The Scariest Night of My Life
Last summer, I had just returned home from Miss International – I was on top of the world and preparing for my first on-camera interview with my new title. I was running all sorts of errands to prepare and like many evenings before this, I drove 2 miles away to get a routine spray tan. By the time I left it was dark out and I had to pick up one more thing from my boyfriend Kevin’s house before finally getting some sleep for the big interview.
I drove there using a roundabout way in order to avoid the two slowest traffic lights (in creation – really!). I take this route often and actually used to live along it. Amherst, NY is consistently listed among the top 10 safest neighborhoods in the country after all.
I noticed that there were headlights in my rearview mirror and thinking how weird it is that they left at the exact same time as me and were going to the same place. I brushed it aside as coincidence and made the turn to the main road, sang along to the radio and ran through practice questions. I turned onto Kevin’s street and the headlights were still there. Now I’m a little concerned – until they pulled over about 5 houses before my stop. I thought to myself, “Ok, Miss Paranoid, see they live on the street, no coincidence”.
I pull over at Kevin’s and stay in the driver’s seat for a minute or so while I gather a few things in my arms (including my tiny clutch purse). I get out of the car and a white SUV comes to a slamming stop next to me. Kevin drives a white SUV so my first thought was he was getting there at the same time and was messing with me. Then the driver’s door opens and a man gets out (not Kevin). We lock eyes, no words are exchanged, and he takes three steps towards a frozen me and then lunges at me, arms outstretched. At that moment I scream at the top of my lungs (I was a cheerleader and have the voice of a siren, thank goodness), turn on my heels, and sprint towards the house. The door was unlocked so I run through it and until that point I didn’t even look behind me to see if I was being followed into the house – I wasn’t.
We called the police and within minutes they arrived and recounted detail after detail and was amazed at all I remembered about this person in just those few seconds. In the upcoming weeks we went through seeing surveillance photos of the person we suspected plastered on the news, detectives stopping to see me at work and ask further questions. Eventually, the person was found, tried, and found guilty. I am one of he lucky ones.
There are steps I could have taken to avoid this… trusted my instincts and rounded the block a few extra times to put my suspicions to rest, asked Kevin to meet me outside the house, called the police to come follow me. You better believe I am much more aware of my surroundings and situation every single day.
I share this with you because you are public figures in your communities. You never know who is watching you, admiring you, following your travels and appearances. It is imperative that you practice all possible measures to keep you safe and secure in your homes and while you are on the go. It is difficult to think that there are people in this world with impure thoughts and motives, but the most important thing we can do is be aware and take the extra steps of precaution.
Seek Happiness,
I drove there using a roundabout way in order to avoid the two slowest traffic lights (in creation – really!). I take this route often and actually used to live along it. Amherst, NY is consistently listed among the top 10 safest neighborhoods in the country after all.
I noticed that there were headlights in my rearview mirror and thinking how weird it is that they left at the exact same time as me and were going to the same place. I brushed it aside as coincidence and made the turn to the main road, sang along to the radio and ran through practice questions. I turned onto Kevin’s street and the headlights were still there. Now I’m a little concerned – until they pulled over about 5 houses before my stop. I thought to myself, “Ok, Miss Paranoid, see they live on the street, no coincidence”.
I pull over at Kevin’s and stay in the driver’s seat for a minute or so while I gather a few things in my arms (including my tiny clutch purse). I get out of the car and a white SUV comes to a slamming stop next to me. Kevin drives a white SUV so my first thought was he was getting there at the same time and was messing with me. Then the driver’s door opens and a man gets out (not Kevin). We lock eyes, no words are exchanged, and he takes three steps towards a frozen me and then lunges at me, arms outstretched. At that moment I scream at the top of my lungs (I was a cheerleader and have the voice of a siren, thank goodness), turn on my heels, and sprint towards the house. The door was unlocked so I run through it and until that point I didn’t even look behind me to see if I was being followed into the house – I wasn’t.
We called the police and within minutes they arrived and recounted detail after detail and was amazed at all I remembered about this person in just those few seconds. In the upcoming weeks we went through seeing surveillance photos of the person we suspected plastered on the news, detectives stopping to see me at work and ask further questions. Eventually, the person was found, tried, and found guilty. I am one of he lucky ones.
There are steps I could have taken to avoid this… trusted my instincts and rounded the block a few extra times to put my suspicions to rest, asked Kevin to meet me outside the house, called the police to come follow me. You better believe I am much more aware of my surroundings and situation every single day.
I share this with you because you are public figures in your communities. You never know who is watching you, admiring you, following your travels and appearances. It is imperative that you practice all possible measures to keep you safe and secure in your homes and while you are on the go. It is difficult to think that there are people in this world with impure thoughts and motives, but the most important thing we can do is be aware and take the extra steps of precaution.
Seek Happiness,
Jesse
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