Woman manages to discover triumph through her trauma

PENSACOLA, Fla. — Stephanie Davis lost her vision six years ago, but she found her voice, her confidence, and her self-worth.

It took a self-inflicted gun-shot wound to the head for Davis to see her value. A lifetime of self-hate from abuse built up in Davis, who was then 24 years old.

She didn’t get out of bed for two months after the accident, as she refers to the dark day in July 2011. Davis she weighs no more than 110 pounds. She dropped to about 60 pounds after losing her sight and friends had to force her to eat.

“I felt worthless and ugly and no one would want to love me,” she said.

Now the 30-year-old Pensacola resident, who is in school and engaged to be married, shares her experience with others. She’s a far cry from the woman she knew just six years ago. She estimates she’s spoken to 10 different groups in the last year, including at the first Pensacola Out of the Darkness walk for suicide prevention in November.

Davis said she wouldn’t have had the courage for public speaking before losing her sight. She wouldn’t have tried dancing, as she does now a couple of times a year, because she was too insecure. Davis was introduced to dancing while studying at Independence for the Blind of West Florida and it has since become a passion.

She is studying massage therapy and is the first blind student at Pensacola College of Massage Therapy and Health Careers. Davis, a straight-A student, is on track to graduate in May.

She emphasizes tostudents she’s a capable person and encourages children not to think less of someone because of a disability.

The change in Davis’ life came as a last resort. She was listening to tapes by a blind Christian speaker named Jennifer Rothschild and was moved by Rothschild’s words.

“Truly in my heart, I know God helped me,” Davis said. “God was speaking to me and kept me alive for a reason. I want it to be known I’m alive and that there’s a reason I’m here.”