Viswa Vanapalli
NBC News’ ‘Dateline: The Ranch’ chronicles the astonishing story of the Valseca family. Eduardo, the patriarch, was kidnapped in June 2007, and his wife, Jayne, did everything in her power to bring him back safely. She held down the fort at home for more than half a year, caring for their three children: Fernando, Nayah, and Emiliano. The kids shared their experiences on the show, talking about what they went through and their mother’s strength during that time. So, let’s find out where Fernando and Nayah might be today then, shall we?
Who Are Fernando and Nayah Valseca?
When the incident occurred, the Valsecas lived at a ranch in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, for about 15 years. Fernando was 12, Emiliano was 7, and Nayah was 6-years-old. On the morning of June 13, 2007, the family headed out to the school they founded to drop the kids off. On most days, Fernando would ride ahead on a four-wheeler or their pet donkey while the others followed in a car, singing together.
But the Valsecas’ lives were forever altered when Eduardo was kidnapped while on the way back home, with Jayne being left behind. Once back to her kids, Jayne had difficulty explaining how their father was taken away for money. Fernando recalled, “I had never seen my mom like that. She was just–she looked like if the worst thing [had] happened to her. I asked her, ‘Was it by criminals, or what do you mean taken?’ And she said, ‘He was kidnapped.’ And that’s all she said. And I just stood quiet. I couldn’t believe it.”
While the family struggled with their new reality, Jayne negotiated with the kidnappers. The kids faced a tough time towards the end, with Jayne saying, “The little kids would go up to my children and say things like, ‘Oh, I heard your daddy’s dead, that they found him in a–in a plastic bag in the Park de Juarez (Mexico).'” But after more than seven months, just the day after Fernando’s thirteenth birthday, Eduardo returned. Fernando’s wish for his father to come back came true.
Where Are Fernando and Nayah Valseca Now?
Fernando remembered seeing his father after he came back. He said, “I just ran and gave him a hug, and he didn’t have any meat on him at all. It was just like if I was grabbing his carcass.” The family eventually moved to the United States and settled in Maryland. The kids lost their mother in 2012 due to breast cancer, a devastating time for them. But they remembered her fondly, thanks to the gifts Jayne left for them. This included teddy bears with her voice message for the three kids and graduation cards for when they finished school and college.
Nayah stated on the show that she slept holding that bear for the longest time. She added that her mother was a hero and hoped to be like her one day. Today, Fernando seems to live in Colorado but loves to travel to different cities and countries. From what we can tell, he works for a solar company as a Crew Lead now. As for Nayah, she seems to split her time between Maryland and Colorado. Like her brother, Nayah is an avid traveler, having visited several places in and out of the country.
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