A woman who miraculously survived a brutal abduction, assault, and attempted murder shared chilling details about her ordeal.
On the night of December 18, 1994, Alison Botha's life took a harrowing turn after enjoying a night with friends in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
After parking up at her apartment complex, the then-27-year-old was abducted by a man at knifepoint, after he forced his way into her car. "Move over or I’ll kill you," he told her.
He then drove to a nearby accomplice, and the two men transported Botha to a deserted area on the outskirts of the town.
The two men - later identified as Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger, both with a history of violence against women - proceeded to rape Botha.
In an attempt to kill her, they then suffocated their victim - causing Botha to lose consciousness. However, she fought through and continued breathing.
When this failed, the men stabbed Botha at least 30 times in the abdomen.
However, Botha somehow still survived - and her leg twitched.
Angered by their victim's resilience, du Toit and Kruger then attempted to decapitate Botha - slashing at her neck 16 times.
In her memoir, I Have Life, Botha recalled the horrific moment, saying: "All I could see was an arm moving above my face.
"Left and right and left and right. His movements were making a sound. A wet sound, it was the sound of my flesh being slashed open. He was cutting my throat with the knife. Again and again and again."
Speaking in Afrikaans, one of the men asked: "Do you think she’s dead?" To which, the other replied: "No one can survive that." They then dumped her body out of the car and drove away.
But Botha somehow did survive.
Clinging onto life and lying on sand and broken glass, Botha used what she thought would be her final moments to leave a "clue" for those who would discover her. Amazingly, she wrote the names of her attackers in the dirt, before adding: "I love Mom."
However - unwilling to die - Botha then saw headlights up ahead through the bushes. She knew that if she could drag herself to them, she may stand a chance at surviving.
"As I struggled forward my sight faded in and out and I fell many times but managed to get up again until I finally reached the road," she said.
Horrifically, it was at this moment that Botha realized the true extend of her injuries. She recalled pulling herself up, only for her head - nearly decapitated - to fall backward, as she used one of her hands to hold her head up.
Additionally, she could feel her intestines protruding from her abdomen - forcing her to use her other hand to apply pressure and keep her internal organs from spilling out.
Miraculously, it wasn't long before a car drove by and spotted the fallen Botha. Inside the vehicle was Tiaan Eilerd - a young veterinary student who was on vacation.
"God put me on that road that night for a reason," Eilerd later recalled.
As the pair waited for the emergency services to arrive, the young vet was able to use his skills to tuck Botha's thyroid back inside her body.
Once at a hospital, staff were horrified by the injuries that lay before them.
Dr. Alexander Angelov would later describe Botha's injuries as some of the worst he had seen in his 16 years as a doctor. Fortunately, doctors were able to save Botha, and the hunt for her attackers was on.
Dubbed the "Ripper Rapists" in the media, Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger were swiftly arrested, and both pled guilty to charges including attempted murder, rape, and kidnapping. They were both handed life sentences in 1995.
In the summer of 2023, both men were released on parole, sparking outrage on social media. Botha had reportedly not been notified of their release.
Nevertheless, Botha remains an inspiration - a living embodiment showcasing the will and power to survive. She has become a powerful voice for survivors of sexual assault, sharing her story with unflinching honesty and grace. In her own words: "I didn't want to be a victim. I wanted to be a survivor."
Botha's story was immortalized in a book, I Have Life, and the movie, Alison.
Upon the release of the movie, Botha said: "I have always hoped that by sharing my own journey with others, it would give them hope and courage for their own. To have my story and ultimate triumph shared on screen, would mean that so many more people would see the power of choice that we each have; and might also choose to triumph over life's hardships."
Her remarkable recovery and subsequent activism also earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Rotarian Paul Harris Fellowship Award for 'Courage Beyond the Norm' and Femina magazine’s 'Woman of Courage' award.
As she previously defiantly stated: "I am not defined by what happened to me. I am defined by how I responded to it."
Tragically, earlier this year, Alison suffered a brain aneurysm and was once again left fighting for her life.
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