In the first segment, George Knapp interviewed Paul Fronczak, who discovered via a DNA test that he is not who he thought he was. The story begins in Chicago in 1964, when Dora Fronczak gave birth to a son. The next day, a woman disguised as a nurse kidnapped the baby, resulting in a massive hunt for the missing infant, which made national and international headlines. Over a year later, Fronzcak was found abandoned near a shopping center in Newark, New Jersey. Based on a resemblance to the kidnapped baby in a photograph from the hospital, the FBI and the Fronczak family were convinced he was the missing child. The Fronczaks ultimately adopted Paul and raised him as their son, believing that he'd miraculously been returned to them, although Fronczak said that most of his life, he has had "a really good feeling that I was not Paul."
In the last few years, he has made discoveries that have unearthed his family’s deepest secrets. Using DNA testing, he found that his real story was much worse than he ever expected. Fronczak’s biological family was "really dark" and his newfound relatives told him that he was "lucky to make it out alive." He discovered that his real name was "Jack" and that he had a twin sister named "Jill." Eyewitness accounts of his early life paint a grim picture of abuse and neglect.
Although he has found his other biological siblings (who refuse to talk to him) his twin sister disappeared around the same time that he was found. He is still trying to follow up leads in an attempt to find out what happened to her as well as the real Paul Fronczak, and will "take any tip or possible information" that can be provided.
Parts. 1,2: Stranger In The Woods
Published on 1 May 2017
Order your copy now: http://amzn.to/2n0YeiY
1] In 1986, twenty-year-old Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the woods. He would not speak to another human being until three decades later when he was arrested for stealing food.
Christopher survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store food and water in order to avoid freezing to death in his tent during the harsh Maine winters. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothes, reading material and other provisions, taking only what he needed. In the process, he unwittingly terrified a community unable to solve the mysterious burglaries. Myths abounded amongst the locals eager to find this legendary hermit.
Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life and the challenges he faced returning to the world. The Stranger in the Woods is a riveting story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude and what makes for a good life. Above all, this is a deeply moving portrait of a man determined to live life his own way.
1] In 1986, twenty-year-old Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the woods. He would not speak to another human being until three decades later when he was arrested for stealing food.
Christopher survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store food and water in order to avoid freezing to death in his tent during the harsh Maine winters. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothes, reading material and other provisions, taking only what he needed. In the process, he unwittingly terrified a community unable to solve the mysterious burglaries. Myths abounded amongst the locals eager to find this legendary hermit.
Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life and the challenges he faced returning to the world. The Stranger in the Woods is a riveting story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude and what makes for a good life. Above all, this is a deeply moving portrait of a man determined to live life his own way.
Finkel said that Knight grew up in a family that was both intellectual (they read to each other every evening from classics of literature) and self-sufficient. They grew their own food in a greenhouse they built and fixed cars and other machines themselves. At the age of 20, Knight, who said that he "never felt comfortable around other people" felt the need to escape. Finkel said this need was described as "almost a gravitational tug" to get away from others. Knight left his new car in the woods of central Maine and went off into wilderness, vowing to live the rest of his life there. Related images. He never lit a fire and survived winters by pacing around his camp during the coldest part of the night to keep warm. Food was stolen from summer cabins and camps in the area. Knight was finally caught due to the dogged efforts of a game warden in the area, who said he couldn’t be mad at Knight because he admired his wilderness skills. Finkel says that Knight "expressed more happiness in life" (at least in his solitary existence) than just about anyone he has ever met.
