We received this message in January of this year and got the ‘OK’ from the submitter to share it with all of you. We thank the submitter for sharing her story, as it was not an easy thing to do.
This is quite powerful:
“Hey CN, I wanted to take a few minutes and thank you for saving me. About a year ago, I was walking to night class from my apartment off campus and right before I entered school grounds, a man came up from behind me and forced me behind some bushes. He put his hand over my mouth and said if I make a sound, he’d kill me. Then, he raped me for about 20 minutes. I could see the emergency call box on campus the entire time, just 20 feet away. It couldn’t do a damn thing to help me. I reported the incident and they weren’t able to find him. I was terrified to go out anywhere.
A few months later, I opened up to a friend about what had happened. She recommended that I get my concealed carry permit, so I went online to see the process. I came upon your Facebook page and website. They gave me so much great information and really helped me with the whole process, and taught me a lot about concealed carry. So, I applied for my permit and got it 7 months later. I bought a Ruger LCP and started practicing at the range a few times a week.
Not even 2 months into having my permit, deja-vu happened. I was walking home from class and the same exact man approached me and tried to do the same thing again. This time though, I was prepared. I immediately recognized him and told him to stand back. I drew my Ruger from my purse and held it on him while I dialed 911. I held him at gunpoint until the police got there. It turns out that he was responsible for numerous rapes in the area, had a gun on him, and is now spending a long time in prison. He also admitted to watching me for a while to see when I went to class and left to go home. My friends ask me what I would have done if he drew his gun. “It’s him or me. I would have shot him.”
Thank you thank you thank you for your page, your advice and your dedication to educating people. If it weren’t for your page, I probably would have put off the process of getting my permit. The article that changed my mind was your article titled “Before you decide to carry concealed; A Beginners Guide”.
Again, thank you. You changed my life and possibly saved it. Who knows, maybe he would have used his gun one of those times…or on someone else.”
We are so saddened to hear what happened to this young lady, but so very proud of her for putting her safety into her own hands. This is a strong reminder of the simple fact that sometimes, we only have ourselves to rely on for help.
Let that reminder ring loud and like this young lady, you can also choose not to be a victim.
