IMPACT just may have saved my life.

I took IMPACT about 2 years ago. I was recently attacked on my way home from school. I was
taking a short cut through an alley when a man grabbed me from behind.

It was seriously like slow motion yet all happening at once. I remembered everything I was taught and just acted. I don't even remember everything that happened since it was so fast. He
grabbed me from behind and I know I did the butt hit. That nearly knocked him down because
he totally was not expecting it. He then went for my legs and knocked me over (this was before
the snow hit, so the ground was really really hard). He was saying stuff to me but I honestly don'tremember what it was.

I remember twisting in his grip and getting a lot of kicks in, mainly his torso. He really was not
expecting what I was doing. I know I got a kick into his groin and then my knee collided with
his nose (all of this was done on the ground). The crunch was really loud. He was lying on the
ground, fetal position with blood just pouring out of his nose.

A woman on the second floor of an apartment saw him grab me and immediately called the
police. I don't live far from the 17th district police station so I was really really surprised and
freaked out when the police showed up not two minutes after the woman called. A patrol car was
only 3 blocks away, so that's why it all happened so fast.

The woman also said I was screaming NO really really loud but I honestly for the life of me do
not remember screaming. I just know most of it took place on the ground because I knocked
him down. The cops pulled up in the alley and everyone was shouting and screaming and then
one cop had his gun on the guy and the other officer was pulling me away, trying to get me to
stand up. Before I knew it the guy was cuffed and in the back of the squad car and I was in an
ambulance. I was in shock for a good 24 hours afterward.

So those are the details that I remember. That butt hit is what did it. I know that my legs are
much stronger than my arms, I've always known that. So my body just took over. The whole
experience looking back on it is just really really surreal. You can share the details. People
should know that the butt strike does work. Especially since women are typically stronger in
their lower bodies and legs.

I have a court date in January, he's looking at 10 years for aggravated assault with a weapon (the cop found a knife and a rope in his coat). He's going away, from what I know me showing up is just a formality. They really do not know what he was planning since he just took the first deal
that was offered to him.

The D.A. asked me how I managed to defend myself. I told her that I took self defense classes.
She asked me where and I told her about IMPACT Chicago. She said she would look into your
organization and recommend your classes to women who've been abused. So score on that one as
well!

Anyway, I'm alive and I'm ok and he's in jail with a broken nose and his balls in his throat. I just
want to thank you. What you taught me just may have saved my life. Thank you.

Megan, 2008 Northeastern Illinois University Core Skills graduate.