00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:37.200
Every time I go out to the desert

00:00:39.080 --> 00:00:40.790
and I feel the heat,

00:00:41.750 --> 00:00:43.460
I feel the hunger,

00:00:44.500 --> 00:00:47.290
I feel the desolation and despair,

00:00:52.300 --> 00:00:56.220
just like the people who cross over here on foot.

00:01:11.980 --> 00:01:14.990
Dozens of migrants have met
their deaths

00:01:14.990 --> 00:01:19.700
in their attempt to cross the border
and reach the United States.

00:01:23.410 --> 00:01:28.370
The number of deaths has
reached a record high this year.

00:01:34.670 --> 00:01:36.720
This is where we sleep.

00:01:40.430 --> 00:01:41.430
Hi mom,

00:01:41.430 --> 00:01:46.770
I know we are driving you crazy, excuse my insistence,
but this is exasperating.

00:01:48.270 --> 00:01:50.400
Hi mom, I’m here with a guy from Nicaragua.

00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:51.310
Hi, ma’am.

00:01:51.770 --> 00:01:53.190
Here’s a guy from Honduras.

00:01:53.190 --> 00:01:53.940
Hi, ma’am.

00:01:53.940 --> 00:01:54.650
Everything’s fine.

00:01:54.650 --> 00:01:55.150
Don’t worry.

00:02:01.870 --> 00:02:02.620
This is so hard.

00:02:03.030 --> 00:02:04.740
It's really complicated.

00:02:09.290 --> 00:02:13.250
You have reached Rafael from
the Desert Angels rescue team.

00:02:13.920 --> 00:02:18.630
Please leave us a message and
we will get back to you. Thank you.

00:02:21.550 --> 00:02:23.890
Good evening, Mr. Rafael.

00:02:26.060 --> 00:02:28.480
I’ve lost my son who was left out there

00:02:28.810 --> 00:02:30.190
in the desert.

00:02:38.650 --> 00:02:42.370
I need to know where he is.
I haven’t slept.

00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:46.790
Thank you.

00:02:48.660 --> 00:02:50.830
I love you very much, my love.

00:02:51.670 --> 00:02:53.040
A lot, baby.

00:02:56.130 --> 00:02:58.970
I need your help

00:02:59.050 --> 00:03:01.890
The two year old girl isn't responding.

00:03:01.890 --> 00:03:03.970
She's not getting up.

00:03:03.970 --> 00:03:05.600
She doesn't even want to drink water.

00:03:07.020 --> 00:03:09.230
Please help us.

00:03:09.270 --> 00:03:10.310
Maybe she's dehydrated because

00:03:10.310 --> 00:03:13.310
It's been 10 days since we've heard from her.

00:03:13.310 --> 00:03:14.980
it's been so long since she ate or drank.

00:03:15.900 --> 00:03:20.110
They left her stranded there
because she can't walk anymore

00:03:20.110 --> 00:03:23.110
I need to find my brother.

00:03:23.110 --> 00:03:27.700
I'd be grateful if you would call me back.

00:03:28.040 --> 00:03:30.080
I beg you, please.

00:03:52.980 --> 00:03:54.100
Juan!

00:04:01.150 --> 00:04:02.280
Juan!

00:04:29.890 --> 00:04:31.270
How are you? Are you OK?

00:04:31.430 --> 00:04:33.230
Fine, OK.

00:04:33.350 --> 00:04:35.060
Don’t worry.

00:04:37.150 --> 00:04:38.400
Where do you come from?

00:04:38.940 --> 00:04:39.770
Where are you from?

00:04:39.900 --> 00:04:41.070
Michoacan

00:04:42.820 --> 00:04:44.110
Stay calm.

00:04:45.990 --> 00:04:47.530
How long have you been walking?

00:04:47.530 --> 00:04:49.530
Like, five.

00:04:50.330 --> 00:04:51.490
Five days?

00:04:52.790 --> 00:04:53.960
Five days.

00:05:00.300 --> 00:05:01.670
Come out of the sun, guys.

00:05:05.550 --> 00:05:07.590
Five days walking.

00:05:08.390 --> 00:05:11.640
We were so thirsty, there was a house,
but nobody answered.

00:05:12.770 --> 00:05:14.600
Rest here.

00:05:14.930 --> 00:05:16.600
Where did you cross, through Tecate?

00:05:17.350 --> 00:05:18.730
Tijuana.

00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:23.570
It’s very dangerous.
Were you robbed on the way?

00:05:23.900 --> 00:05:27.820
They took money from us.
20K from each of us.

00:05:27.820 --> 00:05:29.120
So, they robbed you.

00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:30.030
Yeah.

00:05:30.870 --> 00:05:35.830
Our destination is Washington.
We have always worked in Washington,

00:05:35.830 --> 00:05:39.040
picking apples and cherries.

00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:41.460
And how did you end up all the way over here?

00:05:41.460 --> 00:05:42.590
Did you get lost?

00:05:42.590 --> 00:05:43.920
We took the risk like this.

00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:45.510
By yourselves?

00:05:47.010 --> 00:05:49.430
They charge too much.

00:05:50.050 --> 00:05:53.180
but we didn't know where to go from here.

00:05:55.270 --> 00:05:58.690
You still have a long way to go
to get all the way there on foot.

00:06:01.520 --> 00:06:07.320
If it took you five days to get here,
you'd need another four days to get there.

00:06:11.280 --> 00:06:17.120
Many times I'm asked,
“Where is the best place to cross?”

00:06:17.910 --> 00:06:19.960
There is no such a place.

00:06:19.960 --> 00:06:22.710
There aren’t any good places to cross?

00:06:25.210 --> 00:06:30.340
My sons, do you want to continue
or do you want to turn yourselves in to Border Patrol?

00:06:30.340 --> 00:06:32.430
What would you like to do?

00:06:32.430 --> 00:06:33.760
Border Patrol.

00:06:33.760 --> 00:06:35.810
Do you want to?
Yes.

00:06:37.810 --> 00:06:40.690
The truth is you're still very far away to keep going.

00:06:40.690 --> 00:06:43.190
and there is a checkpoint ahead. Right now there is nobody there, but

00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:55.160
Good afternoon.

00:06:55.160 --> 00:06:57.200
My name is Rafael Larraenza Hernandez,

00:06:57.200 --> 00:07:00.120
Director of the San Diego rescue group,
Desert Angels.

00:07:00.540 --> 00:07:04.920
Tell us as soon as possible when
your family member goes missing.

00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:07.960
This summer has been really intense, like no other.

00:07:07.960 --> 00:07:11.050
If you are going to cross,
please think about it seriously.

00:07:11.050 --> 00:07:12.760
Believe me, it's not worth it.

00:07:12.930 --> 00:07:14.390
Thank you.

00:07:26.270 --> 00:07:28.610
In the winter of 1997,

00:07:28.610 --> 00:07:30.740
in early March,

00:07:31.070 --> 00:07:33.160
I was at my house,

00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:36.530
relaxing and watching television.

00:07:36.530 --> 00:07:40.080
I was warm, drinking coffee,

00:07:40.080 --> 00:07:46.630
when they announced on the news
that some young people were lost

00:07:46.630 --> 00:07:51.380
in the Rumorosa desert
and were trapped in the snow.

00:07:53.300 --> 00:07:57.220
I figured there would be
people looking for them,

00:07:57.220 --> 00:08:00.350
and I said, "Well, I'm going to help them,

00:08:00.350 --> 00:08:04.730
my brother and I can help look for
these people that were lost."

00:08:05.350 --> 00:08:09.150
But, to my surprise, when
I went to the Rumorosa mountains,

00:08:09.150 --> 00:08:12.400
absolutely no one was
looking for anyone.

00:08:15.780 --> 00:08:19.080
We drove for a while,
as far as we could get by car,

00:08:19.080 --> 00:08:21.290
and then we started to walk.

00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:25.000
Up ahead, we found three boys.

00:08:26.210 --> 00:08:31.010
And that day,
we rescued six more people.

00:08:33.510 --> 00:08:36.640
So, I started to think,

00:08:36.640 --> 00:08:38.050
to think, to think,

00:08:38.050 --> 00:08:40.970
that it wasn't fair that
they were alone out there,

00:08:40.970 --> 00:08:43.270
and no one was there
to support them.

00:08:43.270 --> 00:08:47.100
And that’s when I came up
with the idea to form my group.

00:08:51.780 --> 00:08:54.650
That first year I basically worked

00:08:54.650 --> 00:08:57.070
behind the United States' back,

00:08:57.280 --> 00:09:00.160
as if I was a criminal.

00:09:00.580 --> 00:09:01.950
Because, well, I had a lot
to do so that,

00:09:01.950 --> 00:09:06.870
So that the Border Patrol wouldn't
figure out what we were doing.

00:09:10.550 --> 00:09:12.590
But recruiting people wasn't easy,

00:09:12.590 --> 00:09:16.550
they were all afraid to support me
with the rescues in the U.S.

00:09:18.300 --> 00:09:19.970
So, those first years, well,

00:09:19.970 --> 00:09:22.310
I basically had to do it
by myself,

00:09:25.810 --> 00:09:30.980
I would buy water,
dehydrated food and clothes

00:09:30.980 --> 00:09:34.070
to leave in different
places along the border.

00:09:36.070 --> 00:09:38.110
Walking and walking, searching and searching,

00:09:38.110 --> 00:09:40.410
and driving around all over.

00:09:43.290 --> 00:09:45.370
I didn’t have anyone to help me.

00:09:56.670 --> 00:09:58.800
"Desert Angels" good afternoon.

00:09:59.010 --> 00:10:00.600
Are you Mr. Hernandez?

00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:01.640
Yes, at your service.

00:10:04.220 --> 00:10:05.680
Yes, good morning.

00:10:05.770 --> 00:10:08.940
Today I receive around

00:10:08.940 --> 00:10:11.190
60 to 80 calls per day.

00:10:14.070 --> 00:10:17.030
We’re on our way.

00:10:23.620 --> 00:10:26.290
Of course I can't take every call.

00:10:26.290 --> 00:10:28.750
It’s impossible for me to
answer them all.

00:10:30.170 --> 00:10:35.550
Hi, I’m calling about a relative
who disappeared eight days ago.

00:10:35.550 --> 00:10:35.760
call me back.

00:10:35.760 --> 00:10:40.300
I’m desperate because we haven’t had any contact since then.

00:10:40.930 --> 00:10:43.100
Please I need your help.

00:10:46.520 --> 00:10:48.310
Thank you.

00:10:56.400 --> 00:10:59.490
We’re a group of volunteers.

00:11:00.280 --> 00:11:02.070
I am the director of the group.

00:11:02.280 --> 00:11:05.580
Every time they enter the desert,
I'm on watch

00:11:05.990 --> 00:11:10.080
to give them coordinates,
get them out if they are in danger,

00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:11.960
and send them help.

00:11:12.540 --> 00:11:15.540
Monica has always supported me.

00:11:15.540 --> 00:11:19.800
because she’s the one guiding me,
motivating me.

00:11:20.050 --> 00:11:22.300
That's why she's been super special.

00:11:22.510 --> 00:11:24.010
Apart from being the director,

00:11:24.350 --> 00:11:25.930
she’s my wife.

00:11:28.350 --> 00:11:31.440
I think he's how he is now
because he can't say “no.”

00:11:31.980 --> 00:11:35.560
It’s really difficult.

00:11:36.400 --> 00:11:38.360
Many times he'll go on a search,
he doesn't have money,

00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:40.360
he gets stranded without gas.

00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:43.240
And I'll be on the phone
with him at 2, 3 in the morning

00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:45.200
waiting to see who can go get him.

00:11:45.570 --> 00:11:54.580
The truck broke down and I put out
a sign to see if someone stops.

00:11:55.630 --> 00:11:57.000
We don't charge.

00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:00.090
If they give me a tip, I use it

00:12:00.090 --> 00:12:02.720
to help pay for my gasoline.

00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:05.890
I know he wants to go rescue

00:12:05.890 --> 00:12:09.270
but if we don't have the means–

00:12:11.560 --> 00:12:15.440
He can never say no and he'll go
and get stranded without gas.

00:12:15.520 --> 00:12:17.690
It's unfortunate.

00:12:18.070 --> 00:12:23.110
So many years helping.
More than 23 years.

00:12:23.530 --> 00:12:26.950
And to be in this situation.
It's unfortunate.

00:12:41.420 --> 00:12:44.380
I got it!

00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:04.240
Desert Angels, good
afternoon.

00:13:04.950 --> 00:13:06.410
Good afternoon.

00:13:07.110 --> 00:13:11.290
If there's an emergency that someone is alive
we have to do the rescue.

00:13:11.870 --> 00:13:17.120
Often he’s barely here a few hours
before he has to leave.

00:13:17.670 --> 00:13:22.170
My name is Indira Renderos,
I am calling because I have

00:13:22.170 --> 00:13:26.340
lost my son who was left
there in the desert.

00:13:26.340 --> 00:13:33.060
Can you please tell me,
where did your son get lost?

00:13:33.060 --> 00:13:38.100
I had spent a few days on vacation
with my wife,

00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:42.730
received a call from her that
her son was lost in Texas.

00:13:42.730 --> 00:13:46.780
And so, I was coming to
spend the birthday with my wife

00:13:46.780 --> 00:13:50.030
But my wife said, no, you
have to go.

00:13:50.030 --> 00:13:51.240
And I left.

00:13:52.540 --> 00:13:57.210
Our colleague, Jasmina Gonzalez, traveled
many miles with the Desert Angels

00:13:57.210 --> 00:14:01.420
to where Rodrigo Renderos was last seen

00:14:01.420 --> 00:14:04.210
after he entered the country illegally

00:14:04.210 --> 00:14:06.220
and abandoned by his smuggler.

00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:11.100
September 20th was the day this mother
lost contact with her son.

00:14:28.070 --> 00:14:31.490
Rodrigo was in a university
in El Salvador.

00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:38.620
He’s very smart and he was
pursuing his degree.

00:14:39.920 --> 00:14:43.630
He told me, "I can't continue in El Salvador.

00:14:44.170 --> 00:14:49.050
The gangs threatening us
want a lot of money,

00:14:49.090 --> 00:14:54.050
and we're not going to pay that
so I can go to the university.

00:14:54.050 --> 00:14:57.890
There’s no future for the youth in this country anymore."

00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:03.610
They had already stolen his laptop twice.

00:15:04.110 --> 00:15:12.110
And they gathered proof from the police
of all the assaults and threats.

00:15:12.110 --> 00:15:14.070
"I have all the evidence here

00:15:14.070 --> 00:15:21.420
I know I'm going to meet
with the United States authorities

00:15:21.420 --> 00:15:24.340
and if they see all that
they could give me asylum.”

00:15:27.300 --> 00:15:32.680
He arrived to Monterrey by plane
and from there they drove him to the border.

00:15:35.010 --> 00:15:39.060
He crossed the river.

00:15:39.060 --> 00:15:43.900
And then he was in McAllen, Texas.

00:15:45.610 --> 00:15:50.110
From there he said next thing
was to get to me.

00:15:50.110 --> 00:15:59.080
All on foot because they had
to avoid a border patrol checkpoint.

00:15:59.910 --> 00:16:01.250
Hi mom, It’s Rodrigo

00:16:01.410 --> 00:16:02.830
I’m here with a guy from Nicaragua.

00:16:02.920 --> 00:16:03.870
Say, “Hi.”

00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:04.880
Hi, ma’am.

00:16:05.330 --> 00:16:06.750
Here’s a guy from Honduras.

00:16:06.920 --> 00:16:07.630
Hi, ma’am.

00:16:07.750 --> 00:16:08.210
Everything’s fine.

00:16:08.250 --> 00:16:08.710
Don’t worry.

00:16:09.130 --> 00:16:10.090
Everything’s going to be fine.

00:16:10.210 --> 00:16:10.970
Everything’s going to be fine.

00:16:11.050 --> 00:16:12.970
We are praying.

00:16:13.180 --> 00:16:17.260
I told Rodrigo, “That is a difficult walk.

00:16:17.640 --> 00:16:19.930
I've done that walk.”

00:16:20.560 --> 00:16:23.440
But he said, “But the coyote says

00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:25.810
that I’m going to be fine.”

00:16:30.190 --> 00:16:31.900
Hi, Mom, it's me, Rodrigo.

00:16:32.150 --> 00:16:37.240
I want to tell you a couple of things that just happened.

00:16:38.030 --> 00:16:41.580
I don’t want you to worry.

00:16:41.790 --> 00:16:45.120
God willing, everything is going to be alright.

00:16:45.370 --> 00:16:46.710
We are fine, we are eating,

00:16:47.250 --> 00:16:48.590
we are healthy, we are alive.

00:16:49.460 --> 00:16:50.960
I love you very much, Mommy.

00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:51.880
Don’t worry.

00:16:53.300 --> 00:16:55.470
Son, take only what they tell you.

00:16:55.510 --> 00:16:56.300
Nothing else.

00:16:57.510 --> 00:16:58.970
And your paperwork,

00:16:58.970 --> 00:17:01.430
hide it in your underwear.

00:17:02.140 --> 00:17:03.520
Let's not lose faith.

00:17:04.230 --> 00:17:07.270
just take care of yourself.

00:17:08.310 --> 00:17:11.480
You're going to be here with me.

00:17:14.070 --> 00:17:20.450
I had a moment where I almost
told Rodrigo to not keep going.

00:17:20.450 --> 00:17:23.450
Something didn't feel right.

00:17:23.950 --> 00:17:29.170
He said, "I'm going to keep going, Mom,
because I want to be reunited with you.

00:17:30.420 --> 00:17:32.960
You just don't know, Mom.
If we go back,

00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:34.630
they’ll kill us."

00:17:36.260 --> 00:17:38.180
Yes mom, we're here. Don’t worry.

00:17:38.300 --> 00:17:39.930
We are in the middle of nowhere.

00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:42.010
My pants are torn

00:17:42.010 --> 00:17:43.350
I got scratched by thorns,

00:17:43.470 --> 00:17:44.930
and I've scratched my face.

00:17:45.560 --> 00:17:46.100
But

00:17:46.520 --> 00:17:48.270
maybe it's all a matter of faith.

00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:50.860
And here we are praying.

00:17:53.230 --> 00:17:57.110
Friday the 19th at 7:00AM here

00:17:58.740 --> 00:18:01.740
he messaged me,
"We're leaving now, Mom."

00:18:02.790 --> 00:18:04.040
and

00:18:06.370 --> 00:18:13.380
he only sent me a song
for me to listen to

00:18:13.590 --> 00:18:16.920
and he sent me one sentence

00:18:17.590 --> 00:18:22.140
that the love between him and I
was beyond death.

00:18:24.220 --> 00:18:25.560
That was the last thing.

00:18:27.140 --> 00:18:27.850
Rodrigo

00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:29.390
Listen to me

00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:30.940
What’s happened?

00:18:31.060 --> 00:18:32.480
Save your cell phone battery

00:18:32.560 --> 00:18:33.520
If you don’t have cell battery

00:18:33.570 --> 00:18:34.530
it can mess up everything

00:18:34.610 --> 00:18:35.730
nobody will be able to find you

00:18:36.070 --> 00:18:37.360
none of you.

00:18:37.610 --> 00:18:38.740
Please

00:18:38.820 --> 00:18:39.950
tell me what’s happened.

00:18:41.320 --> 00:18:43.200
Where are you??

00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:43.950
Please tell me where you are.

00:18:43.950 --> 00:18:44.540
Please tell me where you are.
I can’t stand it where are you?

00:18:44.540 --> 00:18:45.120
Please tell me where you are.
I can’t stand it where are you?
Answer me please

00:18:45.120 --> 00:18:45.740
Please tell me where you are.
I can’t stand it where are you?
Answer me please
What happened

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.250
Please tell me where you are.
I can’t stand it where are you?
Answer me please
What happened
Answer me

00:18:46.250 --> 00:18:47.450
Please tell me where you are.
I can’t stand it where are you?
Answer me please
What happened
Answer me
Answer me

00:18:47.450 --> 00:18:49.710
My son, answer me please

00:18:49.710 --> 00:18:51.380
Saturday passed.

00:18:51.580 --> 00:18:54.040
I didn't hear anything.

00:18:54.550 --> 00:18:56.170
On Sunday

00:18:57.090 --> 00:18:58.630
the 21st

00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:02.430
A smuggler they call El Burro,

00:19:03.050 --> 00:19:04.010
he called me.

00:19:04.010 --> 00:19:08.390
He said, "You know what,
something has happened over here.

00:19:09.020 --> 00:19:10.980
There's two young men that got left behind.

00:19:12.020 --> 00:19:14.650
one of the guys that
was left behind was your son.

00:19:16.650 --> 00:19:23.120
I don't know what happened to him.
It seems he was injured or couldn't keep walking.

00:19:24.410 --> 00:19:28.580
Finally, El Burro gave me coordinates and said,

00:19:28.580 --> 00:19:30.580
“He's there. In that place."

00:19:32.330 --> 00:19:34.000
I felt like

00:19:36.170 --> 00:19:40.090
like everything collapsed onto me.

00:19:42.340 --> 00:19:45.300
All he said was that
immigration would get him.

00:19:47.260 --> 00:19:50.730
That it's a path where
immigration is always passing through.

00:19:52.020 --> 00:19:54.230
And I felt that wasn't true.

00:20:11.250 --> 00:20:14.540
My godmother called,

00:20:15.580 --> 00:20:21.840
she said, "Indira, there's a man they say that
looks for immigrants on the border,

00:20:24.430 --> 00:20:26.220
his name is Rafael."

00:20:27.890 --> 00:20:30.060
He was my only hope.

00:20:33.020 --> 00:20:35.690
She called me in distress.

00:20:35.690 --> 00:20:38.570
Then you can see the
suffering she went through

00:20:38.570 --> 00:20:41.610
looking for her child there.

00:20:42.070 --> 00:20:43.150
As is.

00:20:43.150 --> 00:20:46.030
In other words.
I don't know.

00:20:46.030 --> 00:20:48.870
It fills me with anguish

00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:53.660
when I see someone suffering
so much for their family.

00:20:58.710 --> 00:21:03.840
When I receive the phone call,
and they give me coordinates,

00:21:03.840 --> 00:21:09.890
I make a map, so I know where I’m going.

00:21:12.930 --> 00:21:15.640
He said,
"We need to go to Texas.

00:21:16.600 --> 00:21:18.310
It's the only thing we can do.”

00:21:18.650 --> 00:21:22.820
"Let's go to Texas," I said,
"I'm going with him."

00:21:23.320 --> 00:21:30.700
And that's how we began the search.

00:21:31.540 --> 00:21:36.420
In desperation, she came from Fremont, California

00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:39.170
with the support of the Desert Angels

00:21:39.170 --> 00:21:42.130
who are helping her with the search.

00:21:42.170 --> 00:21:50.430
We are here because we understand the pain
of families who are missing a loved one.

00:21:50.430 --> 00:21:56.850
The last they heard was he was in the Falfurrias area
on his way to Houston, Texas.

00:22:09.360 --> 00:22:14.290
Unfortunately, on this
search we couldn’t find him.

00:22:17.330 --> 00:22:21.380
But, she didn't want to give up.

00:22:45.820 --> 00:22:50.160
When I was 24, I got married for the first time,

00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:52.740
and we had two daughters.

00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:55.120
We moved to the United States

00:22:55.120 --> 00:22:59.410
after the earthquake in Mexico City.

00:23:09.260 --> 00:23:16.520
I worked with the EMTs
and supported the Mexican Red Cross.

00:23:16.520 --> 00:23:23.060
I was in charge of high mountain rescues
and urban rescues in Mexico City.

00:23:25.610 --> 00:23:27.730
When the earthquake hit Mexico City,

00:23:28.190 --> 00:23:29.780
I lost my job,

00:23:29.950 --> 00:23:31.780
I was very depressed,

00:23:31.780 --> 00:23:35.330
I was desperate
because I couldn't find a job.

00:23:35.330 --> 00:23:38.410
I mean, work was scarce everywhere.

00:23:38.410 --> 00:23:43.080
I was really worried,
and that's why I decided to come here.

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:45.500
As soon as I arrived in the United States,

00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:49.970
we were so much better off than in Mexico.

00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:56.100
I started working as a mechanic
in several companies.

00:23:56.680 --> 00:23:59.720
I worked at John Deere, Caterpillar, Komatsu.

00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:04.060
I worked in several important companies.

00:24:05.650 --> 00:24:08.610
And I quickly began to realize my dream.

00:24:08.610 --> 00:24:11.490
I was already the head of my department,

00:24:11.490 --> 00:24:16.950
I had my own company truck,
I had an enviable position,

00:24:16.950 --> 00:24:20.120
It was going well,
I was earning good money

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:21.870
and everything was fine.

00:24:22.120 --> 00:24:24.000
I didn't know what the desert was.

00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:27.590
I didn't know that complete solitude,

00:24:27.590 --> 00:24:30.590
because I was from the city.

00:24:31.510 --> 00:24:35.430
So I felt quite fulfilled.

00:24:35.430 --> 00:24:38.600
But at the same time, I was missing something.

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:44.900
When I realized there was a need

00:24:44.900 --> 00:24:49.820
for someone to protect the people in
the desert, in the mountains

00:24:50.320 --> 00:24:54.240
I decided to make a change.

00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:03.460
At the beginning I alternated
between working my job

00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:07.040
and doing search and rescues.

00:25:08.630 --> 00:25:09.460
that I had, with the
companies and with what I was

00:25:09.460 --> 00:25:13.380
But there were times
the owners of the companies

00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:17.090
were not very
happy with what I was doing.

00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:20.180
So they wouldn't let me go

00:25:20.180 --> 00:25:22.180
search for people that often.

00:25:25.390 --> 00:25:30.440
The winter of 2007 and 2008
was very cold,

00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:33.150
there was a lot of snow in the mountains.

00:25:33.150 --> 00:25:39.910
I got a call on a Wednesday about
a young woman named Catalina,

00:25:39.910 --> 00:25:43.370
who had been left in the desert,
she had been abandoned.

00:25:44.450 --> 00:25:49.210
And on Thursday I called in
sick to my job to go on the search.

00:25:49.670 --> 00:25:53.460
But it was my bad luck
that my boss realized I wasn’t sick

00:25:53.460 --> 00:25:55.090
and I was going to search.

00:25:55.090 --> 00:25:59.510
So he forced me to return to work.

00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:05.390
I couldn’t go Friday,
I went Saturday, on my day off,

00:26:05.390 --> 00:26:08.060
that's when we went looking for her.

00:26:10.020 --> 00:26:13.610
And we found her,
but we found her already dead.

00:26:54.770 --> 00:26:57.150
Rafael is over there

00:26:57.150 --> 00:26:59.280
trying to make sense of this.

00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:06.660
The boys are doing their thing,
getting some firewood

00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:09.460
and stones to spend the night.

00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:11.170
We don't know how long we’ll be here.

00:27:11.170 --> 00:27:14.420
The only thing we know is
we have to have a lot of firewood,

00:27:14.420 --> 00:27:18.340
plenty of logs, enough wood to spend a night

00:27:18.340 --> 00:27:21.220
like the ones this woman
spent before she passed away.

00:27:22.760 --> 00:27:25.140
What sadness it’s given me,

00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:28.220
what has become of this young woman.

00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:31.190
In such immense solitude.

00:27:32.230 --> 00:27:34.900
In such horrible solitude.

00:27:39.320 --> 00:27:43.240
In order to earn a day’s wage

00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:46.280
that young woman lost her life.

00:27:49.910 --> 00:27:53.290
It was very hard, very sad.

00:27:53.290 --> 00:27:59.590
I came to think that
because I was working

00:27:59.590 --> 00:28:03.840
I cared more about the job
than that poor woman's life.

00:28:03.840 --> 00:28:06.260
I was her only hope.

00:28:06.260 --> 00:28:10.270
I decided it was best to resign

00:28:10.270 --> 00:28:14.560
and try to make my search and rescue
group a little bigger.

00:28:38.840 --> 00:28:42.970
He’s in stable condition. Weak, but stable condition.

00:28:52.600 --> 00:28:53.520
It’s water.

00:28:53.810 --> 00:28:55.270
It’s water.

00:28:56.560 --> 00:28:58.730
Guys, here we come
with the water.

00:28:59.520 --> 00:29:00.980
There they are.

00:29:02.070 --> 00:29:03.780
We're coming!

00:29:04.490 --> 00:29:06.820
Armando, Leticia

00:29:06.820 --> 00:29:09.160
Hugo, Carlos

00:29:11.790 --> 00:29:17.130
We still have about 500 yards to go to
what we think is the body of Juan Carlos.

00:29:23.380 --> 00:29:26.300
I hoped to find him alive.

00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:34.350
The Desert Angels,

00:29:34.350 --> 00:29:36.100
a binational volunteer group

00:29:36.230 --> 00:29:38.860
that provides search and rescue
and humanitarian help.

00:29:40.020 --> 00:29:44.860
The team met in Gila Bend, Arizona to plan the rescue.

00:29:45.320 --> 00:29:50.330
We’ve seen a lot of people die, in deserts and mountains.

00:29:50.330 --> 00:29:53.200
trying to cross to the United States

00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:55.830
for a dream, to improve their lives.

00:29:55.870 --> 00:29:57.750
He travels around mountains and deserts

00:29:57.750 --> 00:29:59.540
searching for lost immigrants.

00:29:59.540 --> 00:30:01.250
His goal is to save lives.

00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:16.390
I give you my word

00:30:16.430 --> 00:30:19.810
that we are going to keep fighting
more than ever for our brothers

00:30:19.850 --> 00:30:22.820
Amen, give a round of applause

00:30:23.190 --> 00:30:26.690
to Rafael, our humanitarian hero.

00:31:08.070 --> 00:31:09.400
Hey kids,

00:31:09.570 --> 00:31:10.820
how are you?

00:31:10.820 --> 00:31:13.870
Austin, Ashley, I hope you’re good.

00:31:14.530 --> 00:31:16.870
I love you so much.

00:31:16.870 --> 00:31:20.420
Take care of yourselves, study,
I’m sending you my love.

00:31:20.870 --> 00:31:24.880
Austin, Ashley, look where daddy is.

00:32:26.270 --> 00:32:30.490
We broke in with no permit to go in.

00:32:37.080 --> 00:32:39.080
Watch out! A car is coming,

00:32:39.080 --> 00:32:41.040
hide yourselves.

00:32:44.580 --> 00:32:47.250
A patrol van passed in front of me, Arturo.

00:32:57.100 --> 00:32:59.890
It’s very sad

00:32:59.890 --> 00:33:03.560
having to do this sneakily.

00:33:17.990 --> 00:33:20.120
Many people call us and say,

00:33:20.120 --> 00:33:23.580
“My husband started crossing through the desert.”

00:33:26.830 --> 00:33:27.830
Which desert?

00:33:27.830 --> 00:33:29.880
“Well, the desert.”

00:33:30.130 --> 00:33:33.670
So they can't imagine what "desert" means.

00:33:40.930 --> 00:33:41.890
This is another.

00:33:44.930 --> 00:33:46.980
These are the clothes they use.

00:33:47.150 --> 00:33:50.980
When it’s too hot, they start taking everything off.

00:33:53.030 --> 00:33:55.150
They drop it and keep going.

00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:00.910
Rafa, Rafa.

00:34:01.740 --> 00:34:03.700
Go ahead, Miguelito.

00:34:03.700 --> 00:34:08.370
Where are you guys? Climbing the hill? Where are you guys?

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:13.170
Here, where the mines are.

00:34:13.170 --> 00:34:16.380
There is earth dug up here, in the mountains.

00:34:16.380 --> 00:34:17.430
There he is.

00:34:18.260 --> 00:34:20.300
How are you doing?

00:34:20.300 --> 00:34:22.010
We are going straight ahead.

00:34:22.010 --> 00:34:22.970
OK.

00:34:23.560 --> 00:34:25.310
Right, keep going straight ahead,

00:34:25.310 --> 00:34:28.940
there’s another small hill, do you see it?

00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:31.980
Yeah, we see it, we see the top.

00:34:32.270 --> 00:34:36.690
Okay, go between the mountain tip,
and the one with the needle,

00:34:36.690 --> 00:34:38.950
We are going straight here.

00:34:39.530 --> 00:34:40.950
Copy.

00:35:07.640 --> 00:35:10.600
Take a rest.

00:35:26.950 --> 00:35:29.500
Don't close it too much, if something falls out, no problem.

00:35:29.870 --> 00:35:32.500
It makes it lighter.

00:35:36.590 --> 00:35:38.510
I took off two pounds.

00:35:38.510 --> 00:35:39.720
Right,

00:35:40.420 --> 00:35:42.390
two pounds lighter.

00:35:44.680 --> 00:35:46.640
half a kilo.

00:35:49.560 --> 00:35:50.810
To life.

00:35:50.810 --> 00:35:52.230
Yes.

00:35:52.520 --> 00:35:53.980
Let’s go.

00:35:59.860 --> 00:36:04.620
The Arizona-Mexico
border is almost 500 miles long.

00:36:09.910 --> 00:36:12.710
Along New Mexico is just 150 miles.

00:36:14.170 --> 00:36:17.420
But it’s a mountainous area and it’s horrible.

00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:19.760
It’s one of the most
dangerous areas we cover,

00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:25.850
because it’s a combination of
climate, mountains, and long distances.

00:36:25.850 --> 00:36:28.010
Then we get to Texas.

00:36:29.310 --> 00:36:35.190
It’s more than 1,500 miles from El Paso to Brownsville.

00:36:35.190 --> 00:36:40.690
So, it’s such a long distance
people have to cross on foot.

00:36:45.700 --> 00:36:50.660
There is a woman whose daughter
went missing five years ago,

00:36:50.660 --> 00:36:53.920
and she still calls me every week.

00:36:58.790 --> 00:37:00.000
Rafa, Rafa.

00:37:00.130 --> 00:37:03.090
I just found some bones, and they’re not from an animal.

00:37:16.850 --> 00:37:19.020
Do you think he died right here?

00:37:19.020 --> 00:37:20.940
I don't think so.

00:37:21.690 --> 00:37:23.740
I think an animal brought him here.

00:37:23.740 --> 00:37:27.410
You can’t tell from where it brought him.

00:37:27.410 --> 00:37:29.990
It brought him here, I'm sure.

00:37:33.660 --> 00:37:35.410
See that?

00:37:36.210 --> 00:37:40.000
It's a part, see that?

00:37:41.800 --> 00:37:47.260
We tried to look around, to find the others parts.

00:37:49.390 --> 00:37:50.890
Only this.

00:37:53.220 --> 00:37:55.520
Sometimes we call the sheriff.

00:37:55.520 --> 00:37:58.560
For them, it's not a big deal just for one piece.

00:37:58.850 --> 00:38:00.860
So, we'll never know who it belongs to.

00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:03.530
We'll never know.

00:38:04.990 --> 00:38:09.320
In other cases we find some part too, but we don’t have help.

00:38:09.320 --> 00:38:15.370
We take it to forensics or the police

00:38:15.370 --> 00:38:17.830
but they ask for a complete body, but that’s impossible.

00:38:17.830 --> 00:38:22.210
It's impossible to find the rest of the body.

00:38:22.210 --> 00:38:24.800
The bones are deteriorated by the sun.

00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:28.130
In this case, summer is so hot.

00:38:30.140 --> 00:38:31.640
Should we make a cross for him?

00:38:33.600 --> 00:38:36.230
Yeah.

00:39:12.390 --> 00:39:14.850
Everyone has dreams.

00:39:16.930 --> 00:39:21.060
I feel sad. It’s a brother’s remains.
The dreams are stuck here in the desert.

00:39:22.810 --> 00:39:26.650
Unfortunately, he never did it.

00:39:27.820 --> 00:39:29.820
He never did it.

00:39:52.220 --> 00:39:53.640
Let’s go?

00:42:03.560 --> 00:42:07.770
There are times when I have to go, so I go in pain.

00:42:09.060 --> 00:42:14.490
But I picture the pain I have

00:42:14.490 --> 00:42:19.160
compared to their pain, despair and anguish–

00:42:22.540 --> 00:42:27.210
I can't imagine not doing anything.

00:42:38.300 --> 00:42:44.220
When you see the pain and the suffering,

00:42:46.770 --> 00:42:49.480
and you know
there's something you can do

00:42:50.350 --> 00:42:53.110
it gives me the strength to move forward.

00:43:01.200 --> 00:43:05.120
When I'm in a lot of pain,
I carry some shots

00:43:05.580 --> 00:43:07.540
to inject myself

00:43:07.540 --> 00:43:09.830
so I can keep walking a little longer.

00:43:12.540 --> 00:43:14.840
I'm scared.

00:43:17.210 --> 00:43:20.340
I'm scared I won't be able to keep doing it.

00:43:20.340 --> 00:43:27.140
The time will come, but until then, I want to keep fighting.

00:43:46.540 --> 00:43:49.040
Are you ok?

00:43:49.040 --> 00:43:51.080
Do you need water?

00:43:54.040 --> 00:43:55.170
Take this.

00:44:00.420 --> 00:44:01.550
Take this.

00:44:03.510 --> 00:44:05.680
Where are you coming from, my son?

00:44:07.010 --> 00:44:10.390
You're coming from Mexicali?

00:44:11.480 --> 00:44:13.190
Are you hurt?

00:44:13.690 --> 00:44:16.070
My foot hurts a lot.

00:44:34.580 --> 00:44:38.420
Good morning, Rafael. I have a nephew
who has gone missing.

00:44:38.420 --> 00:44:41.340
He sent me coordinates

00:44:41.340 --> 00:44:43.050
near where he was but he’s walked some.

00:44:43.050 --> 00:44:45.340
as soon as possible, because he said

00:44:45.340 --> 00:44:48.060
he doesn’t have food or water.

00:44:48.060 --> 00:44:50.310
and his cellphone battery is dying.

00:44:50.310 --> 00:44:55.770
The place he marked for me shows his location.

00:44:55.770 --> 00:44:58.860
46 people were found dead in a trailer

00:44:58.860 --> 00:45:01.820
and another 16 were taken to the hospital

00:45:01.860 --> 00:45:04.860
in what appears to be a case of immigrants abandoned.

00:45:10.870 --> 00:45:13.830
Hi, Javier, how are you doing?

00:45:17.080 --> 00:45:20.300
I’m just getting to Texas.

00:45:22.010 --> 00:45:24.130
Rafael said, "It's better if you stay.

00:45:25.220 --> 00:45:29.680
Stay. Rest. You need it.
Only we are going to go."

00:45:33.980 --> 00:45:38.690
And I asked God for life and health to continue on.

00:45:40.020 --> 00:45:44.070
And I told my son I'd find him
by any means.

00:45:44.070 --> 00:45:48.870
I didn't want him to be
like so many people there.

00:45:50.030 --> 00:45:53.410
It’s not right.

00:46:33.080 --> 00:46:36.580
In 1994, when they started building the wall

00:46:36.580 --> 00:46:40.250
from California to
the east, people began to

00:46:40.250 --> 00:46:44.250
walk through tougher places,
because before it was just

00:46:44.250 --> 00:46:45.920
a little hop across.

00:46:45.960 --> 00:46:48.840
It was like a Sunday
afternoon stroll.

00:46:49.720 --> 00:46:52.510
All the people
are trying to beat technology.

00:46:52.510 --> 00:46:54.350
We’re talking about cameras,

00:46:54.350 --> 00:46:58.060
detectors, motion sensors.

00:46:58.060 --> 00:47:01.520
They try to go to the places
where the terrain is more extreme

00:47:01.520 --> 00:47:04.400
where it’s farther away,
where it is much more difficult

00:47:04.400 --> 00:47:07.280
for us to go in
and look for them.

00:47:07.280 --> 00:47:11.110
So, that is a very big obstacle for us.

00:47:27.510 --> 00:47:28.970
Good afternoon.

00:47:30.130 --> 00:47:32.550
We just got off the helicopter.

00:47:32.550 --> 00:47:35.220
We were searching very, very hard,

00:47:37.270 --> 00:47:39.270
but, unfortunately,

00:47:39.270 --> 00:47:42.400
we couldn’t find him.

00:47:46.360 --> 00:47:47.940
There are occasions

00:47:47.940 --> 00:47:51.450
when you don’t know how
to comfort someone,

00:47:51.450 --> 00:47:54.370
because there are many people we haven’t found.

00:47:55.700 --> 00:47:59.910
And the family is suffering and in anguish

00:47:59.910 --> 00:48:02.580
because they don’t know
if their loved one is alive,

00:48:02.580 --> 00:48:06.090
if they are suffering, being held hostage,
or if they are being harmed.

00:48:10.880 --> 00:48:15.680
Don Rafael said, "Don't lose patience.
We're going to come back.

00:48:16.890 --> 00:48:18.220
I promise.

00:48:18.970 --> 00:48:20.890
Rodrigo will be found."

00:48:35.410 --> 00:48:38.990
Let’s call Carlos Mauricio,
maybe he'll answer.

00:48:41.460 --> 00:48:44.830
You want to talk?

00:48:47.290 --> 00:48:49.000
Maybe he'll answer.

00:48:55.010 --> 00:48:56.090
Hello?

00:48:57.430 --> 00:48:58.430
Hi.

00:48:59.600 --> 00:49:01.520
How are you?

00:49:04.230 --> 00:49:06.230
This is McDonald's.

00:49:06.270 --> 00:49:07.360
What do you want?

00:49:09.440 --> 00:49:11.320
You look alike.

00:49:11.320 --> 00:49:12.400
Hi mom.

00:49:12.400 --> 00:49:13.740
Hi son.

00:49:14.910 --> 00:49:16.280
How are you mom?

00:49:19.370 --> 00:49:24.370
A lot of family that came from over there 30 years ago,

00:49:24.370 --> 00:49:28.750
live here now with very stable lives.

00:49:28.920 --> 00:49:30.750
You have a lot of opportunities here,

00:49:30.750 --> 00:49:37.840
and you can get ahead even
if you don't have a college degree.

00:49:38.300 --> 00:49:41.310
How did you come?

00:49:42.390 --> 00:49:47.230
I entered like the majority.

00:49:47.770 --> 00:49:50.360
By crossing the border.

00:49:50.360 --> 00:49:53.900
I passed all the crossings

00:49:54.070 --> 00:49:57.660
from El Salvador to Guatemala.
From Guatemala to Mexico.

00:49:57.660 --> 00:49:59.490
Mexico to the United States.

00:49:59.490 --> 00:50:00.950
All by foot.

00:50:01.620 --> 00:50:04.080
It took 15 days.

00:50:04.500 --> 00:50:06.040
How are you Mommy?

00:50:07.420 --> 00:50:11.000
Good I think.
A lot of pain in my shoulder.

00:50:11.130 --> 00:50:12.460
The same, huh?

00:50:13.090 --> 00:50:15.300
It's been days like this.

00:50:15.670 --> 00:50:18.300
Make the gentleman cook.

00:50:19.260 --> 00:50:20.890
Look at this.

00:50:26.640 --> 00:50:28.060
Oh no...

00:50:30.860 --> 00:50:33.650
Where did you have
that photo mom?

00:50:33.820 --> 00:50:35.070
I had them.

00:50:35.110 --> 00:50:38.410
I didn't want to
take them out until now.

00:50:41.990 --> 00:50:47.080
We're so small.
Me and Rodrigo.

00:50:48.000 --> 00:50:50.750
I don't remember that picture.

00:50:51.130 --> 00:50:52.960
How could you remember?

00:50:53.000 --> 00:50:54.630
You were so young here.

00:50:57.840 --> 00:50:59.470
Dear lord, mom.

00:51:00.430 --> 00:51:02.850
That was years ago.

00:51:04.060 --> 00:51:05.640
Yes.

00:51:09.020 --> 00:51:11.480
So beautiful. My baby.

00:51:21.160 --> 00:51:24.160
I'll call you later okay?
I need to do some things here.

00:51:24.160 --> 00:51:26.240
Sounds good mom.

00:51:27.000 --> 00:51:29.410
Be good. God bless.

00:51:29.410 --> 00:51:29.790
You too.

00:51:29.790 --> 00:51:33.040
That crossing was very difficult.

00:51:33.130 --> 00:51:36.550
Because a lot of things
happened to me there.

00:51:36.550 --> 00:51:36.710
Get pretty. Put on make up.

00:51:36.710 --> 00:51:40.800
Yeah they give you some bags
with some sort of food

00:51:40.880 --> 00:51:43.890
and some jugs of water but

00:51:43.890 --> 00:51:44.010
No I see your eyes.
They look sad.

00:51:44.010 --> 00:51:50.890
I think that lasts you
less than a day

00:51:50.890 --> 00:51:57.400
because that water is
what you need most

00:51:57.400 --> 00:51:58.030
I've got mine too.

00:51:58.030 --> 00:52:02.570
but the exhaustion makes you
leave the water behind

00:52:02.570 --> 00:52:05.830
because it's an exhaustion where
you can't even carry your own clothes.

00:52:05.830 --> 00:52:11.580
Your shirt feels like it's 30-40 pounds.

00:52:11.920 --> 00:52:16.800
But when you get to the point
where they all have you

00:52:16.840 --> 00:52:21.590
and put you with
the border guide

00:52:21.840 --> 00:52:27.390
all they say is "Keep going,
keep going. You can't get left here."

00:52:28.140 --> 00:52:32.770
When you hear that you realize
that's the point of

00:52:33.730 --> 00:52:38.900
where it's life and death.
You have to do what you have to do.

00:52:39.480 --> 00:52:45.870
And they say "You only walk
a couple hours with them. Don't worry.

00:52:46.030 --> 00:52:51.370
Don't worry you'll be fine."
And that's a lie.

00:54:35.350 --> 00:54:38.350
I'm here in Van Horn, Texas.

00:54:38.350 --> 00:54:39.810
We are in the area.

00:54:39.810 --> 00:54:42.110
We are near the highway

00:54:42.110 --> 00:54:45.110
It's two in the afternoon on Sunday.

00:54:45.740 --> 00:54:48.740
I'm in San Antonio, Texas.

00:54:49.200 --> 00:54:51.780
I've been driving for 24 hours.

00:55:00.380 --> 00:55:02.460
Here come two people.

00:55:02.460 --> 00:55:04.800
How long have you been missing?

00:55:04.800 --> 00:55:07.380
Today is the fourth day.

00:55:11.930 --> 00:55:14.260
We couldn’t believe that you were going to come.

00:55:14.260 --> 00:55:16.850
Rolando.

00:55:51.300 --> 00:55:54.930
There are times when I’m done with my search

00:55:54.930 --> 00:55:59.980
and I'm back here,
but I still feel the adrenaline

00:55:59.980 --> 00:56:03.980
and I can't even sleep

00:56:03.980 --> 00:56:07.150
because my body is ready to go.

00:56:22.040 --> 00:56:29.630
Hi, hold on I’m looking at a beautiful tarantula.

00:56:35.300 --> 00:56:36.930
This poor woman

00:56:36.930 --> 00:56:39.390
sent me a message saying,

00:56:39.390 --> 00:56:42.190
“My sister in law received a message

00:56:42.190 --> 00:56:44.270
from the guys who were crossing with my husband.

00:56:44.730 --> 00:56:46.440
They said they had to leave my husband behind

00:56:46.440 --> 00:56:48.400
because he was injured.”

00:56:48.570 --> 00:56:51.950
I told her, “Tomorrow I leave for Texas.

00:56:51.950 --> 00:56:54.240
But if you need me,

00:56:54.240 --> 00:56:57.200
I’ll postpone my trip and help you.”

00:56:59.200 --> 00:57:02.160
She said, “My niece says

00:57:02.160 --> 00:57:05.130
when you find someone

00:57:05.130 --> 00:57:06.840
you charge $5,000.”

00:57:06.840 --> 00:57:09.460
I told her, “No, we don’t charge,

00:57:09.460 --> 00:57:12.420
we just want to help.”

00:57:48.080 --> 00:57:51.050
Gloria?

00:57:53.050 --> 00:57:58.850
There's another group, Desert Eagles, also searching.

00:57:59.140 --> 00:58:02.100
The Eagles used to be a part of our group,

00:58:02.140 --> 00:58:04.020
but they split off.

00:58:08.980 --> 00:58:14.610
We never have two groups searching for one person,

00:58:14.740 --> 00:58:18.530
because one group could be looking for other people.

00:58:18.950 --> 00:58:22.240
But in this case we will make an exception.

00:59:55.460 --> 00:59:59.300
At Mile 8 at the 85 highway,

00:59:59.630 --> 01:00:04.430
we found this skull.

01:00:25.950 --> 01:00:30.910
Pardon me. The other group said they found a body.

01:00:30.910 --> 01:00:33.370
Oh wow, ok.

01:00:33.580 --> 01:00:36.540
We found some remains already

01:00:36.540 --> 01:00:38.090
but from a while ago.

01:00:38.840 --> 01:00:43.130
Can you please confirm so we know to stop our search.

01:01:32.520 --> 01:01:34.270
Yes, hello Rafael?

01:01:34.270 --> 01:01:37.230
Sir, how are you?

01:01:37.650 --> 01:01:39.690
Good, good, good.
Tell me, I'm at your service.

01:01:39.690 --> 01:01:41.400
I'm sorry. I don’t want to take
too much of your time.

01:01:41.400 --> 01:01:48.280
Unfortunately, this has started
to become a competition

01:01:48.450 --> 01:01:54.620
in the sense that respect
is being lost and that

01:01:54.620 --> 01:02:00.170
could cause a problem and
in some ways has cost lives.

01:02:00.210 --> 01:02:03.130
Let me explain the situation.

01:02:03.130 --> 01:02:07.090
As you know, Eli, from the Desert Eagles,

01:02:07.090 --> 01:02:09.890
when they were with me
they learned how I did everything

01:02:10.100 --> 01:02:15.230
the places, access to the reservation,

01:02:15.230 --> 01:02:18.440
the air bases and
all the places, right?

01:02:18.600 --> 01:02:19.520
Yes.

01:02:19.610 --> 01:02:24.940
So he didn't have to do that work.
We did the hardest part.

01:02:24.940 --> 01:02:30.160
Regardless, I'm glad they are doing
something we inspired in them.

01:02:30.160 --> 01:02:33.330
They all came from my group.

01:02:33.450 --> 01:02:37.330
I'm very glad and very proud
that they are doing something.

01:02:37.330 --> 01:02:42.130
But right now we're seeing
a situation where he's hurting us.

01:02:42.170 --> 01:02:46.300
For example, if someone calls
like in the case two weeks ago

01:02:46.340 --> 01:02:50.180
we were in communication
with some people

01:02:50.180 --> 01:02:54.270
the wife called me
and the niece called them.

01:02:54.470 --> 01:02:59.770
So when the niece called them,
they said they couldn't go

01:02:59.770 --> 01:03:02.730
until Saturday.
And it was Monday.

01:03:02.860 --> 01:03:07.030
So she said, “I’ll call the
Desert Angels then.”

01:03:07.030 --> 01:03:12.160
And he told her "Don't call them,
they charge too much. They charge $5,000,

01:03:12.160 --> 01:03:16.120
and everyone they find they
turn over to border patrol.”

01:03:16.160 --> 01:03:22.290
So it was completely untrue.
We don't charge anything

01:03:22.340 --> 01:03:26.550
and we go out immediately.
Even if I don't have personnel

01:03:26.710 --> 01:03:30.640
I'll even go alone, as you know,
to do the searches.

01:03:30.800 --> 01:03:35.850
I'm not going to wait
1, 2, 3 days later.

01:03:35.850 --> 01:03:40.520
So a life was lost there because
by the time they arrived on Sunday

01:03:40.520 --> 01:03:42.900
the person had already
passed away.

01:03:43.020 --> 01:03:45.690
So it's not just a personal
problem anymore.

01:03:45.690 --> 01:03:48.530
Now it's affecting peoples' lives.

01:03:48.780 --> 01:03:53.200
Okay. Perfect, Rafael.
I've made a note.

01:03:53.280 --> 01:03:58.540
Let me see how we are
going to manage this situation

01:03:58.580 --> 01:04:01.040
in a peaceful manner.

01:04:01.040 --> 01:04:05.340
Exactly, all I ask is that they just don't harm us.

01:04:36.870 --> 01:04:40.830
You have reached Monica and Rafael from
the Desert Angels rescue team.

01:04:41.500 --> 01:04:46.210
Please leave us a message and
we will get back to you. Thank you.

01:04:47.380 --> 01:04:49.920
I will send you the
coordinates of where I am.

01:04:54.340 --> 01:04:57.310
We can’t hold on any longer.

01:04:59.970 --> 01:05:01.980
Are they open?

01:05:04.310 --> 01:05:08.480
I don’t know if you can talk to Border Patrol

01:05:08.480 --> 01:05:11.240
so they can come to our location?

01:05:15.780 --> 01:05:17.160
We’ve walked a lot.

01:05:17.160 --> 01:05:19.120
We’ve walked with only one jug of water.

01:05:19.620 --> 01:05:21.120
It’s been four days.

01:05:22.200 --> 01:05:23.920
We’re ok, but

01:05:23.920 --> 01:05:26.540
we don’t have strength to keep walking.

01:05:33.720 --> 01:05:35.680
I don’t have any saliva.

01:05:35.720 --> 01:05:38.680
All three of us are dehydrated.

01:05:39.390 --> 01:05:40.930
I’m ok but,

01:05:41.220 --> 01:05:44.440
we can’t walk anymore.

01:05:50.690 --> 01:05:53.280
Rafael, Rafael.

01:05:54.950 --> 01:05:56.740
Yes, Miguelito?

01:05:57.110 --> 01:05:59.240
How are you feeling?

01:05:59.870 --> 01:06:02.540
I’m hurting, but I’m moving slowly.

01:06:03.700 --> 01:06:06.670
Let us know when you can’t go any further.

01:06:08.130 --> 01:06:10.460
I’m calling from a friend’s phone.

01:06:10.500 --> 01:06:12.630
My phone doesn’t have much battery left.

01:06:14.010 --> 01:06:16.220
God bless you.

01:06:23.270 --> 01:06:25.850
I don’t know when I’ll be done with this work.

01:06:25.850 --> 01:06:27.980
I don’t know.

01:06:32.320 --> 01:06:36.110
God is the one who will
show me when I have to leave.

01:06:40.830 --> 01:06:43.160
The way we do it is very risky.

01:06:43.160 --> 01:06:47.370
I wouldn’t want someone I care about to take it over,

01:06:47.370 --> 01:06:50.420
if I can’t look after it.

01:06:51.250 --> 01:06:56.380
And let's assume
I have to stop doing searches,

01:06:56.380 --> 01:06:57.880
stop going into desert.

01:06:57.880 --> 01:07:01.760
But there are many things I
can do without going to the desert.

01:07:43.760 --> 01:07:46.720
Indira traveled with the Desert Angels for one week.

01:07:47.680 --> 01:07:50.640
But she returned home empty handed.

01:07:51.150 --> 01:07:54.110
The group continued searching for a month.

01:07:54.230 --> 01:07:57.190
Along with the Brooks County Sheriff.

01:07:57.530 --> 01:08:00.490
They looked for a clue of Rodrigo’s whereabouts

01:08:00.570 --> 01:08:03.530
among the fields and trees.

01:08:03.530 --> 01:08:08.950
On Saturday, the 8th of February, a group of hunters
found more than a clue.

01:08:12.880 --> 01:08:19.920
Along with human remains they found a wallet
that had Rodrigo’s ID and university documents.

01:08:23.800 --> 01:08:26.220
They only found his remains.

01:08:32.190 --> 01:08:33.560
Nothing more.

01:08:55.080 --> 01:08:59.000
Every time I find someone who has died

01:08:59.000 --> 01:09:00.760
or someone who's critical

01:09:00.760 --> 01:09:03.220
I feel like I was late,

01:09:03.220 --> 01:09:06.970
that I didn't do enough,

01:09:06.970 --> 01:09:08.810
and I feel guilty.

01:09:19.400 --> 01:09:23.070
This is what they found with my son.

01:09:23.950 --> 01:09:28.410
This is the university
he went to.

01:09:31.450 --> 01:09:37.670
And his identification
from El Salvador.

01:09:37.790 --> 01:09:40.380
He had these.

01:09:41.420 --> 01:09:46.260
He was studying engineering
and architecture in El Salvador.

01:09:54.810 --> 01:10:00.070
And the papers from the university.

01:10:01.780 --> 01:10:06.860
“Rodrigo Eduardo Rivas Renderos...was an excellent student of mine, and a great person.

01:10:06.860 --> 01:10:14.370
Sadly, because of how dangerous it is here in El Salvador, he had no other choice but to emigrate for his physical safety.”

01:10:15.330 --> 01:10:21.210
Because he would always tell me
he didn't want to be perceived as

01:10:21.210 --> 01:10:25.930
a gang member or for him
to be confused for one.

01:10:25.930 --> 01:10:28.930
For them to know
he was a good person.

01:10:31.260 --> 01:10:33.430
It's the only thing

01:10:35.480 --> 01:10:37.140
I have left from him.

01:10:39.020 --> 01:10:42.020
I'm going to keep them because

01:10:43.360 --> 01:10:46.360
these are the only things

01:10:47.320 --> 01:10:48.990
that make me feel

01:10:51.030 --> 01:10:55.160
it's what I have.
The last memories now.

01:10:56.500 --> 01:10:57.710
They were there

01:10:59.630 --> 01:11:02.630
in his last days of life.

01:11:16.890 --> 01:11:18.940
El Salvador Consulate. Good Evening.

01:11:18.940 --> 01:11:22.400
I'm Monica, the director of the
rescue team Desert Angels.

01:11:22.400 --> 01:11:29.660
I'm calling because we need help
for a mother, Indira Renderos.

01:11:29.660 --> 01:11:33.990
The body of her son was found,
Rodrigo Eduardo Rivas Renderos,

01:11:33.990 --> 01:11:41.080
and I would like to know how long
it's going to take to recover Rodrigo's body?

01:11:41.080 --> 01:11:46.460
Do you know where your son's
body is at the moment?

01:11:46.460 --> 01:11:50.260
I've been told he was
taken to Laredo, Texas.

01:11:50.680 --> 01:11:52.550
In Laredo, ok.
Yes.

01:11:52.550 --> 01:11:56.680
If it's only skeletal remains

01:11:56.680 --> 01:12:02.520
there has to be scientific proof that
they are your son's remains

01:12:02.520 --> 01:12:10.280
the fact that belongings or documents
were found near the remains

01:12:10.280 --> 01:12:14.620
it doesn't mean they belong
to that person, that is determined

01:12:14.620 --> 01:12:21.750
by the authorities who know that information based on scientific DNA evidence, right?

01:12:29.470 --> 01:12:32.630
This morning, we finished a search in Arizona.

01:12:32.760 --> 01:12:35.720
Instead of going to California we are going to Texas.

01:12:35.850 --> 01:12:38.810
We are half way to Texas.

01:12:41.600 --> 01:12:43.230
Here's my little bed, my bedroom.

01:12:45.400 --> 01:12:47.400
There it is.

01:12:48.780 --> 01:12:52.070
It's not too cold, not too hot.

01:12:53.280 --> 01:12:54.820
I  just close the door so that

01:12:54.820 --> 01:12:56.910
no one bothers me.

01:12:57.450 --> 01:12:59.580
I just close the door to my bedroom.

01:13:00.080 --> 01:13:03.670
I have the most beautiful sky.

01:13:03.670 --> 01:13:08.590
The angels are looking over me.

01:13:08.590 --> 01:13:12.670
They are shining down on me.

01:13:13.550 --> 01:13:15.220
Here’s where I am going to sleep.

01:13:15.390 --> 01:13:16.890
Looking up at them.

01:13:19.470 --> 01:13:22.520
I’m not sure which one is our Rodrigo.

01:13:22.520 --> 01:13:28.110
They are looking after us.

01:13:46.080 --> 01:13:50.210
My name is Rafael and I'm coming from California.

01:13:50.210 --> 01:13:53.970
I want to see if I could speak with someone and get some information.

01:13:54.590 --> 01:13:56.300
What's the name of the person?

01:13:56.300 --> 01:13:58.930
Rodrigo Renderos.

01:13:58.930 --> 01:14:01.930
It's been one year since he passed away.

01:14:02.720 --> 01:14:04.640
And we don't have any information.

01:14:06.940 --> 01:14:10.230
I can't give information out directly to anyone but family directly.

01:14:10.860 --> 01:14:12.480
Would you want to speak with the mother?

01:14:12.480 --> 01:14:13.070
We can't

01:14:13.190 --> 01:14:14.740
until they are identified.

01:14:14.950 --> 01:14:17.950
We want to know if there's something the mother might do

01:14:18.320 --> 01:14:21.330
to make more easy the identification?

01:14:21.950 --> 01:14:23.790
The only thing we're doing right now is DNA.

01:14:23.910 --> 01:14:26.920
She made a test twice for the DNA

01:14:28.540 --> 01:14:31.000
The first test was, I think, lost.

01:14:32.710 --> 01:14:36.260
This test though, it is at UNT.  I checked already.

01:14:36.300 --> 01:14:39.300
They do have the DNA, it is being compared.

01:15:37.950 --> 01:15:39.400
Hello, Rafa.

01:15:39.490 --> 01:15:44.950
We're here, let me
turn the camera around.

01:15:53.000 --> 01:15:54.460
You're in?

01:15:54.460 --> 01:15:58.050
Yes we're here.
The cross is right here.

01:15:59.970 --> 01:16:06.180
I'm kneeled here next to it so you
can say everything you want to say.

01:16:09.730 --> 01:16:13.810
"Rodrigo Renderos.
In memory of an angel,

01:16:13.810 --> 01:16:15.980
and martyr of the deserts

01:16:16.320 --> 01:16:22.450
and for those who left me in the desert,
may God forgive them.”

01:16:22.490 --> 01:16:26.080
May he rest in God's glory."

01:16:26.740 --> 01:16:32.290
Okay now say everything
you want to say my dear.

01:16:33.250 --> 01:16:39.880
That I miss him a lot.
And may God have him in his glory.

01:16:40.220 --> 01:16:41.590
Amen.

01:16:42.090 --> 01:16:45.050
We're gonna put holy water.

01:16:51.350 --> 01:16:53.770
May he rest in peace here.

01:16:56.770 --> 01:17:00.360
I'm sorry I wasn't able to
make it on time to find you.

01:17:01.490 --> 01:17:06.240
You’re still in a place where we can’t reach you,

01:17:06.370 --> 01:17:09.540
but we’ll keep fighting to
do everything we can.

01:17:10.660 --> 01:17:13.170
In the name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

01:17:19.960 --> 01:17:23.760
Everything went well at the consulate.
They were really kind to us.

01:17:24.300 --> 01:17:27.800
They promised they would do everything possible

01:17:28.060 --> 01:17:31.850
to speed up the return of Rodrigo's remains.

01:17:32.140 --> 01:17:40.070
They said it would take a few days,
at most two weeks, to process it.

01:18:36.160 --> 01:18:38.630
Please come this way.

01:19:58.080 --> 01:20:00.750
There was nothing that was recognizable about him.

01:20:02.630 --> 01:20:06.550
Repeat after me, Lord Jesus

01:20:06.550 --> 01:20:08.420
I surrender my son.

01:20:10.300 --> 01:20:11.640
I surrender my son.

01:20:11.640 --> 01:20:14.720
Take him by the hand

01:20:14.720 --> 01:20:20.560
Lord Jesus, you as his brother

01:20:20.560 --> 01:20:23.100
bring him to the Father.

01:20:23.100 --> 01:20:26.230
Who is also God's son.

01:20:26.230 --> 01:20:28.280
Father,

01:20:28.280 --> 01:20:31.240
today I surrender my son to you.

01:20:31.240 --> 01:20:32.990
Look after him.

01:20:32.990 --> 01:20:34.910
Protect him.

01:20:34.910 --> 01:20:39.790
Fill him with life and joy.

01:21:35.640 --> 01:21:36.930
Ok, like this.

01:21:37.510 --> 01:21:39.890
I think you were right,

01:21:42.100 --> 01:21:44.640
we have to add more water,

01:21:46.480 --> 01:21:48.690
so it can reach the roots.

01:21:51.900 --> 01:21:55.450
Rafael and Monica
have been my angels.

01:21:55.450 --> 01:21:55.820
But like this so it stands up.

01:21:55.820 --> 01:22:00.290
They are the angels
that I found from out of nowhere.

01:22:01.830 --> 01:22:04.790
From the moment we first spoke

01:22:04.790 --> 01:22:06.750
they listened to me.

01:22:08.750 --> 01:22:09.840
Okay, put it in your room.

01:22:10.460 --> 01:22:16.930
After that moment I told them
they’re a part of my family.

01:22:21.390 --> 01:22:27.770
Rodrigo will always be my
angel too. I earned him.

01:22:33.610 --> 01:22:37.950
Hi baby! How are you?

01:22:40.910 --> 01:22:45.080
So, so good.

01:22:47.870 --> 01:22:52.170
I left the desert with so many open cases.

01:23:01.680 --> 01:23:05.480
Now things are going to be different.

01:23:59.950 --> 01:24:03.070
I feel satisfied.

01:24:04.870 --> 01:24:06.160
I gave it my all.

01:24:06.750 --> 01:24:08.080
I gave it my all.

01:24:08.830 --> 01:24:09.960
I fought.

01:24:09.960 --> 01:24:10.830
We went for it.

01:24:12.830 --> 01:24:16.590
I’m not left wondering, “What if?”