"The impact of a toxic relationship had me put my entire LIFE on the back-burner," Sophia Giraldo writes on her website.
Trigger Warning: This article contains details of domestic abuse that may be distressing to readers.
A mom-of-three from New York was allegedly run over by her estranged husband's vehicle while their three young boys ages 6, 9, and 11 were in his SUV. The 11-year-old child told authorities that he saw his mother walking on the sidewalk in front of the SUV.
Sophia Giraldo, a domestic abuse survivor, made it her mission to learn from her traumatic experience to heal herself and others. She now remains hospitalized in critical condition. "The brutality of the attack, and the fact that it was committed in full view of the victim's three young children, stirs heartbreak and outrage in all of us," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement, according to NBC New York. "My thoughts are with the children," she added.
Queens dad, MTA driver Stephen Giraldo, told 3 young sons to ‘keep your seat belts on’ before running down wife, their mother, with SUV
— World Latin Honey (@WorldLatinHoney) December 29, 2022
He then climbed over son in overturned SUV to get out and stab her: prosecutors pic.twitter.com/k5B3CsAXuI
On Tuesday, December 27, 2022, 36-year-old Queens man Stephen Giraldo allegedly told them to "keep your seat belt on" before he accelerated. After the collision, the SUV tipped on its side, and he allegedly crawled out and stabbed 41-year-old Sophia. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition as she suffered brain damage, broken bones in her leg, and a stab wound that punctured her liver. The children were unharmed.
Sophia hosted The Unfiltered and Free Podcast with Sophia Giraldo and described herself as a survivor of toxic relationships, betrayal, and trauma. She spoke about her toxic marriage on the podcast just days before the attack. According to her website, she said, "The impact of a toxic relationship had me put my entire LIFE on the back-burner. I was caught up living life without boundaries and balance. The shock and betrayal had my confidence at a very low point–until a therapist shared with me that it was time I learned to live for an 'Audience of One'."
#NYC Mom #SophiaGiraldo
— NY Paralegal (@ny_paralegal) December 29, 2022
Run Over in Front of Kids Had Turned Own Pain Into Life Mission to Help Self, Others #DomesticViolence https://t.co/893MFTGxm8
Sophia runs a life coaching business that helps other victims of domestic abuse. "Learning to set healthy boundaries and receive the Truth that God had already spoken over me–that I was Beautiful and worth fighting for–literally saved my life. Today, it’s my joy to help women (like you!) redefine beauty & cultivate an environment of healing so they can fully live! So let’s connect–It’s time to take care of YOU!" she wrote.
According to New York Post, Stephen was charged with attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted, he could spend up to 25 years in prison. In her recent podcast episode, Sophia said, “I’ve just been thinking about my expectation and how as a result of trauma I tend to expect the negative. I tend to expect the worst thing to happen, the worst-case scenario. You know, all those things. And I want my new year to look different."
NYC mom Sophia Giraldo mowed down by husband hosted domestic violence podcast https://t.co/E6krmPv4AJ
— eve gerber (@eveagerber) December 28, 2022
References:
https://sophiagiraldo.com/about/
Cover Image Source: YouTube | FOX 5 New York
