On Easter Sunday, 1994, Chuck Borchardt was jolted awake at 3:35 am by the sound of a loud bang – accompanied by a distinctly recognizable smell. The 17 year old hunter identified the scent of burnt gunpowder almost immediately, and jumped to his feet to see where the gunshot had come from. He heard moaning coming from the cellar stairs, and when he got there, he saw his father Ruben slumped in a chair – bleeding profusely. Shockingly, Ruben was still conscious, despite having been shot in the chest and in the back. Chuck called 911, but it was too late to save his father's life. He knelt down and took Ruben's hand, holding onto it while the 40 year old man took his last breath.