Helping Lisa start over
Donation protected
I have organized this for my friend Lisa Ripp. As many of her followers know Lisa is a fierce fighter. She overcame a violent Rape and Kidnapping 20 years ago. Lisa made a poor choice that night, but she did not deserve what happened to her. She was raped repeatedly, beating her, breaking her jaw and giving her a brain hemorrhage. After 18 hours she escaped naked through a window. Sadly, it took 10 years to bring her assailant to justice. Lisa fought very hard to get the case to trial and her assailant received life in prison.
Lisa went on to try to help other women who suffered from sexual assault and children. Lisa had a room built at District Attorney's office in New Orleans, LA that is for children of sexual assault. A room that is filled with stuffed animals and other comfort items. Additionally, Lisa was the keynote speaker at the 2017 Crime Victim Awareness Month and speeches for the DA in New Orleans. Lisa has fought tirelessly for victims.
Lisa suffered for years from what she now knows is Complex PTSD, which she was finally diagnosed with in 2016. Lisa was able to use fitness as a way to control her PTSD. She went from being overweight from her bad eating habits that she used to cope with PTSD, to being a licensed personal trainer.
Lisa shares her story in hopes of helping other women. In doing so she leaves herself vulnerable to bullying. There are people unfortunately, who continue to victim shame and try to take away from Lisa's message of hope and recovery. Lisa has always owned her story and it has never changed. She's the first to say she made some very bad choices, however it is not her, the victim's fault that he chose to violate her.
Lisa suffers from Complex PTSD and the continued bullying, as you can imagine, has lead to a downward spiral for Lisa. Having her rapists words spoken to her again through bullies, her husband accused of being her "John" and lies of current drug abuse has take it's toll.
This was the beginning of a nightmare. Having to go back, relive, defend that dark time had a profound affect on Lisa's recovery. She began to struggle, have nightmares, ensuing family issues and eventually relapse on alcohol. That was devastating to her and more than she could handle. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself back to the present.
This past Saturday, everything went dark. Lisa attempted to take her own life. Her husband found her and if he had found her any later, it would have been too late. It took 10 hours before they could wake Lisa up, and a while longer before she could get the words out "am I going to die?" the doctors told her they didn't know.
Lisa spent 3 days in ICU. Her liver and kidneys were damaged. Her liver count is almost back to normal, but her kidneys are failing. The hospital is giving her a 3 day IV treatment to hope to heal the kidneys. If that goes well, Lisa will be released 8/31 and head to a wellness facility for 90 days to treat her Complex PTSD. Lisa deeply regrets her choice on Saturday, but she stresses PTSD is real!
Lisa had to give up her apartment and her job when this happened and will not be able to work while she is being treated. Lisa has hopes of starting fresh when she gets out of treatment and creating a new life for her and her two teenage daughters. Lisa needs the financial help to cover daily charges at the wellness facility that insurance does not cover, incidentals that she will need for the 3 months she is away getting treatment, in addition to putting a deposit on a new apartment, furnish it and pay incidental bills. Lisa is a hard worker, and will begin working once she is well enough. But for now, Lisa needs a little help and she has done so much to help others.
If you know of someone who has been sexually assaulted or contemplated suicide and have been through this, please consider donating to Lisa to help her start a new life.
Lisa has been given access to this account and she and she alone is the only one who can withdraw from it. I will end this campaign as soon as she enters inpatient treatment this month.
This is Lisa after her attack. Bruises all around her mouth and eyes. This is Lisa just a couple of months ago, before her relapse.
Lisa went on to try to help other women who suffered from sexual assault and children. Lisa had a room built at District Attorney's office in New Orleans, LA that is for children of sexual assault. A room that is filled with stuffed animals and other comfort items. Additionally, Lisa was the keynote speaker at the 2017 Crime Victim Awareness Month and speeches for the DA in New Orleans. Lisa has fought tirelessly for victims.
Lisa suffered for years from what she now knows is Complex PTSD, which she was finally diagnosed with in 2016. Lisa was able to use fitness as a way to control her PTSD. She went from being overweight from her bad eating habits that she used to cope with PTSD, to being a licensed personal trainer.
Lisa shares her story in hopes of helping other women. In doing so she leaves herself vulnerable to bullying. There are people unfortunately, who continue to victim shame and try to take away from Lisa's message of hope and recovery. Lisa has always owned her story and it has never changed. She's the first to say she made some very bad choices, however it is not her, the victim's fault that he chose to violate her.
Lisa suffers from Complex PTSD and the continued bullying, as you can imagine, has lead to a downward spiral for Lisa. Having her rapists words spoken to her again through bullies, her husband accused of being her "John" and lies of current drug abuse has take it's toll.
This was the beginning of a nightmare. Having to go back, relive, defend that dark time had a profound affect on Lisa's recovery. She began to struggle, have nightmares, ensuing family issues and eventually relapse on alcohol. That was devastating to her and more than she could handle. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself back to the present.
This past Saturday, everything went dark. Lisa attempted to take her own life. Her husband found her and if he had found her any later, it would have been too late. It took 10 hours before they could wake Lisa up, and a while longer before she could get the words out "am I going to die?" the doctors told her they didn't know.
Lisa spent 3 days in ICU. Her liver and kidneys were damaged. Her liver count is almost back to normal, but her kidneys are failing. The hospital is giving her a 3 day IV treatment to hope to heal the kidneys. If that goes well, Lisa will be released 8/31 and head to a wellness facility for 90 days to treat her Complex PTSD. Lisa deeply regrets her choice on Saturday, but she stresses PTSD is real!
Lisa had to give up her apartment and her job when this happened and will not be able to work while she is being treated. Lisa has hopes of starting fresh when she gets out of treatment and creating a new life for her and her two teenage daughters. Lisa needs the financial help to cover daily charges at the wellness facility that insurance does not cover, incidentals that she will need for the 3 months she is away getting treatment, in addition to putting a deposit on a new apartment, furnish it and pay incidental bills. Lisa is a hard worker, and will begin working once she is well enough. But for now, Lisa needs a little help and she has done so much to help others.
If you know of someone who has been sexually assaulted or contemplated suicide and have been through this, please consider donating to Lisa to help her start a new life.
Lisa has been given access to this account and she and she alone is the only one who can withdraw from it. I will end this campaign as soon as she enters inpatient treatment this month.
This is Lisa after her attack. Bruises all around her mouth and eyes. This is Lisa just a couple of months ago, before her relapse.
Organizer and beneficiary
David Spirits
Organizer
Boca Raton, FL
Lisa Ripp
Beneficiary
