Akron Survivor Turns Tragedy Into Hope 10 Years Later

Ten years after a former boyfriend shot her three times and left her blind, Ayauna Edwards-Bush stood before a crowd at the Akron Blind Center to share a message of survival and hope.

Edwards-Bush was found by runners at Cuyahoga Valley National Park after the 2016 attack. She lost her eyesight but gained a mission: to help other women recognize the warning signs and get out safely.

"I never thought that I would be in a position to talk about how I am, and where I came from, and how I overcame so much," Edwards-Bush said at Wednesday's event marking her 10-year anniversary of survival.

The woman Edwards-Bush was most excited to see that day was Lindsay Knight, a victim advocate who supported her through the aftermath. Knight represents the kind of help that can make the difference between life and death for women in abusive relationships.

Teresa Stafford-Wright, CEO of Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center, says the most dangerous time for a woman in an abusive relationship is when she decides to leave. Access to a gun makes an abuser five times more likely to kill their victim, and more than 70 women are shot and killed by their partners every month in America.

"Take those threats serious," Stafford-Wright said. "Your life may be in danger, especially if someone has access to a gun and violence is already present in the relationship."

The hardest losses for Edwards-Bush weren't what most people might expect. She misses cloud watching with her kids and making shapes in the sky. She misses reading books to her son while he splashes in the bath.

The Akron Blind Center helped her reclaim her independence and taught her how to navigate the world without sight. Now she uses that freedom to warn others and offer hope to survivors still finding their way.

Why This Inspires

Edwards-Bush's 11-year-old son Jaiveon was just one year old when his mother was shot. He sat in the audience Wednesday, watching her speak with pride.

"I play football, and when I'm having a bad day, I think of her," Jaiveon said. "She's the one that keeps me motivated."

His mother survived the unsurvivable and turned her trauma into a toolkit for helping others escape before it's too late. Victim advocates like Knight provide safety plans, guide survivors through the justice system, and offer the support that can save lives.

Edwards-Bush's willingness to share her story proves that even the darkest chapters can lead to light for others.