As posted in the weekend edition of the Dallas Morning News:

By MICHAEL KELLY

From Father’s Day to Thanksgiving isn’t normally such a long time – five months. But this year life moved in slow motion.

My daughter, a first-grade teacher in Killeen, Texas, had sent me a card in June saying how much she looked forward to a summer of visits and travel. The first day of the season, though, changed her life and mine and our entire family’s.

On June 21, Bridget was raped, shot three times and left for dead. She survived, some say miraculously. Now it seems years later, and we all feel years older. During this holiday season, we’ll stand in prayerful thanks ? grateful for our 25-year-old daughter, wise and strong; for an Army veteran who opened his door to her in the middle of the night; and to all who helped her get this far. [read this story and other tales of survival]

NOTE – If the link above gets pulled please comment here as I have the complete story saved offline.