EP266: The Kidnapping of Steven Stayner

At just seven years old, Steven Stayner was kidnapped by a predator who would hold him captive for seven long years--years in which the world moved on, but Steven was forced to grow up in the shadows of a stolen identity. His eventual escape and heroic rescue of another young boy made national headlines and turned him into a symbol of courage. But what happens after the cameras fade? Behind the media attention was a young man who had to piece together a life that had been taken from him. His story is not just about survival--it's about resilience, loss, and the quiet, ongoing struggle to reclaim a sense of self. Listen this week to Steven Stayner's story--he was a survivor whose story is as inspiring as it is tragic. SOURCES:1) Heroism and Horror: One Brother Was Kidnapped, The Other Became A Serial Killer2) Two kidnapped boys, a hero’s return, then a tragic twist: The unbelievable story of Steven Stayner3) Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror and heroism4) Steven Stayner's Kidnapping, Cary Stayner's Horrific Crimes and One Family's Unbelievable Story5) 'Captive Audience': Who Was Steven Stayner and What Happened To Him?6) Who Was Steven? : The Little Boy Who Had Been Kidnaped Never Found Himself7) He Was Abducted As A Child. Then His Brother Became A Serial Killer.8) Kidnapper Returns To Jail9) Molester Gets Life Term for Attempt to Buy a Boy10) A Child Abductee's journey back11) Steven Stayner Wikipedia Page12) The Little Boy Who Never Came Home13) Second Man Held in '72 Abduction of California Boy; Statute of Limitations14) Propensity Podcast: Episode 1: In the Shadow of Yosemite - Part 1: Steven Stayner15) Kenneth Parnell Wikipedia Page