Carolyn Thomas was shot in the face by her abusive ex-boyfriend, who also killed her mother. She suffered extensive injuries that required multiple reconstructive surgeries to rebuild her jaw, eye socket, nose, and upper lip. Although she now must use a trachea tube and breathing apparatus, Carolyn has become an advocate against domestic violence, sharing her story to educate and empower women. She travels the country warning about the prevalence and dangers of domestic abuse.

1. Domestic Violence
Presentation
Featuring
Carolyn Thomas

2. Carolyn Thomas, a 34-year-old former track star was shot in the
face by an abusive ex-boyfriend who also killed her mother. She
wears a mask-like bandage to protect her from infection and the
stares of those who are unknowing of her experiences.

3. This is an undated photo of Carolyn Thomas before her face was
destroyed in a shooting.

4. Carolyn Thomas must feed herself four times a day using a tube
attached to her stomach.

5. With Stan and Jan to keep her company, Carolyn must constantly
remind herself to stay upbeat. "I'm alive for a reason. I don't
question God," she says.

6. Passing an unidentified shopper at Wal-Mart, Carolyn Thomas
heads down the aisles quickly to avoid the stares of those who are
unfamiliar with the tragedy of her past.

7. Adjusting her trachea tube, Carolyn Thomas cleans it constantly in
order to breathe comfortably and to talk.

8. This photo shows Janice Reeves, Carolyn Thomas' mother, who
was shot dead by her daughter's boyfriend in 2003.

9. Carolyn Thomas reacts as prosecutor Crawford Long displays a .
44 Magnum for her to identify during the trial of Terrence Kelly in
Waco in April 2005. Terrence used the gun to shoot Thomas in the
face.

10. Terrence Kelly leaves court April 15, 2005, in Waco. He was
convicted of shooting Carolyn Thomas in the face and killing her
mother in 2003. He is serving a life sentence.

11. THE SURGICAL PROCESS
(VERY GRAPHIC)

12. With half her face shot off, it will take several surgeries to
reconstruct her facial skull.

13. Besides the jaw, tissue, and bone, Carolyn lost an eye, nose, and
upper lip.

14. The first of several surgeries; the goal was to make sure Carolyn
could breathe while preventing infection.

15. Next the eye socket was repaired allowing for a
removable socket to be used.

16. After having several skins grafts, where skin was removed from her back
and legs, the jaw line was built and closed. An upper lip was also
constructed.

17. During this process, a plaster mold is made of her face to build her a nose.

18. The area of the nose is built with a synthetic so as not to cause
chaffing, making it easier for Carolyn to breathe.

19. Each
day, she
will have
to glue
the piece
to her
face to
apply the
synthetic
nose.

21. Doctors constructed several noses attempting to match it to the original
nose. Carolyn chose the one she felt closely resembled her original nose.

22. Life Begins Anew!

23. She is the face of domestic violence. She travels
the country sharing her story, teaching women,
warning women, empowering women.

24. Prevalence of Domestic Violence
•
Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or
former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year1 to three million women
who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend per year.
•
Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten,
coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime.
•
Nearly one-third of American women (31 percent) report being
physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point
in their lives
•
Nearly 25 percent of American women report being raped and/or
physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner,
or date at some time in their lifetime
•
Thirty percent of Americans say they know a woman who has been
physically abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year.
•
Intimate partner violence is primarily a crime against women.
•
Women accounted for 85 % of the intimate partner violence (588,490
total) and men accounted for 15 % of the victims
•
While women are less likely than men to be victims of violent crimes
overall, women are five to eight times more likely than men to be
victimized by an intimate partner.