“Please hold me, I’m scared.”

My wife clutched my left arm. “Let’s just pray,” I whispered, as I held her close. The cabin lights were starting to flicker.

I’ve been in dozens, if not hundreds of flights before — air turbulence was nothing new to me. But this was, by far, the most severe. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t the least bit worried or anxious.

The passengers would gasp whenever our ATR-72 twin-engine turboprop would suddenly drop 100 feet or more within two or three seconds.

The people seated to our right — who just moments ago were joking, laughing, and talking about celebrities and sports — were now crying out to Mary and all the saints they can remember.

It was hard to see anything outside…

Just dark cumulonimbus clouds and lightning, signaling a big thunderstorm.

We took off just 25 minutes earlier, as the sun was setting over Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. Our pilot, Captain Medina,...

7:34 p.m., January 16, 1987, San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines

“Close your eyes!”

“Nobody moves, screams, or looks at us—or I’ll blow his head off!”

My family had barely finished asking the blessing on a Friday evening meal when we were faced with four masked, shabby-looking men brandishing handguns, an M-16 rifle, and a dagger.

How did these people get in here? What do they want?

“I said shut your eyes!” the leader barked, pointing a revolver straight at Dad.

Dad glanced at my two little sisters, my mom (almost nine months pregnant), my three brothers and me, and said…

“Just bow your heads and pray…”

“Yes, you better pray,” the leader mocked. “Because this will be your last!”

My eyelids trembled as I tried to keep them shut.

My knees were shaking. I wanted to do something, but if Dad was powerless right now, what could a 13-year old do?

I prayed that my five-year-old sister wouldn’t...