She won Oprah's "Chutzpah" Award by putting her strength to the ultimate test. Awoken in her bed by an attacker, Melissa was determined not to let him overpower her. Fighting for her life, she got control of the gun her attacker intended to use against her...and pulled the trigger.
Melissa: I have less fear now—because if you think about it, the thing that I feared the most is what happened to me. I would rather have died that night than have been the victim of rape. The decision I made was to fight.
Oprah: This award is meant to represent the heart and courage you showed. Congratulations!
|
