Heather C. Abbott lived through 25 years of abuse at the hands of her late husband but has turned her story into a dream life and wants to bring a spotlight to it to give others hope.
She and her children lived in a controlling and often dehumanizing home for far too long. Like many in her situation, she lived in denial of being labelled abused due to the stigma and beliefs that come with that label. Her trauma came to an end when her late husband fatality shot himself three feet in front of her a week after she left him. It was one final act of abuse and did not affect her as it would most people.
“Having him shoot himself in front of me was nothing compared to the mental and emotional abuse. My nightmares afterwards were always of him being alive again and tormenting me.”
She has overcome that in a story of hope and rebirth.
Heather is a survivor and having been subjected to years of abuse, hurt and unhappiness, always held onto her optimism. She met Craig via a close friend the following year, became friends, and then fell in love. He encourages her with everything she does. While her story didn’t start as a typical princess tale, on July 29, 2022, six years after meeting Craig, she had her fairy-tale wedding.
This event has been the highlight of her new life and a celebration of her freedom to be herself. She is an inspiration to all who are wishing for more in their lives. Never give up hope, keep your dreams alive, feel them like they are true, and you are about to step into them, and they will come to meet you.
Recovering from trauma, and overcoming being mentally abused is not easy for anyone, it is an uphill struggle and Heather is a perfect example of how you can break down these walls and rebuild your life, repairing invisible wounds and finding happiness and wellbeing again.
“Everyone’s path is unique, and no one can be forced to leave before they are ready. They need support, and to know there are people who care about them, who will still be there when they are ready to take back their power and try to attain freedom,”
Heather has designed and made her wedding dress to embody her true self, a magical lady who can make things change and happen in her life rather than having life happen to her. Her outfit is comprised of over 200 pieces and took about 400 hours to bring into reality.
