this is craig's sister, robbyn drew. clearly they liked being parents. they were enjoying this. >> right. >> reporter: seven kids? >> seven kids. >> reporter: dad craig worked as a computer programmer and spent time mentoring kids at his church. >> craig is a outwardly personable person. you meet craig rideout, you'll like him. >> reporter: paul tucci, better known as "pj", was craig rit' >> laura is compassionate. she's also really intelligent. i mean, she double majored in physics and english 4.0. >> reporter: as for the rideout kids, they were smart like their parents, hard working, articulate. but while they thrived, family life took a toll on craig and laura's marriage. laura had been on bed rest for some of her pregnancies, and money was tight. >> it circles back, i believe, to some financial hardships. >> reporter: it's understandable, seven children, bills. >> yeah. >> reporter: these are real life. >> real life issues. >> reporter: -- problems. craig and laura separated in 2014. craig took it really hard. >> he sent an e-mail to me saying, well,

. >> reporter: craig's sister robbyn is left trying to make sense of it all, the darkness that destroyed big family, a family that once had so much ambition and promise. >> it's just heartbreaking. nobody wins. nobody wins in this. >> reporter: this is a family divided like no other. >> yeah. >>> that's all for this edition of "dateline." we'll see you again next friday for our two-hour season premiere at 9:00, 8:00 central. and of course i'll see you each weeknight for nbc "nightly news." i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news, good night. next bernie sanders message to the bay area on health care. also, how berkeley will keep free speech safe without costing students. and the new revelation of pg&e and the san bruno gas explosion. =raj/2-shot= and i )m raj mathai. we )re on late tonight because f the giants game here on >>> nbc bay area news starts right now. >> we're on late tonight because of the giants game on nbc. we begin in mexico city the death toll is at 300 people and the frustration is in full swing. everyone banning together as they say mexican officials are ill prepared