Ashley Burke of Clinton is in her second week of recovery after she says she survived an attack by a former friend.
March 3 was a normal day for Burke, but it quickly turned into one of the worst nights of her life. “There was a loud banging at the door. A window broke,” Burke said. “Next thing you know, he’s coming in the room and he’s just attacking me.”
Burke alleges that during the attack, a man repeatedly stomped and punched, yelled at her and recorded the incident.
Burke alleges the attack started with a demand for the password to her phone.
“It was terrifying. I felt hopeless,” Burke said. “I thought I was going to die. I needed to get away from him. I needed to get out of there. I just wish someone was helping me.”
Burke said all of her property was destroyed that night, and she alleges the man damaged her clothes, appliances and even went as far as slashing the tires on her and her family’s cars.
“I was just in so much shock. Just trying to get my thoughts together,” Burke said. “I was really just trying to stay alive and get away.”
After the attack, Burke said she walked down the street alone until her mother found her and rushed her to the emergency room. They spent about seven hours at the hospital, where Burke says she underwent surgery on her mouth and had her lip stitched back together. Since then, Burke says recovery has been challenging.
“I can’t eat. I’m up all night,” Burke said. “I can’t sleep. I’m constantly on edge or looking out the window.”
Now, Burke wants to turn her story into a message for others who may be dealing with the same issues.
“A lot of people go through the same things, and they don’t get the help they need,” Burke said. “They feel hopeless. They’re scared. I’m just glad I could be that voice for the next person.”
A GoFundMe here has been set up to help her and her family recover some of the things they lost during the attack.
