looking
down to see if I had been shot. I had no idea how it would feel to be shot and Jesus said I wasn't going to die, not that I
wasn't going to be shot. His driving was crazy, he ran stop signs and did u-turns in the middle of the road all in the midst of
traffic. So, Officer Garcia rammed the car to get him to stop and even then he tried to pull back out and keep going. I
remember we were right in front of Sam and Rhonda Morgan's house there on Steck Ave. Also, we were right down from
the Channel 24 Television Station. It seemed in an instant, we were surrounded by police. Some with rifles others trying to
establish contact with the robber. This terrified the robber. He said to me he was afraid they were going to kill him. I
remember telling him they did not want to shoot him they just wanted him to let me go. Finally, after talking to several
policemen, he decided to put the gun down and get out of the car. During all of these negotiations the gun had been pointed
at my head again. Later the police told me they had considered shooting him but because of his gun, gloves, and the drugs
they recognized were in his system they were concerned his reaction could have killed me. The officer who got me out of
the car was the first one we saw upon exiting the store. His name was Officer Stephens, he was red headed and had a
mustache. I think it is amazing I can still remember things like that but can't remember half of the people I
graduated High School with.
I was then taken to the police station to give my statement and call my parents. I had no idea even where the police
station was in Austin. I was 18 and had never had a reason to know. I remember chatting with Officer Stephens on the
way to the station and then being mobbed by press when we arrived there. All of that was just like it is on TV. They
shoved microphones in my face, snapped pictures, and yelled questions at me. If they only knew that none of them
registered, because I was in shock. I didn't answer any questions or give any indication of who I was. I was taken upstairs
to write my statement out. I was concerned my parents would hear the story on the radios in their offices after seeing all of
the press. I was worried that if they heard a young girl had been taken hostage from a jewelry store on Anderson Lane they
would panic, especially if the store name was used. So, the first thing I did was call my mom's office. She was closer to the
police station and as children we never called Daddy at work, if something was important enough to contact him about,
mom did it. That call to her was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. How do you tell your mom what has
just happened to you and not scare her to death. It is still impossible for me to understand and relay to you all the
emotions I experienced on that day.
The story made the evening paper for the Austin American Statesman and the front page of the Thursday morning paper.
The Thursday paper had a picture of me that was snapped at the police station. The story with film footage made all the
television news stations for two days and I began dreading each report because the phone would start ringing. The article in
the Austin American Statesman quoted the police as saying that, "my being calm saved my life." They told me later, they
were all amazed at my composure. They had never seen anything like it. They asked me if I noticed how they hovered at
the station? They said they kept expecting me to collapse in hysteria. Obviously my relationship with Jesus had saved my
life. I was able to tell them in a letter of Thanks a few days later, "I was calm because of my faith in Jesus." When I heard
his voice and felt His presence, I knew His peace and protection. The police nor I ever understood why, but, they found
more bullets in the door of the car than I heard fired. I was in Gods care even in the midst of the evil which surrounded me.
On Sunday I learned that six people from my church, Hillcrest Baptist, were in cars or yards within a block of where the
police crashed into the car. They all told me they did not know what was going on but they were praying for whatever it
was. My Lord delivered me. He provided for every need before they happened. As far as I know I was the only person in
the store that day that had a personal relationship with Jesus. None of my co-workers were interested. I had shared with
them on many occasions. It was no accident that the robber took me. I had asked God to cause me to depend on Him.
He knew me and what it would take to make it happen.
What is important to understand about this story, my testimony of Jesus love, is this. I know that Jesus is real,
because I have heard His voice, felt His presence, and His peace. He loves us, all of us. He made us, all of
us. He desires a relationship with us, all of us. HE is ALL we need. We MUST have a relationship with
Jesus before we need it or we won't hear Him when He speaks peace to us. You can absolutely trust Jesus
every time, all the time. Even when things are hard, He will take care of you. Not only did I need Him that
day, but He is there for me EVERYDAY! He will be THERE, wherever there is, for you too! All you have to
do is ask Him to forgive your sins, be your Lord, and accept Him as your personal Savior.
- Romans 3:10 There is no one righteous, not even one.
- Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
- Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
- Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of
- Romans 10:9-10, 13 If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God
are justified, and it is with your mouth that confess and are saved. For everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that you are a sinner. If you know Jesus Christ died on the
cross, and rose from the grave to pay for and forgive your sins, as a free gift, so that you can have eternal life, you
can be saved. All you have to do is say a simple prayer confessing these things, and thanking God for giving His
Son to die for us.