STEPHANIE SCHURMAN

Stephanie Schurman was brutally beaten and sexually assaulted in a small Georgia town in 1993. She was unpacking her car late one night and bringing her three little girls into her apartment when her cousin’s ex-boyfriend attacked her. 

He beat and raped her and, as she tried to escape, grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed her multiple times, promising to kill her. Stephanie pretended to be dead and her attacker escaped through a window. She mustered the energy to run outside and knock on her neighbors’ doors until an upstairs neighbor finally answered and called police. The suspect was caught and convicted, but only served 15 years.

Since that horrific night, Stephanie has moved forward with her life, remarried a great man, and found the strength to share her story. She even wrote a book called Pain 2 Purpose, using it as both a teaching tool and a source of inspiration for others. She has forgiven her attacker, and now uses her past as a tool to help other survivors of domestic abuse. Stephanie now holds a bachelor degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Education Leadership.

After her first surgery with Face Forward, she knew she found a new mission in wanting to pay it forward. She is proud member of the Patient Advocacy Board and, as a pastor, she looks to help spread the word about Face Forward to various church organizations.