‘Clothes swap saved my life’
When Chantell Hayles was attacked, the doctor told her she was lucky she hadn’t been killed... but she only found out later why she had been saved
My friend Keira* and I were 16 and walking into town together talking about how we loved each other’s jackets. Keira shrugged off her denim jacket. ‘Let’s swap!’ she beamed. I took it and gave her my black cotton one. Suddenly I spotted someone I knew – Jasmine*. She flew at me, her face was racked with fury. I had no idea why! I felt something weird in my back and there was blood. Someone called an ambulance and, as I got in, I saw a large knife in Jasmine’s hand – I’d been stabbed. ‘You’re lucky,’ the doctor told me after he’d stitched up my wound. ‘The thick fabric of your jacket stopped the knife from piercing your heart.’ If I’d been wearing my lighter jacket, I would have died. It felt like a wake-up call. A male voice in my head said, ‘It’s a sign!’ But what of? Why had I been saved? The answers didn’t come right away. I got pregnant at 17, drifted into lap dancing but hated doing it. Listening to gospel music each evening was a comfort. The wonderful messages about love and faith lifted me up. One night, at the lap dancing club, the same voice I’d heard after I was stabbed, spoke to me: ‘Go to church,’ it said. The next day I attended a service and it completely transformed my life. I never returned to lap dancing. I’ve written a book, Beauty for Ashes (£9.99 lulu.com), about my journey to God and give talks to young people going through tough times. Now I know why my miraculous jacket swap happened – I was saved so I can help others.