James and Ann Budzinski sat quietly in their Romeoville home after spending the day cleaning up and recovering from a violent home invasion.
The 99-year-old mother and her 62-year-old son tried to fight off three male attackers Wednesday afternoon who tried to enter the home posing as utility workers.
"He had my hand so tight I about fell and that's how I got the scratch on my arm," Ann Budzinski said.
"They pushed me down duct tape me covered my mouth and taped my feet," said James Budzinski.
He then says the men started searching for valuables and broke into this locked empty suitcase.
He says they ransacked every room including closets and that's where they found a cigar box filled with cash made during a garage sale three years ago.
"He said now I want your money and jewelry and I said I don't have any," Ann Budzinski said. "Then he slapped my face."
Thursday night, mother and son are counting their blessings and thankful they survived the attack and robbery.
"I was worried they were going to kill us," James Budzinski said. "I was praying, that's all I could do."
He says witnesses saw the attackers flee in a black, older model Ford F-150 pickup and cameras at a nearby business may have captured video of the men.
He also says this is the third time someone has tried to break into their home
Next week, he and his mother have an appointment with a security company to check out alarm systems.
