London, Ont. victim finds strength after despair
After surviving an unspeakable trauma, Ashley Michelle is now hoping to help other victims of violence with her book.
“It was the most horrific thing that I have ever seen in my life, “ says Michelle.
Michelle didn’t know what she was stepping into in August of 2016 when her former boyfriend William Joles called her after a bloody murder. She was attacked in the downtown London apartment and then forced to clean up the mess.
“He strangled me there and sexually assaulted me and showed me the body of the deceased,” says Michelle.
Joles was found guilty of second degree murder in the brutal death of his buddy Nathan Deslippe. He was sentenced to life in prison two years later. Ashley was a key witness at the trial.
“I actually attempted to take my own life at that point because I didn’t feel like I deserved to go on,” says Michelle. “I felt so much guilt that I was still alive and that deceased was dead.”
After months of dealing with depression and despair Ashley decided to take action and put her struggles on paper with a book entitled, “Finding Strength Through Tragedy.”
“I really hope that it helps survivors of crime go in a positive direction and get the help and get the counselling they need,” says Michelle. “I believe every trauma is a teaching tool and a teaching lesson for somebody else.”
For more details or to purchase the book click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.