The Home Invasion that Distroyed Her Life

I am not sure how to say this, because I am a very private person and was embarrassed and to proud to share it and admit I need help. But hoping my story will help someone who may be going through or prevent someone from going through the devastating tragic event that I endured. I have been so mentally and physically lost for three years now, due to the fact,  I was home invaded at 3:30am on August of 2016.  Thank the Lord my baby girl was with her daddy in Augusta when this happened. The perpetrator Brandon Dean Childers, was someone who I had met on Plenty of Fish, went out with a few times, and I ended it with no communication, six months before the crime. I Even blocked him on my phone and Facebook. After the invasion I learned from my neighbors that his vehicle had been seen near my home and in my driveway multiple times...Needless to say he was stalking me and casing my home for burglary without my knowledge. He managed to steal all of my electronics, jewelry, handgun, key to my car and house, purse, wallet, garage door opener, and my cellphone that was charging on my nightstand next to my bed while I was a sleep. God awoke me to his last stop in my bedroom. I thought I was dreaming while I watched him going through my jewelry boxes and removing my jewelry from my dresser. I was not aware he had my gun, so I jumped up out of my bed and started yelling and chasing him while he ran out of my home, jumped into his vehicle that was parked and running in my yard. I ran behind his vehicle down the road in the nude. After going back into my home to call 911, realizing everything was gone including my gun...I realize that his 2nd stop in my bedroom was more than likely his plan to kill me with my own gun. If it were not for the Lord waking me up, I wouldn’t probably be alive right now. Although some days I wish I wasn’t. It was the perps goal to disable me from being able to call 911 (no phone) drive my car (no keys) open my garage door (no door opener) lock my house doors (no keys) no money or credit cards to purchase or replace anything that was stolen. I frantically ran over to my neighbors home to use their phone to call 911.  After the police interviewed me. They called him on the phone and made an appointment with him to come in for an interview the next day!!!! Really??? I totally flipped out because I thought he would come back to my home and try to hurt me, now that he had been identified by me and contacted by law enforcement...He finally showed up for the interview 2 days later, where he was charged with 1st Degree Burglary with a handgun during a violent crime. The very next day he was arraigned and bonded out by his parents. Even after I gave my testimony to the judge and begged him not to release him. I was emotionally, mentally, and physically distraught. I couldn’t eat, sleep, nor think. I was completely overwhelmed with guilt that I brought this psycho into my life. Not to mention paranoid, hyper vigilant, and reliving the invasion over and over again in my head. Because he knew where I lived and worked I was terrified to even exist. However, I still managed with God’s strength, to stay in my home and go back to work 2 days later.   When I returned to work at Horry County Schools District Office, the information (gossip) had made its rounds throughout my department. Everyone except for my best friend Trisha Lewis, treated me like I had a highly contagious disease...After a few more days, I began to realize that I was really messed up and needed psychiatric and counseling help. My doctors and therapist quickly diagnosed me with sever PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) I continued to go to work, take care of myself, doggie, home, meeting with law enforcement, solicitors, Victim advocates, Physicians and therapists. Even though, every minute of everyday all I wanted to do was die. Depending on perceptions to go to sleep, wake up, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, hyper vigilance, night terrors, chronic migraines...the symptoms go on and on...i even went to the ER thinking I was having a stoke or heart attack. During this nightmare I Went for my GYN check up and was told I have Cerivical Cancer and had to have an Emergency Hysterectomy. Thank the Lord my physician was able to remove everything and no cancer had spread. Over a year later, after multiple hearings, he was arrested again for being located, by his ankle tracing devise, near my job. He was bonded out again by his parents, dispite me pleading to the judge not to allow it, and because the trial had been scheduled for the next week and I was afraid he was gonna come after me or take off. Well...of courses the next day, he managed to remove his ankle tracking device and disappear!!!! You can’t even understand unless you have been through something like this, how terrified, discussed, and sick i was to learn that. Meanwhile, because I was missing so much work, my coworkers and supervisors were not understanding at all. They constantly complained, whispered so I could actually here them, and frowned upon me because a few of them had to assist with my work load during my absences. Finally, a decision was made to have the trial even though the perp was on the run. After 5 hours of my testimony as well as witnesses and evidence presented...the jury found him guilty of Burglary in the 1st Degree. The judge decided not to sentence him until he was apprehended and in front of the court. Guess what? My supervisor had the nerve to call me right after the trial was over and demanded me to return to work...yea right!!! She saw the post online news report at 2pm and really expected me to come to work afterwards!!!! Here we go again with the disapproval with my job....six months later the perp was arrested in Virginia for attempted murder!!!! He was extradited back to MYrtle Beach, SC and the sentence hearing was scheduled the next day.  When he was on the run...I felt like I was loosing my mind. Everything on my body was in horrible pain. I had shut down and withdrawn from everyone and thing in my life. I had even began smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol everyday. I sold my home because I was afraid he would find me. Constantly terrified at work that he would find me. I was living a constant nightmare everyday. Thankfully, in May of 2018 he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with no opportunity for early release.  Even though it was one of the  most difficult things I have ever done, I fought so hard constantly to have the perp in prison so he could not hurt anyone else again. I thought ok, now I can try to begin to heal, pick up all of the broken pieces and try to move forward with my life. Nope!!! Didn’t happen... two weeks later, I was terminated from my job for all of my absences and not able to complete my job responsibilities when I was not there. It took months for me to realize that I really was not capable of doing the job as a Educational Administrative Assistant,  I had been doing for the past 22 years because the PTSD had gotten worse and I was not the same person that I once was. Something inside of me broke that tragic night and I have tried and fought so hard to overcome with no success. So, no job, no home, unable to work, no money, no health insurance, sick mentally and physically everyday...I just hate it! For the friends and family who knew me, pre home invasion, know how much I valued life, love, family, friends, laughter, church, hope, my home, career, and most of all my children, the list goes on and on and on...Thank the Lord, he sent a few wonderful people (if you are reading this you know exactly who you are) into my life during this horrific journey over the past three years. They have tried to love, understand, advise, encourage, love, friendship, given me a place to sleep, food to eat, helped me pay a few bills. I will forever and always be humbled and grateful to you and Jesus Christ for everything. Unfortunately, because I am unable to work, My vehicle is about to be repossessed, I can’t afford to go to the doctor or dentist, pay for my prescription medications, buy food to eat, having to sometimes sleep in my car with my doggie. I would appreciate anything you could give to help me stay safe and alive. I have filed for Social Security Disability, but as you may know, It takes along time to get approved. I have created a go fund me page to get me through these difficult times. I would greatly appreciate anything God lays upon your heart to give. As I always love to say....lots of love, hugs, and prayers to you all. Teresa