Missed Game of Wordle Saves Grandmother’s Life After Bloody, Naked Man Breaks In
It seems Wordle has take over our lives, but can the popular game save lives? Apparently so!
An elderly Chicago-area woman raised red flags with family members when she didn't report her daily Wordle answers per usual. The sudden change in her daily routine ultimately saved her life.
On Feb. 5, Denyse Holt, 80, woke up to a terrifying scene when a naked man, armed with scissors and covered in blood, broke into her home and crawled into her bed.
CBS Chicago reports the man threatened Holt. "If you talk, if you yell or you scream, I'm going to cut you," he allegedly told the woman.
Over the next 17 hours, Holt attempted to stay calm and oblige the intruder's requests, including taking a shower with him while wearing her nightgown.
"I was in shock," Holt told Chicago's WBBM-TV. "I was trying to survive, that's all."
Holt said the man told her he was bleeding from cutting himself during the break in.
The man reportedly disconnected all the phones in the residence and took two knives from Holt's kitchen because "he liked them." He then forced her into a windowless bathroom in the basement and barricaded the door with a chair.
Holt tried to pass the time doing exercises, marching in place and stretching, but she "didn't think [she] was going to live."
Holt's daughter Meredith Holt-Caldwell, who lives 2,000 miles away in Seattle, thought it was odd when she didn't receive her daily Wordle update from her mom. She was also alarmed when she didn't receive any text messages from Holt, which were part of their daily routine.
Concerned, Caldwell contacted the Lincolnwood Police Department in Illinois and requested a welfare check for her mother.
"I never thought in a million years this is what was happening, but it was," Holt-Caldwell told CBS Chicago.
Officers arrived at the home at 9:40 PM, where they found Holt being held hostage.
Following a long standoff, a SWAT team took the suspect into custody using a stun gun and Holt was taken to safety. She was physically unharmed.
"I'm very lucky," Holt told CBS Chicago.
The suspect was identified as 32-year-old James H. Davis III. He is now facing felony charges including home invasion, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault, CBS Chicago reports.
Meanwhile, Holt's family credits Wordle for being a touchpoint for daily communication with loved ones. They hope other families will find value in staying in close communication with family members and friends.