Tonight on 20/20 ` Gay, straight, bi. We're not broken. Asexual. What is asexuality? The fourth sexuality we know nothing about. The boy who survived a six-day stand-off with a madman. GUNSHOTS Snatched from a school bus... The driver tried to throw the bus in reverse. He was shot several times. ...and held in an underground bunker. They could hear Dykes. They could hear Ethan too ` his crying. And the stars of TV2's Revenge bare all. Who's hotter ` Daniel or Jack? I happen to have a huge crush on Nick Wechsler. Do your best accent then. Do your best accent then. Hey, mate. Chuck the rugby ball here, mate. CAPTIONS BY TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES. WWW.TVNZ.CO.NZ/ACCESS-SERVICES CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013 Kia ora, I'm Sonya Wilson. So, most of you watching will either identify as heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. But apparently one in every hundred people out there are another sexuality altogether. They don't like sex; no sex drive, none. They're called asexual. And one prominent Canadian study has estimated that 1% of the population is, in fact, asexual, so here that would mean more than 40,000 Kiwis. Tonight reporter Erin Conroy meets asexual Sarah Mitchell. This is her very modern love story. We're not broken. Um, we're not weird. We're just normal people who are slightly different from everyone else, just like everyone is. ZEE AVI'S 'CONCRETE WALL' I seriously have real trouble defining myself. Piecing together her sense of self. Just basically a very sarcastic, nerdy person. (LAUGHS) Bit by bit she's discovering what makes up the unique Sarah Mitchell. I love fantasy books ` pretty much my favourite thing, and the same with comics. And she's most definitely unique. I wouldn't have any hesitation to say that I'm asexual. I would be completely fine if I spent the rest of my life a virgin. I would have no problem with that. But that's not stopped her falling in love. He's just really really lovely. His name is Renco. He's into figurines, medieval battling and wants to be a writer. They met online and quickly discovered they had lots in common. We just understand each other really well and get along really well. We're very similar, I guess. For 2� years they chatted online and Skyped, but there was no chance of meeting in person because Renco lives in Holland. Are you in love? Are you in love? Yes, definitely. (CHUCKLES) Have you said the L word? That's going to be a thing saved for when we actually meet face to face, so I think that would be nice. Well, we can all hope for a happy ending to this modern-day love story, because Renco is coming to NZ. Are you nervous? Are you nervous about him coming? What a silly question. Of course I am. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC It's been more than two years of waiting. Renco finally arrives. And the next chapter of this love story begins. How tired are you? How tired are you? Um, I was really tired on the flight, but it's not bad now. But this is a story with a bit of a twist because... He's coming all the way here, and you're not going to have sex? He's coming all the way here, and you're not going to have sex? No. (CHUCKLES) Why not? Because he is also asexual. GENTLE PIANO MUSIC As a teenager, Sarah started to wonder if she was a bit different. Figured I would eventually, kind of, catch up, or that I was a late bloomer and I would eventually, kind of, be interested in that sort of thing. It just didn't really happen. Girls her age started to get interested in sex. Just trying to imagine that situation for myself, I just couldn't. It just didn't compute. It was a friend who first mentioned the word asexuality. I did some more research into it. And what she found was thousands of other asexuals from all over the world and studies confirming her feelings towards sex were genuine. I do remember that it felt kind of like a weight had kind of been lifted off my shoulders. Like, I kind of understood something; it had clicked. What is asexuality? Asexuality is the lack of the sexual attraction. You can still have romantic attraction to people. You obviously fancy people? Aesthetic attraction is still very much a factor for me, and I know it is a factor for other asexuals as well. So there's just no feeling down there? So there's just no feeling down there? No. (LAUGHS) Have you ever tried masturbating? Have, and it just did nothing for me. So there's absolutely no desire? Not at all. Like, I'm not even curious about it. QUIRKY GUITAR MUSIC Sarah and Renco arrive home to her parents' house. I didn't really get much sleep at all last night. How come? How come? Well, why do you think? On their holiday itinerary, a weekend in Hamner Springs, then Queenstown and family time here in Christchurch. Toilet, for when you need it. My room, which is... yeah, let's just keep walking. (LAUGHS) And the whole time they will be sharing a bed. One bed, two asexuals, three weeks and still no sex? A lot of guys, if they flew to the other side of the world to see a girl, might expect to get a bit of action. (CHUCKLES) Yeah, um, but what I think is that sex is a way of creating intimacy in a relationship. So I think in broad lines it's the same, because we're going to create intimacy, except we do it in a different way from most people. So I know I've only just met you, but I have to ask, but do asexual guys even get erections? Erections are basically involuntary physical reactions, so in my case, yes, sometimes, especially when I was younger. Because, you know, as you're growing up, sometimes there's not even a trigger, it's just... And then there's also, of course, the 'morning wood', which has absolutely nothing to do with arousal or attraction, but which is really just a test drive for the whole system. So the system's still working. So the system's still working. The system` The plumbing is all there. < You just don't want to` < You just don't want to` No, there's no interest in using it. Well, we'll see. Sarah and Renco are off on their romantic getaway, and we've given them a video camera. They've promised to tell us if they change their mind about sex. Watch your head. People will say, 'This is just a phase; you're too young to make this decision.' Well, it's not really a decision, is it? And... as for being too young, I'm 20. I'm out of puberty. I think if something would've happened, it would've happen by now. What kind of reactions have you had? A lot of people have expressed concern ` like friends and family have expressed concern ` that I might be missing out or something. And I don't think that I am. It's just` I'm completely happy how I am and that's` that should be enough. I mean, I know me best. TINKLY POP MUSIC Sarah and Renco are on the road,... We kinda forgot to do the video diary thing this morning. We were quite busy. And by busy we mean asleep. ...hanging out together for the first time... We're going to Queenstown tomorrow. ...and discovering those little things online dating can never reveal. So far I have found out that Sarah is a huge blanket hogger. But so far... Still no sex. Winding their way through our most spectacular settings. Now we're coming back down the gondola. Will this romantic retreat lead these lovebirds to reconsider their stance on sex? Come on in, guys. Sit down. Three weeks have passed. We're back to check in with Sarah and Renco. I think we should get straight to the point here. Did you have sex? Nope. Nope. What did you do then? What did you do then? Just cuddle. Yeah, pretty much. And, you know, kissing and stuff. Yeah, pretty much. And, you know, kissing and stuff. Yeah. So you're lying in bed kissing and cuddling. And you don't get aroused? No. I wouldn't even know what that feels like. It just doesn't happen? > It just doesn't happen? > No. And you, Sarah? And you, Sarah? SCOFFS: No. Same. But did you feel a connection, though? Definitely. Definitely. Absolutely. GENTLE MUSIC They have just a few days left together. These two are making the most of every minute. What's it been like, being together physically? What's it been like, being together physically? It was fun. You don't sound too convinced. You don't sound too convinced. (LAUGHS) You don't sound too convinced. (LAUGHS) Um... There's no gushing, though. > There's no gushing, though. > He's very awkward about talking to other people about these things. Um, he's very enthusiastic. (LAUGHS) Let's put it that way. Let's put it that way. Really. Now you're going to go bright red. I'm so sorry. Oh, you've both gone a bit red. Sarah, you're almost one colour right now. Serve you right. Serve you right. (LAUGHS) I deserve that. Hello. Renco's holiday has been such a success... Hi, I'm Erin. Nice to meet you. Taico, this is Renco. ...he's making plans to move here one day. If he does, then I think he'd been keen to get a bit involved in this kind of stuff. If you're keen to try some gear on or swing a sword. What do you reckon, Renco? You're up for it? What do you reckon, Renco? You're up for it? Sounds good. JANGLY GUITAR MUSIC Looking pretty hot, Sarah. Looking pretty hot. Looking pretty hot, Sarah. Looking pretty hot. Absolutely. JANGLY GUITAR MUSIC CONTINUES Oh, my arm. Have you said the L word yet? Have you said the L word yet? SCOFFS: Lots. Have you said the L word yet? SCOFFS: Lots. Yeah. Several times a day for you. Several times a day for you. (STUTTERS) Not that often. Yes, that often. Yes, that often. No! Is he a bit mushy, Sarah? Is he a bit mushy, Sarah? Yes. Off camera, definitely. Do you guys have plans together? Well, the overall plan is for me to eventually move here and live with Sarah, and then by that time Sarah will have another cat, and I will also get a cat, and... So many cats. JANGLY GUITAR MUSIC CONTINUES Ah! Aw! How romantic. Gross. (LAUGHS) Some will say you are just two quiet, nerdy people without the confidence to put yourself out there sexually. Thinking that quiet, nerdy people aren't very sexualised ` just walk yourself into a comic bookshop and look at some of the covers. Yeah, that's a bit of a stereotype, and I think it's misleading, because you'll find people with any sexual persuasion in any demographic. So everyone's having sex if they want it. Just the assumption that we would deprive ourselves of sex if we wanted it because of some sort of hang-up. Yeah, there's no hang-ups. If one of us wanted it, there's absolutely no reason why we wouldn't bring it up. SENTIMENTAL GUITAR MUSIC The day Sarah's been dreading has arrived. She plans to go to Holland to see Renco in a few months, but today it's time for the tearful goodbyes. This has been quite the love story to watch unfold ` a modern-day love story... with a bit of a twist. MUSIC CONTINUES Some people watching will say, 'Why put yourself out there? Why go public with your story?' Because it's not really about us; it's more about visibility and getting asexuality out there as something that is perhaps not exactly the norm, but it's not abnormal. There's a lot of people who are going to watch this and go, 'Wow, those guys are weird.' That's fine; we are weird. That's fine; we are weird. (LAUGHS) Not for the reason they're gonna be assuming, though. I don't care. I don't know those people. Renco, you? Renco, you? We can't change it; um, we don't want to change it. Uh, there's other people like us, and part of the whole visibility thing is trying to make sure that other people who are asexual but haven't heard of it might hear of it and not feel as lost. We're not broken. We're not weird. We're just normal people who are slightly different from everyone else. Everyone is different. Next up on 20/20, the story that gripped America ` a school bus driver shot dead and a five-year-old boy abducted and kept in a bunker by the gunman. The only way into that bunker a trapdoor at the top. SWAT teams and negotiators began the careful task of trying to get Ethan out. The only way to communicate at first through a ventilation pipe into the bunker. At this time we have no reason to believe that the child has been harmed. Pray. a Welcome back. America was glued to the TV as news broke that a gunman had shot dead a school bus driver and abducted a five-year-old boy called Ethan. 20/20 was there as the FBI tried to get Ethan released from an underground bunker where he was being held captive. COUNTRY MUSIC Few had ever heard of Midland City, Alabama, a peaceful southern town population 23,000, a town that relies on its faith. And no one here ever dreamed that faith would be tested after what happened on a school bus at the end of an ordinary school day set off a six-day siege of terror. GUNFIRE EERIE MUSIC It all began when bus-driver Chuck Poland, 66 years old, known for calling the schoolchildren his kids, brought the bus to a halt, flagged down by Jimmy Lee Dykes, who lived along the bus route. Dykes would immediately make demands. He wanted two of the children on that bus. And sitting up front in his favourite seat ` a 5-year-old named Ethan. Where was Ethan sitting? Was there usually a name tag on his seat? He had a name tag up here, where it said 'Ethan.' Tarrica Singletary was on the bus with Ethan. She showed us where she was sitting at the back. She could hear those terrifying demands at the front. You said he kept threatening. What was he saying? He said, 'I'll harm y'all. I don't care. I just want two kids.' He sounded like he was gonna really kill us. I was like... She showed us how she and the other children crouched behind the seats, her fingers to her ears, afraid gunshots were coming. As the driver tried to throw the bus in reverse, he was shot several times. He was dead, and the gunman grabbed the first child he could get to ` little Ethan. The children watched as Dykes pulled Ethan away. They knew they had to get themselves off that bus, back through that front door, walking past the bus driver, Mr Poland, who was slumped in his seat. And by then, Ethan was gone. The shooter, Jimmie Lee Dykes, had taken him on to his property and down through a hatch, into a bunker he'd made himself. 20/20 obtaining this video from the neighbour across the street the first moments after police arrived. Step outside. You need to put down your weapon, come out of your bunker, and then we're gonna end it soon. You need to come out and talk to us. We are not going away. The entire neighbourhood under lockdown. And Rhonda Wilbur, who lives across from Dykes, got a frantic text from her husband and son, still at home. The text said, 'Mean man finally did it. 'He shot the bus driver.' So people who lived all around here called him 'mean man'? So people who lived all around here called him 'mean man'? Yes. We're hearing bus driver dead, one kid hostage. We're hearing bus driver dead, one kid hostage. Right. And by then Ethan was down in the bunker. And by then Ethan was down in the bunker. Yeah. The mean man, as they all called him ` Jimmy Lee Dykes, a man neighbours had grown to fear. A decorated navy veteran, he grew suspicious of the government. He was known for his rants, and he was always carrying a gun. He usually had by him at least a rifle and a shovel. You thought for years he was a ticking time bomb. Yes. I don't think that there's a single person on the road he didn't threaten to kill at one time or another. He threatened to kill you? He threatened to kill you? Yes. He threatened to kill us all, yes. Now he was underground in that primitive bunker just 6ft by 8ft with Ethan, who we would all soon learn is autistic. Not only was his mother terrified for his safety; she was terrified how he might react held underground by a stranger. Do you believe he had planned to take a child into that bunker? Yes, 100%. He had a very specific plan. He was very methodical, very detailed, and through our communications with the negotiators, he was very proud of his plan. That plan was just now playing out. The only way into that bunker, a trapdoor at the top. SWAT teams and negotiators began the careful task of trying to get Ethan out, the only way to communicate at first through a ventilation pipe into the bunker. At this time, we have no reason to believe that the child has been harmed. Pray. Pray. They could hear Dykes. They could hear Ethan too ` his crying. Could you hear Ethan upset? Could you hear Ethan upset? You could hear him upset, yes. Crying? Crying? Yes. And for Ethan's mother, anguish. She could not hold her Ethan, the boy who loved to be hugged. How do you tell a mother... that it's going to be OK when her boy is in that bunker? She asked me this question ` she said, 'Pastor, what have I done wrong?' Ethan's older brother Cameron never leaving their mother's side speaking to 20/20 for the first time. One of the hardest things for your family was not being able to hug him, because Ethan loves to be hugged, right? That's correct, and it was very hard not to be able to physically touch him and hug him and, you know, really be there for him. The shooter... Negotiators could also hear something else ` a TV on in the bunker. They knew there was another way to reach Dykes. < The country was watching when you came out and you said thank you for taking care of our child. I wanna thank you for taking care of our child. You were talking to him. You were talking to him. Yes. I was talking directly to him. So you knew exactly what you were doing in saying that. So you knew exactly what you were doing in saying that. Yes, sir. You were trying to keep him calm. You were trying to keep him calm. Yes, sir. They were also try to keep Ethan calm, convincing Dykes to allow them to drop in his medicine, his colouring books, a toy car, a toy dinosaur, even Cheez-Its crackers. And how would they get those items in? Not through the pipe, but through a hatch at the top of the bunker. They we're told to leave them there and ordered to get away. And he would reach out and grab the stuff? And he would reach out and grab the stuff? Mm-hm. And they would listen for Ethan's reaction to the toys. Those were the only moments of joy? Those were the only moments of joy? Uh-huh. But the clock was running. The hours had turned into days, the team frantically looking for more ways to watch Dykes, convincing him to allow a cell phone in. There was overhead surveillance, and somehow they had sneaked a camera into the bunker too. The FBI won't say how they got it in or how much they could actually see. You could hear what was going on in the bunker? I can just tell you we had a really good idea what was going on inside the bunker. Because they knew what was unfolding in that bunker, it allowed the team to send text messages to Ethan's mother, his family. And those messages were enough to keep them going. And we did know when, at times, that he was asleep. That was normally around 9 o'clock at night. They were able to tell you he's gone to bed for the night? Yes. We'd normally get a text or something that he had fallen asleep. Yes. We'd normally get a text or something that he had fallen asleep. Was that at least some comfort? That was actually a lot of comfort, where I could then go lay my head down. Dykes was demanding a reporter and a camera be sent in so that he could send out a message. But his motive ` still unclear. Authorities knew that option would not work, and they were at work at a makeshift bunker, practising not far from the real bunker where Ethan was being held. You know that if you rush anything, you do anything the wrong way, his life is in danger. As the days wore on, nearly a week now in that bunker, Dykes was deteriorating suddenly so fast they feared he would spiral out of control. After the break, the dramatic rescue of the boy in the bunker. How close do you think his mother was to losing Ethan? How close do you think his mother was to losing Ethan? I thought he was gonna die. We all thought he was gonna die. He made it clear he was going to harm Ethan? He made it very clear that he was going to execute his plan, and that was the day. When we come back, what suddenly frightened those agents enough to act? And what did they do to trick the gunman? Plus the first images of Ethan after his rescue. a Welcome back. As the stand-off between the FBI and the gunman in his underground bunker escalates, an elite team prepares for a daring rescue attempt. Dawn was breaking on the sixth day of the stand-off. Ethan was just two days from his 6th birthday, and his mother, his family, an entire town unsure they'd ever be able to throw Ethan that birthday party he'd so hoped for. Behind the scenes, FBI agent Steve Richardson was growing increasingly worried too. As he monitored that bunker he could see, he could hear Jimmy Lee Dykes growing increasingly agitated. He was holding a gun, and he was bragging about his unfolding plan ` the time for negotiating was suddenly over. What did you hear that told you you had to get the boy out? Our negotiators, our behavioural analysis personnel, were all telling me the subject's not gonna come out, that it's not gonna get any better, it's getting worse. He made it clear he would harm Ethan? He made it very clear that he was gonna execute his plan. And that was the day I thought the child was in imminent danger. It was his call to make, and at 3.12 in the afternoon, nearly six days to the hour after Ethan was dragged off that bus, and a small elite team that had been practising in that makeshift bunker was moving in. They told Dykes what they had told him before ` that they were there to drop off more of Ethan's medicine. But they were waiting at that small hatch. When Dykes approached it, they set off two flash grenades to distract him, to blow the hatch open. A gunfight ensued, Dykes firing at the team; they fired back. And then silence. Everyone listening at the command centre ` their most worrisome moment. I cannot tell you how long it seemed from the time of the breach till the entry. Then one of the agents radioed in. The best words I've heard were, 'The child's crying. The child is crying.' You knew he was OK. You knew he was OK. He's... He... He was crying, he was breathing. Uh, I knew that, uh, that was good news. And for Ethan's mother, who'd been relying on every text message sent from that team, this time she would get a phone call. And Ethan's older brother Cameron was right there. You were there when she got the call? You were there when she got the call? We were all there when they told us. What did they say? What did they say? They said, 'We have Ethan'. And down below, an alarming find: two bombs authorities believe were part of the plan ` one in the bunker, the other in that ventilation pipe. And they'd discovered writings left behind by Dykes that the FBI told us might one day shed light on his motive. Meantime, the town, Ethan's family moving forward with plans for that 6th birthday party. And tonight, an ABC news exclusive ` the first images of Ethan after the rescue. The family told us they hoped we show America that Ethan's smile has returned. Ethan is playing again, the family telling us he hasn't spoken of the bunker or of that man, instead focusing on his new toy cars and finally celebrating that birthday at the town church, his only other trip, they tell us, to Toys 'R' Us. And from his family tonight, a message for the team that saved their little boy. Thank you for bringing... the boy back. My brother, he is... He's something else. He's a bundle of joy. And I would tell them thank you every day I could, because they gave us him back. And there is someone else this family would like to thank ` the bus driver, Chuck Poland, who gave his own life to protect the other children on that bus. The town pastor and his wife ` their own grandchildren on the bus. The kids on that school bus, they loved the bus driver. Yes. I loved him, and I didn't even know him. (CHUCKLES) And it turns out that that bus driver was not only kind to the schoolchildren ` he'd been kind even to Jimmy Lee Dykes, the FBI telling us tonight that the bus driver and his wife in recent months had befriended the loner known to everyone else in the town as 'mean man.' They were worried that he was alone. As a matter of fact, the bus driver may have been one of the only friends that the subject had. And he entered the bus, demanded children, and shot his friend to death. POIGNANT PIANO MUSIC Tonight a town remembering Mr Poland. And a town still praying for little Ethan, praying that those smiles have returned for good, his mother saying she can't describe how incredible it is to hold him again, her sweet boy, finally the family able to hug the boy who loves to be tucked in at night. How many times have you hugged him? How many times have you hugged him? I've lost count. What would you like to say to the town? What would you like to say to the town? Thank you. Thank you all. A simple thank you now that Ethan is home. POIGNANT PIANO MUSIC CONTINUES Next on 20/20 ` Erin Conroy is in Hollywood asking the cast of TV2's hit show Revenge the hard questions. Pop quiz. Ready? Who's more evil ` Victoria or Conrad? Conrad. Oh, Conrad. These are impossible questions. These are impossible questions. Just quick-fire. One name, one name. These are impossible questions. Just quick-fire. One name, one name. I can't. Fill in your forms online or on paper, because you count. KIDS SHOUT Should we be getting more kids into apprenticeships? Will we have enough retirement villages close to our families? What should we be doing with our waste water? Does everyone count in the future of our country? Yeah, we do. Tuesday the 5th of March is Census Day. Census information is used by businesses, iwi, councils and the government to make decisions on issues that affect us all. Fill in your forms online or on paper, because you count. What is asexuality? a Welcome back. Its stars are hot; the plots are chilling. It was a surprise hit here last year, and now Revenge is back. Our own Erin Conroy got to meet some of the stars, albeit briefly, in Los Angeles. When I was a child, my father was framed for a crime he didn't commit. Revenge is sweet, and so is a programme that is complete utter escapism. Before he died, he left a road map for revenge. Emily, our hero, infiltrates the family responsible ` the evil Graysons ` Daniel! ...and slowly plots her course for justice. Oh God. At the end of the season we were left thinking Victoria Grayson was killed in a plane crash,... Twin engine jet exploded shortly after take-off. ...but not before framing her husband. This is the evidence I was planning on turning over. Emily had broken off her engagement to their son Daniel... Bye. and smooched the love of her life, Jack. All culminating in some publications voting this the cliff-hanger of 2012. There's much more to this story. What did she say? What did she say? Your mother's alive. So when I get a chance to sit down with the stars, they give me just three minutes to discuss all of this? Three minutes, guys, it's not fair. Three minutes, guys, it's not fair. I've heard that before. Three minutes, guys, it's not fair. I've heard that before. (LAUGHS) And it's like they're plotting against me ` to waste my entire three minutes. Why is it still NZ? It's been around for a while, right? Why is it still NZ? It's been around for a while, right? Good question. You should come. Put it to our prime minister ` a name change. I'm sure that will go down well. No, I'm not going to do that. So let's get straight to the point, then. Is there any hope for Emily and Jack? Yeah, there is hope. There is always hope, because that's what you're supposed to feel. You're supposed to, kind of, like, root for these guys. Cos Jack has a piece of her that no one else has. In real life, though, it's Daniel, played by the handsome Josh Bowman, that has a piece of her no one else has. CAMERA FLASHES CLICK Because they're dating, so their chemistry is no surprise, but when it comes to Jack, Nick Wechsler is very convincing. Yeah, I have to act like I think she's attractive and cool. Tough, tough. Tough, tough. She's amazing. It's easy to like her. In the next instalment of Revenge, we discover that Victoria, in fact, survived the plane crash. No! No! Unbelievable, isn't it? No! Unbelievable, isn't it? I'm breathless. So was I. So was I. Alive? So was I. Alive? So was I. How could she have survived that crash? Her evil ways set to continue. That son of a bitch is trying to get control of her inheritance. I feel she has a real character disorder. But saying all that, she does love her family, she loves her children enormously, and she employs ruthless means to keep everything, kind of, going and keep them safe. And as for this telly mum and dad, it seems art can sometimes reflect life. My father's a mass murderer. My half-sister is an arsonist. Guess the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, does it? SLAP! SLAP! Victoria! My daughter's actually on the outs with me at the moment. (LAUGHS) She's 16� and is not so enamoured of her mother, I think. I am your father. And I'm her father, whether she wants me to be or not. Are you really kind to your kids as a result? My child is blessed to have me as their father, and if they don't know that yet, I'm going to be very clear with them later on today. We'll all have our picks from the show, but what do the stars think? Pop quiz. Ready? Who's more evil ` Victoria or Conrad? Conrad. Oh, Conrad. Conrad without question. They are equally evil. Who's better-dressed? Emily or Ashley? Well, Ashley's always more dressed. These are impossible questions. These are impossible questions. Just quick-fire. One name, one name. These are impossible questions. Just quick-fire. One name, one name. I can't answer that. I have to say Emily. Emily. (CHUCKLES) OK. I mean, I actually think it's a toss-up cos they both, uh, I mean. I mean, I actually think it's a toss-up cos they both, uh, I mean. Emily. Who's hotter ` Daniel or Jack? (SIGHS) Well, it would be incestuous if I said Daniel was. (LAUGHS) And I happen to have a huge crush on Nick Wechsler. And I happen to have a huge crush on Nick Wechsler. Same. CHUCKLES: Why are you doing this to me? We were having such a good time. CHUCKLES: Why are you doing this to me? We were having such a good time. One name. Daniel or Jack? Aw. Jack. Daniel's hotter. So that's 2-1 to Jack, but Daniel can make up for it with one final competition. So, you're an Englishman. > So, you're an Englishman. > I am. This is an impressive accent you have. > This is an impressive accent you have. > Thank you. Ill give a tenner to the person who can do` who can chuck a few Kiwi words together. You're actually gonna give us 10 fucking` NZ$10? Oh my God. I'll never be able to spend that cos I'll never go there. Oh my God. I'll never be able to spend that cos I'll never go there. Do your best accent, then. BAD NZ ACCENT: Do your best accent. BAD NZ ACCENT: Do your best accent. BAD AUSSIE ACCENT: Do your best accent. Do your best` Oh mate, chuck the rugby ball here, mate. Do your best` Oh mate, chuck the rugby ball here, mate. Not bad. Let's go down there and do the haka. Let's go down there and do the haka. That's not bad. Let's go down there and do the haka. That's not bad. Chuck us a beer. A clear winner here. So I'm going to award you Best NZ Accent. So I'm going to award you Best NZ Accent. Thank you. Come to NZ and sp` Come to NZ and sp` Gidday. Come to NZ and sp` Gidday. Gidday. Come spend it. Come spend it. I will come spend it. Time's up. I'm herded out of the room,... I wanna do the caravan thing and come and look in Christchurch. ...but now it seems they won't shut up. Queenstown. The best, the best. Yes, Queenstown, lovely. Definitely needed more than just three minutes. < All right, thanks, guys. < All right, thanks, guys. Take care, love. (CHUCKLES) Nice one. Next on 20/20 ` the great escape ` incredible footage of people surviving the impossible. DRAMATIC MUSIC They're all over the internet. This man should have been hit by that bus. Last month this high-school wrestler was pinned by a giant light fixture. Nobody died. They're miraculous moments that kick death right in the teeth ` transform the survivors' lives forever. I should be dead. I shouldn't be here right now. What is asexuality? a Welcome back. One from the 'how the hell are you still alive?' files now. A TV reporter walks away from a helicopter crash as if nothing has happened, and a woman speared through the throat by a tree branch tells her tale. It could happen at any moment. You might pass out and collapse on to the subway tracks, or the Camaro you're driving could wind up like this ` airborne. And you might well think, 'This is it ` curtains.' They're all over the internet. This man should have been hit by that bus. Last month this high-school wrestler was hit by a giant light fixture. And can you imagine this? A twister lifts a 12-ton church steeple about the size of a Mack truck into the sky and slams it on Michael Williams' car. I was prepared, my body and soul, to see somebody that was deceased. But he wasn't. I lifted my head up and asked them to please, get me out. My head had been split open down to my skull, sternum had been broken in half, my back had been broken, and I couldn't breathe, so I just laid my head down and started taking short breaths. That's gotta be a miracle that this guy's alive. I wanna thank you all for saving my life. But here and all these other incidents we've just shown you, nobody died. They're miraculous moments that kick death right in the teeth, transform the survivors' lives forever. I should be dead. I shouldn't be here right now. Hard-charging helicopter reporter Andrew Torres loved to thunder over New York, chasing the big stories from the sky. Reporting live, I'm Andrew Torres. Back to the studio. Talk about a bird's-eye view ` you see everything that happens. It never got old. If you're looking down on the Empire State Building, it's an amazing thing. This day was sunny and clear. Andrew and his pilot, Russ Mowry, were heading out to cover a shooting in Brooklyn. End of the scene, you saw the police cars and the ambulance. They wanted me to get right on the air with it. ARCHIVE: One person was shot in this area a short time ago. Just moments before going live with his second report, without warning, the helicopter starts spinning out of control. What was your initial reaction once you realised the pilot basically had lost control of the helicopter? Panic, terror. This was going to be my last minutes on earth. But we went into a nosedive. Which was terrifying. And then the pilot was able to pull us level, and I thought were gonna be all right. He thought wrong. We started to lose more altitude, and we went completely out of control again. All the while, his colleagues in the other helicopters watched, breathless. I thought that I might die that day. Andrew's chopper crashes through a chimney, breaks in half and completes a full flip. Typically chatty reporters in those other choppers now go silent as they watch in horror. We have some breaking news. A helicopter from a rival television station has crashed. Shannon, what do you know? Sorry, Bill. You'll have to excuse me if I'm shaken up. The helicopter came down in the last few minutes. Is anyone alive down there, firstly? Is anyone alive down there, firstly? We do not know the severity of injuries at this point. Then this tiny figure emerges with barely a scratch. When I walk out of there, my shirt is still straight. It's straighter than it is now. We took Andrew back to the roof of the building where his chopper crashed. Oh wow. We came through there, and then did that tumble, cleared that alley down below, and landed, I guess, right here. But you walked out without a single broken bone. That's incredible. A miracle mixed in with some fortunate physics. Hitting the chimney and breaking in two absorbed energy and actually reduced the speed of the helicopter, saving Andrew and the pilot's life. Andrew no longer flies, and he knows that every moment is precious. I don't care if people get impatient behind me that I'm not doing 20 miles over the speed limit ` I have to be careful, cos you just never know. To think how close I came to not experiencing the joy of getting married and having my own family ` that's why I don't take anything for granted any more. For Michelle and Daniel Childers from Kamiah, Idaho, Labour Day morning 2009 was perfect for a drive along the river, roadsides abundant with overgrown late-summer pines, tree branches scraping their pickup, as depicted in this re-enactment for the Discovery Fit & Health Network. Inside their truck, the couple shared conversation, laughter and music. And the next thing I knew, it was just over and, like, everything just stopped. A branch, perhaps bent back by the windshield, had whipped inside their pickup, suddenly snapped off with horrific consequences. I asked Daniel. I said, 'Where is it?' And he said, 'It's in your neck.' Her husband was the first to see the gruesome result. Michelle had been impaled through the neck by a spruce branch covered with needles. Amazingly, she could breathe and speak, but for how much longer? I didn't think we would make it out of the road before she... passed away. What did you see in his eyes as he looked at you? Terror like out of a horror movie or something. And I screamed, and then he screamed. His scream was... intense. And then it, um, dawned on me that things were really bad and it's not a movie and... that I'm gonna die. What kept you from wanting to pull that branch out? Um, I'm a logger. It's just common sense you don't wanna pull it out. I think that what really kept me from wanting to jerk it out was I wasn't in pain. I just figured it would hurt if I tried to pull it out. Good to know, otherwise Michelle might have bled to death in minutes. By helicopter, Michelle was taken to Missoula Montana's St Patrick's Hospital. Waiting to treat her was this experienced surgeon. Her husband was very wise not to just yank that out. She would've had two minutes of bleeding, and that would be it. Is there a moment when you confront this for the first time when at least part of you goes, 'Holy crap'? Yeah. Yeah. Or maybe other words, yeah. I saw what looked like a small Christmas tree protruding from the front part of her neck. It had penetrated probably 8 to 9 inches to the very back of the neck. Dr Peter Von Doersten ordered CT scans that showed vividly the full extent of her injury and how narrowly it missed hitting her windpipe and carotid artery. Surgical tools usually intended for bone were put to use on wood. It was an excellent saw for getting through that tree branch, just to amputate it at the level of the neck so that I could eventually slide it out. Hours later he was done. What was left was truly remarkable. And I thought that she was gonna really have a bad scar, and you can't even hardly notice that there was a 2-inch stick out of her neck. If it'd been a couple of centimetres to the right or a couple of centimetres to the left, what`? The right would've been devastating. I don't think she would have lived. She was incredibly lucky. Michelle went home from the hospital just two days afterwards. 14 months later she returned to give birth to their first child ` a baby girl named Kayla. It was a lot more exciting, a lot happier of a visit. (GIGGLES) What did it feel like to see her face for the first time? What did it feel like to see her face for the first time? It was so much emotion. Like... I lived because she was meant to be. If you want to see any of tonight's stories again, including that one, head to our website... You can also email us... Or, of course, go to our Facebook page... And let us know what you made of tonight's show. Well, thanks for all your feedback. We're interested in your stories, so keep those ideas coming in.