HOUSTON — Carolyn Thomas has been advocating for victims of domestic abuse since she was shot in December 2003. She heads the Carolyn Thomas Foundation: Voices 4 All which encourages those in abusive relationships to flee and seek refuge elsewhere. 

Thomas recalls the tumultuous relationship with her then-boyfriend and wishes she would've recognized early red flags.

“Jealousy, wanting me to go here, can’t go there, can't do this. Those are definitely the first signs. And when he hit me the first time I thought like wow, what did I do? Did I do something wrong? And I didn't do anything,” she said. 

Thomas said the beatings were only the start, then it got much worse leading up to a drug-fueled fit of jealous rage in which her partner pulled out a handgun in their Waco apartment.

“He actually turned the gun on my mom, shot her in the abdomen area and then took me into the living room where he shot me in the face at point blank range,” she said. 

Her mother didn't survive the shooting. Thomas can't remember everything from that night 18 years ago, but based on accounts from her family and doctors, Thomas was a walking miracle. She survived the shooting despite missing 80% of her face.

Work soon began to outfit Thomas with prosthesis which includes an eye, face, and nose. For two years, Thomas' jaw would be wired shut and her only meals were administered via tracheal tube.

A subsequent People Magazine article labeled Thomas "the woman with half a face" and soon after she became stable she began sharing her story on large platforms including the Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live and others. This was Thomas' first venture into activism, and recognized the importance of sharing her story in an effort to save the lives of other women.

“I know while I was in the hospital, I always asked like what is my purpose, like what am I gonna do? What am I supposed to do? And I'm here to save lives,” she said.

She now leads a regular life. She moves around her apartment freely and without much assistance, though she admits running into furniture has become a norm. Still, she's grateful to be alive and insists her work won't stop to help other women and honor the memory of her mother.

“You always think about it. And it's really rough during the time of her birthday or like I got Thanksgiving coming up and Christmas. So you know it's kind of hard to deal with those holidays,” she said.

Thomas' life changed forever in one night, but she is a survivor and her story is still being written.