September 2019: Tracy Otto breaks up with her boyfriend. One month earlier, he had beaten her up, and enough was enough. The locks on the doors of the house are changed, and she has hope for a better life after a couple of dates with a new fling – Rick Riessle.
October 2019: Tracy and Rick have fallen asleep in her bed after a date. Without them realizing it, her ex-boyfriend is glaring through the bedroom window. Filled with rage, he goes out and buys the most dangerous weapons he can find at that time of night: a powerful air gun, a knife, and handcuffs.
The new lovebirds wake up with a bang as a man screams inside their bedroom. The attack that followed changed their lives forever.
“I have killed my girlfriend”
– He shouted that he was going to kill us, and that if he didn’t kill himself, he was going to call the police, Otto told BBC.
He then attacked them brutally. Riessle was shot twice in the face and stabbed in the back. This caused his lung to collapse.
Otto was first beaten several times before the ex shot her through her left eye. He then stabbed her in the neck and sexually assaulted her with the firearm.
The assailant never took his own life. He sat in the car outside Otto’s house and called the police: “I have killed my girlfriend and her new boyfriend.” He later admitted guilt and was sentenced to 40 years in prison in 2023.
In a somewhat incredible way, Otto and Riessle did not die; however, the attack had serious consequences. The worst impact was on Otto. She became paralyzed from the chest down. The eye she was shot in had to be removed by surgeons.
IN HOSPITAL: Surrounded by her loved ones, Otto embarks on her journey back from the hospital bed – with a smile on her face.
Photo: PRIVATE
– I lay on my deathbed
But there was never any question of giving up. Five years later, Otto triumphantly competes in the Paralympics. Her motivation is simple but profound:
– I want to make the world a better place. The world can be dark at times, but I want to be a light. I want to help others along the way, Otto tells NRK.
BEFORE THE ATTACK: Otto wanted to become a fitness model before her life changed.
Photo: PRIVATE
She wants to be open about the attack and the life that followed. And reflects on the journey from that fateful night to the present day.
– It’s unimaginable. Even though I have lived through it, I can’t comprehend it. It doesn’t feel real, she tells NRK.
Otto smiles during the interview. Competing for the USA in Paris makes her endlessly proud.
– I lay on my deathbed. Rising from the ashes has been quite a journey. It’s the hardest thing I’ve had to go through in life, but I’ve also experienced a lot of joy along the way, she says.
Can die within minutes
NRK met her after preliminary rounds in archery. Saturday morning is the final. In March 2021, she tried the sport for the first time and hit the target on her first attempt. 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 caused significant changes inside Otto’s body. Internal organs like the intestines and bladder no longer function properly, and her body cannot regulate temperature.
In the scorching Paris sun, this can be directly life-threatening for the American.
– I cannot sweat. Even when I get cold, my body cannot regulate heat. It’s a struggle, but we’re getting through it, she tells.
IN ACTION: With the help of her mouth, Otto gets to shoot at the targets.
Photo: AP
The brain cannot communicate with the rest of the body, and Otto may sustain injuries she doesn’t notice. This creates a risk for her body to go into fight mode, causing her blood pressure to spike. In the worst case, she could have a heart attack and could die within minutes.
– There are many challenges, my body doesn’t function as it should. So it’s difficult to engage in sports and manage daily 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 get tough, it is good to have a partner who always looks out for you.
Tearful in NRK interview
During the interviews with NRK, both Otto and Riessle start to cry. Tears flow when they talk about the significance of their partner for them.
– He means everything to me. He has helped me through the injuries and supports me all the way. It’s something not many know, and that is that after I was injured, I was left in a nursing home by my family. Ricky was the one who picked me up and brought me back to Florida. There we could live together, rehabilitate, and try to live as normally as possible, Otto explains.
IN PARIS: Otto and Riessle ready for the opening ceremony.
Photo: PRIVATE
Few can understand the struggle they have gone through together. Today, Riessle is a full-time caregiver for his girlfriend.
– It’s a very emotional day. That she is here today is an enormous achievement in itself. Her motivation and willpower show the world that you can move on from anything, he says after the archery competition.
He has hearing impairment after the attack and struggles to fall asleep every night. The traumas are significant 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 would not define her. We have an incredibly strong bond between us. We are together 24 hours a day, and I am her full-time caregiver. She means everything to me, says Riessle.
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Published
30.08.2024, at 20:32