on the line, the mayor of a small town on basilan island. i was like, "yeah?" "kevin is out." i said, "what? what?" it was just like chaos after that. and then when i talked to him i was like, kevin. "hi, mom, this is kevin." you know, he just sound so good. it was just beautiful. it sounds like my son. that's my son. >> reporter: kevin was free. but how? >> it's the craziest turn of my life probably. i didn't think it was ever going to happen. >> reporter: here he is, kevin lunsmann. now 20-years old. and this is his amazing story. which began a moment before the kidnappers took his mom away, when she leaned forward and whispered in his ear. >> i remember her words exactly. she said, "you have to get home to your father. you have to go back home." and that made me realize that she might be thinking that she may not make it tonight. >> that she might be taken away to be killed? >> yes. i just wanted to cry. and i didn't -- i didn't want to lose her. >> reporter: soon after that they took his cousin away too. >> after he left i was alone. the

travelled to a small village in basilan to hear their stories. more than four decades of continuous conflict has made mindanao region of war widows. they came from many areas of the hinterlands in basle and province but the share one theory in common grief. and they see that grief is made worse by the fact they're widows of abu sayyaf fighters a stigma they carry were ever they go. from going to one by one they tell us their stories of how they'd had no time to mourn and they got my boys. just like they're fired there because they were unable to finish school they most of us are in my nine year old boy came up to me and said mama i son want to carry a gun and join my brothers. i feel all alone in raising my thirteen children none of them were able to finish school we were raised with cannons bombs we were displaced every year we pray we hide it's the same thing for our children. many were widowed at a young age and were unable to finish their education and live in extreme poverty with their children. more than a hundred thousand people have been

doug and travel to a small village in basilan to hear their stories. more than four decades of continuous conflict has made mindanao region of war widows. they came from many areas of the hinterlands in basle and province but they share one thing in common grief. and they see that grief is made worse by the fact that their widows of abu sayyaf fighters a stigma they carry were ever they go. on the end of life one by one they tell us their stories of how they've had no time to mourn. my boys. just like they're fired there because they were unable to finish school their most painful part in my nine year old boy came up to me and said mama i thought you want to carry a gun and join my brothers. i feel all alone in raising my thirteen children none of them were able to finish school we were raised with cannons bombs we are the splayed every year we pray we hide is the same thing for our children many were widowed at a young age and were unable to finish their education and live in extreme poverty with their children. more than a hundred thousand people hav