GRAND JUNCTION, Iowa — Jennifer Schulke is sharing her story as Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to an end.
In February 2023, Schulke's life changed forever when her fiancé at the time shot her in the back of the head.
It was a relationship that, at first, Schulke says was amazing.
"It was probably about a year and half or so that like I really started to kind of notice. I don't know it's just like something clicked in him," she told Local 5.
Schulke and her fiancé's kids were being abused by her fiancé, Adam.
Until Feb. 4, 2023, Adam drank too much and became physical with Schulke.
Later that evening Adad shot Schulke in the back of her head, changing her life forever.
"For some reason he just grabbed ... the neck of my pajamas, and started literally ripping them. He took his arm and literally put his arm around my neck like in a chokehold. He was so strong that night it's like I could not get him off."
That entire night Schulke was fighting for her life, but also preparing for her death.
"So I just, you know what, if he kills me, I want to have evidence so I like scratched. I tried to scratch his neck as much as I could," she recalled.
Schulke remembered Adam grabbing for a gun.
"I saw him flip the switch for the safety to where the safety was off now, after that I remember waking up on the floor, and my face was towards the door, the open door, and I just asked him what happened, and he said I fell and hit my head," Schulke said.
After she was shot, she heard ringing in her ear and couldn't get off the floor, with no feeling in her left side.
"I asked Adam to call 9-1-1 for me initially, but he refused to, he's saying that he would get arrested and I at first I was confused, why would you get arrested if I just fell and hit my head, I didn't understand at the time."
To this day, pieces of that bullet remain in Schulke's heart and lungs.
Just less than a year after being shot, Schulke is walking again and letting her voice be heard to encourage other victims to speak out.
"Even if it seems small, maybe try to do what I didn't do just reach out for help sooner."
Schulke's abuser was sentenced to 36 years in prison. She is working to overcome this tragedy, still unable to work and drive, but grateful for everyone who has supported her and saved her.
If you would like to help Schulke, you can donate to her GoFundMe.
If you are struggling in a domestic violence situation, you can call 1-800-700-7233.