By Dale King
Audrey-May Prosper still bears the scars of the domestic abuse attack that nearly took her life more than a decade ago.
“The fire inside me burned brighter than the one around me,” she told a rapt audience at the 13th Annual AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse) “Heart of a Woman” luncheon Jan. 26 at the Royal Palm Yacht Club in Boca Raton.
“The internal fire is the one we must ignite,” she said. “The fire that burns externally, we must extinguish.”
A hushed audience listened to Audrey-May speak about the November 2009 incident that nearly killed her. She said her then-husband forced her at knifepoint into their garage where he tried to rape her. “He hit me in the head with a hammer four times. He threw gasoline on me and ignited it with a candle.”
Burned over 80 percent of her body, she survived the horrific violence inflicted by a man she once loved and who had fathered two of her children. She underwent 17 surgeries and nine procedures before her life took a turn back to normalcy, she said on the Dr. Phil TV show.
Her ex-husband, she said, is now serving a life-plus-60-year term in prison.
“In 2009, on my son’s birthday, I was in the intensive care unit, coming out of a coma,” Audrey-May told the gathering, and underscored “the good that organizations like AVDA do.”
Audrey-May is now a women’s empowerment leader and speaker who has appeared on many TV shows, in newspaper stories and on other media.
The annual “Heart of a Woman Luncheon” celebrates the strength, courage and determination of women, particularly survivors of domestic violence. The event raises money to support AVDA’s life-saving programs.
“Proceeds from today’s event will directly benefit AVDA’s 24-hour hotline, Casa Vegso Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing, as well as outreach services and education/prevention programs offered throughout Palm Beach County,” said Rosemary Krieger and Anne Vegso, co-chairs of this year’s luncheon.
This past year, they said “AVDA responded to more than 3,000 hotline calls. Residents in our emergency shelter remained in the shelter 30 percent longer than last year in order to find alternative safe living arrangements. We served almost 300 women, men and children in our outreach services, a 47 percent increase.”
“AVDA promotes violence-free relationship,” said Rosemary, who, along with her husband, Ben, were honored by the organization for three decades of advocacy.
“Rosemary Krieger has been a strong advocate for AVDA for the past 30 years,” says a statement from the AVDA Board of Directors. “She has supporter her desire to raise awareness for ADVA through successful fundraising events, service on AVDA’s Advisory Board and contributing to various event committees.”
The board said she and Ben “were the first donors to our transitional housing building at AVDA’s Casa Vegso, with the naming of two rooms for them. Their generosity helped kick off the successful capital campaign to fund this building that has been providing residential services for the past 15 years.”
Pam O’Brien, president and CEO of AVDA, used the occasion to announce its Life Enrichment Center will open shortly. “AVDA will be leasing 3,333 square feet and has an option to purchase the 5,567 square foot property.” She said AVDA “is asking o9ur Community of Hope to help us purchase the property and raise an endowment fund” to sustain it.
O’Brien introduced Ann and John Wood who have donated $500,000 to buy the building. “We are asking the community to raise $500,000 to match this amount.”
The AVDA event that included a lunch and luxury raffles wasn’t without its surprises. The presentation of the Heart of a Woman Community Service Honoree caused a bittersweet moments when Mistress of Ceremonies Liz Quirantes announced the presentation of the award to Kol, a therapy dog who has accompanied his owner, Jane Eisenberg, to many engagements. Unfortunately, she said, Kol recently passed away.
Talking about his accomplishments, she said Kol has been a visitor at the AVDA shelter for a number of years. He provided solace to students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland following the shootings on Valentine’s Day 2018 that left 17 dead.
Kol has also worked at the Adolph and Rose Levis Jewish Community Center in West Boca and during mid-term and final exam weeks, providing stress relief for students at Florida Atlantic University, Lynn University and Palm Beach State College.