Eighteen-year-old Amedy Dewey was all too familiar with the rage and fear that her stepfather instilled in her and her mother. For 5 years, she was subjected to living in an environment with constant uncertainty of what might happen next, until the day finally came when she was shot in the face by her stepfather.
For many children, domestic violence is a daily reality. More than 15 million children in America have experienced some form of domestic violence at least once. Home should be considered a safe space for children, but for many, this is not the case.
Amedy’s story is a traumatic experience that haunts her every day. However, it is also a story of resilience and strength, and it has given her life purpose. Today, she has made it her life’s mission to bring awareness to others on the signs of danger and domestic violence. She is using her voice to help others in similar situations before things end in tragedy.
Amedy often speaks about the early warning signs that were overlooked, such as her stepfather’s controlling behavior, verbal threats, emotional abuse, and access to firearms. She urges people to take these signals seriously, as they can escalate without warning. “If someone constantly threatens your safety or tries to isolate you from others, that’s not love. That’s a warning,” she says.
How the Incident Unfolded
On a cold winter’s day in Michigan on January 6, 2018, Amedy and her mother were fetched from the airport by her stepfather. His driving became increasingly worrying and Amedy’s mother began yelling at him to slow down. He became angry and pulled the car over on the side of the highway. As they began to get out of the car, her mother cried, ”Amy, he has a gun. Get back in the car.” Amedy quickly got in the car and began to dial 911. Within seconds, she heard a deafening sound, and everything went black.
Amedy’s stepfather had shot her in the face. The bullet hit through her right shoulder, entering the right side of her face and exiting on the left. Her mother was certain that her daughter was dead and knew she was next. She put up a fight before her husband killed her, and then turned the gun on himself.
While Amedy regained consciousness, she tried to alert Siri on her phone to call for help. She quickly realised she had a mouth full of blood and was unable to speak. She began to flash the headlights and honk the car horn in order to get the attention of other drivers. Eventually, she climbed out of the car and tried to blindly flag down passing cars.
Eventually, there were people who started to call 911 and report what they had witnessed on the side of the road. An officer approached the scene to find Amedy critically wounded in the face. When she arrived at the hospital, doctors gave her less than a 2% chance of survival, but Amedy was insistent that she would survive.
The Road to Recovery
After Amedy was violently shot in the face by her stepfather, she soon began working with her doctors and undergoing surgery to start reconstructing her face and jaw. Today, she us undergone 37 surgeries, with the latest one in November 2024, where doctors created a new jawbone and teeth for her. Eventually, she plans to have a prosthetic eye implanted, which she says, “It’s another piece to put in the puzzle.”
Throughout her recovery, Amedy credits much of her strength to the doctors, her friends, and family who rallied around her. Organizations like NextGenFace and Northwell Health not only provided medical care but emotional encouragement. “I wouldn’t be here without them,” she often says, highlighting how community care plays a vital role in healing from trauma.
Amedy struggled a lot after the traumatic incident, finding herself at her lowest point. She has since dealt with PTSD, anxiety, and the emotional pain of losing her mother in such a brutal way. “I felt like I didn’t have a purpose in this world. It was just surgery after surgery after surgery.” But now, “I just want people to see the signs of danger, domestic violence and abuse, and be able to realize, ’I’m not in a safe environment. My kids aren’t safe. I need to get them out.’ “
Amedy is now working towards a degree as a trauma therapist. She wishes to help others who have experienced a traumatic experience like she did. “I keep going for my family, for strangers. I don’t want anybody to suffer what I went through.”
Turning Pain Into Purpose
Amedy Dewey’s journey is a heartbreaking reminder of the hidden dangers many children face behind closed doors. She continues to share her story with the world and has become an advocate for domestic violence, gun safely and mental health awareness.
Her survival and determination to turn pain into purpose offer hope to those still trapped in the shadows of abuse. By speaking out and helping others find their voice, Amedy is proving that even in the aftermath of unimaginable trauma, and being shot in the face, healing and change are possible.
Her story urges us all to listen and learn from her experience, because no child should ever feel unsafe in their own home.
Read More: He Was Just 7 When He Told the Court His Mom Killed His Sister, Now He’s Finally Speaking Out
