I was planning on my next post being about The Utah Summer Games. But winning medals playing soccer seems so unimportant after the news I got during the very first game I was watching on Thursday morning. While watching one of Whitney's games I got a call from a friend who informed me that one of "my girls" (my girls are any young women I have ever had the privilege of teaching, going to Wednesday night activities, girls camp, or youth conference with). Anyway, my friend informed me that one of "my girls", who is now attending UVU, had been brutally beaten and raped while walking Tuesday afternoon on a walking path near her apartment in Provo (the Branbury Apartments). It was a nice day on Tuesday so "M" (I will call her) decided to go for a walk about 3:00 Tuesday afternoon. She was grabbed and drug into the bushes just off the path shortly after she left her apartment. Her attacker "left her for dead", according to police. She somehow found the strength to crawl 30 feet back to the path and was found around 6:30 that evening. I know she did not make it back to the path on her own. She could not see because of how badly she had been beaten. I am sure a special angel helped her to get to the path. Her mother told me how the Dr. that first treated her and the police told her how calm and courageous "M" has been. She has been quite insistent on letting police know (using sign language, she has not been able to speak yet because of a tube she has down her throat to help her breath) all she remembers about the horrible man who attacked her. On Friday police found a suspect and they have him in custody. If you would like to read more about her case you can read about it on Fox13 news Utah. Search for "Provo woman raped". "M" in still in ICU at Utah Valley Medical Center. She was in Provo going to school and putting together a portfolio, her dream was to be a model. "M" is a beautiful girl who is about 6 feet tall and probably weighs about 115 lbs. She was so badly beaten many bones in her face were broken, she lost many teeth, she has a trake (sp?) tube to help her breath still. She has a long battle ahead of her.
"M"'s mother told me Thursday night a member of the Seventy came to her hospital room and gave her a Priesthood blessing. In the blessing he said that she would recover physically, mentally, and spiritually from this and that her attacker would be caught. He also told her that her name is on the First Presidency's pray roll. What a blessing it is to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and to be able to receive sacred Priesthood blessings. I post this to help us all remember our great blessings and also to ask you to pray for "M" and her family. And if you feel like you would like to do more, a bank account has been set up at State Bank, in Cedar City. I was talking to my mom about this on Thursday night and I wanted to do SOMETHING to help. My mom suggested asking 10 people to donate 10 dollars. I said "yeah, what if I asked 10 people to ask 10 people to donate 10 dollars? " I started telling people that and it got bigger than I could imagine. The town I live in is SO great. Well someone else had already set up an account at State Bank so I am telling people to take their money there. If you would like to donate any money you can go by or call the State Bank in Cedar City and make a donation to the Provo Survivor Fund. I know this was a long post. Thank you for reading it!! Tell anyone you would like to about the Provo Survivor Fund at State Bank in Cedar City and Please remember "M" and her family in your prayers:)
I saw that on the news when it happened. I couldn't believe something like that would happen in broad day light- SO SCARY. Thanks for letting us know how we can help.
ReplyDeleteThat is so awful! Reading this post just made me realize all over again how careful we all need to be... We will be praying for "your girl". How is she doing now?
ReplyDeletewe will definitely pray for her and her family - please keep us posted on her progress. What a horrible experience.
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