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
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.3960391.1554513210!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpeg)
Woman dies at Rolling Stones concert in Vancouver
A woman attending the Rolling Stones concert at BC Place died Friday night, police confirmed.
Terrorism charges laid against B.C. woman who married ISIS fighter
A B.C. woman who was repatriated from a Syrian prison camp in 2022 has been arrested and charged with terrorism offences, police announced Saturday.
Jon Landau, Oscar-winning 'Titanic' and 'Avatar' producer, dies at 63
Jon Landau, an Oscar-winning producer who worked closely with director James Cameron on three of the biggest blockbusters of all time, 'Titanic' and two 'Avatar' films, has died. He was 63.
This Italian vacation hotspot is turning tourists away as it runs out of water
Set atop a hill on the Italian island of Sicily, Agrigento is a heritage tourist’s paradise. But the aqueduct, and others built in modern times, are running so dry that small hotels and guesthouses in the city and nearby coast are being forced to turn tourists away.
Here are some safety tips if you're travelling alone this summer
Though travelling by yourself can be scary and intimidating, there are some ways to make sure you’re safe and have a good time, says a solo travel and content creator from Ottawa.
ANALYSIS Why are Trudeau and Singh avoiding Stampede this year?
This year, only Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre will be saddling up for the event, while both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh will stay away.
Radio host who interviewed Biden says aides provided questions in advance
U.S. President Joe Biden’s team provided a list of questions to a radio host who interviewed the president this week in the aftermath of his debate performance, the host told CNN.
Saskatoon man charged for leaving hate comments on woman’s obituary pleads guilty
The man who left hate comments on a murder victim’s online obituary has been sentenced.
Alleged accomplice of Quebec gang leader Dave 'Pic' Turmel arrested in B.C.
Another alleged accomplice of the leader of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM), Dave 'Pic' Turmel, has been arrested by the RCMP.