September 2019: Tracy Otto breaks up with her boyfriend. One month earlier he had beaten her up, and that was enough. The locks on the doors in the house are changed, and she has hope for a better life after a couple of dates with a new flirt – Rick Riessle. October 2019: Tracy and Rick have fallen asleep in bed at her house after a date. Without them noticing, the ex-boyfriend is glancing through the bedroom window. Filled with rage, he goes and buys the most dangerous weapons he can get his hands on at that time of day: a high-powered air pistol, a knife and handcuffs. The new lovebirds wake up with a crash to a man screaming in their bedroom. The attack that followed changed their lives forever. “I have killed my lover” – He shouted that he was going to kill us, and that if he did not kill himself he was going to call the police, Otto told the BBC. He then brutally attacked them. Riessle was shot twice in the face and stabbed in the back. It caused his lung to collapse. Otto was first beaten several times, before the ex shot her through the left eye. He then stabbed her in the neck and sexually assaulted her with the firearm. The abuser never took his own life. He got into the car outside Otto’s house and called the police: “I have killed my girlfriend and her new boyfriend.” He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison in 2023. Unbelievably, however, Otto and Riessle did not die, but the attack had serious consequences. Otto was worst off. She was paralyzed from the chest down. The eye she was shot in had to be removed by surgeons. AT THE HOSPITAL: Surrounded by his loved ones, Otto starts on the way back from the hospital bed – with a smile on his face. Photo: PRIVAT – I was on my deathbed But there was never any question of giving up. Five years later, Otto sensationally competes in the Paralympics. Her motivation is simple, but great: – I want to make the world a better place. The world may be dark at times, but I want to be a light. I want to help others along the way, Otto tells news. BEFORE THE ATTACK: Otto wanted to become a fitness model before his life changed. Photo: PRIVATE She wants to be open about the attack and the life that followed. And reflects on the road from that fateful night to today. – It is unbelievable. Even though I’ve lived through it, I can’t fathom it. It doesn’t feel real, she says to news. Otto smiles during the interview. Being able to compete for the USA in Paris makes her infinitely proud. – I was on my deathbed. Rising from the ashes has been quite a journey. It’s the hardest thing I’ve had to go through in my life, but I’ve also experienced a lot of fun along the way, she says. Can die within minutes news met her after preliminary rounds in archery. Saturday morning is the final. In March 2021, she tested the sport for the first time, and hit the mark on the first try. A special mechanism allows her to use her mouth to shoot the arrows. Several of the injuries are visible from the outside, but the attack has also led to major changes inside Otto’s body. Internal organs such as the bowel and bladder no longer function as normal, and the body is unable to regulate its temperature. In the scorching Paris sun, it can be downright life-threatening for the American. – I can’t sweat. Even when I get cold, my body can’t regulate the heat. It is a struggle, but we will get through it, she says. IN ACTION: With the help of his mouth, Otto gets shot at the blinkers. Photo: AP The brain is unable to communicate with the rest of the body, and Otto can suffer injuries that she does not notice. Then there is a risk that the body goes into fight mode, and the blood pressure rises. In the worst case, she has a heart attack and can die within minutes. – There is much that is difficult, my body does not work as it should. So it is difficult to do sports and get through everyday life. But it has made me more determined than ever to show the world that your condition does not define you, says Otto. And when things are difficult, it’s good to have a girlfriend who always looks out for you. Tearful in news interview During the interviews with news, both Otto and Riessle begin to cry. The tears come when they have to talk about how much their partner means to them. – He is everything to me. He has helped me through the injuries and supports me all the way. There is something not many people know, and that is that after I was injured I was abandoned in a nursing home by my family. Ricky was the one who picked me up and got me back to Florida. There we could live together, rehabilitate and try to live as normally as possible, says Otto. IN PARIS: Otto and Riessle ready for opening ceremony. Photo: PRIVAT Few can relate to the struggle they have been through together. Today, Riessle is a full-time carer for her boyfriend. – It is a very emotional day. That she is here today is a huge achievement in itself. Her motivation and willpower show the world that you can get on from anything, he says after the archery competition. He has reduced hearing after the attack, and struggles to fall asleep every night. The traumas are great for both of them. – Since all the tubes were removed at the hospital, she has had a smile on her face. She knew that the attack should not be allowed to define her. We have an incredibly strong bond between us. We are together 24 hours a day, and I am her full-time carer. She is everything to me, says Riessle. Shocked by what the Olympic winner says about the muffin 01:18 Uses MacGyver solution: – A lot you can’t get hold of 01:20 This is where things go wrong for the news reporter live 00:36 Absurd VAR protest – organized barbecue with sack race 00 :27 Show more Published 30.08.2024, at 20.32
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Ex-boyfriend tried to kill Tracy (28) – Paralympics Paris 2024
