Central Park Jogger Helps Others Heal
Aug. 19, 2005 — -- In 1989, Trisha Meili was a 28-year-old Wall Street investment banker on the fast track at a major Wall Street investment house.
Then one day, she decided to go for a jog in Central Park.
On April 19, 1989, Meili -- now known to the world as the "Central Park Jogger" -- was raped, beaten, bound and left for dead in a ravine in the park.
Only the soles of her feet were unbruised. An eye socket was fractured in 21 places. Her scalp had multiple gashes. She lost 80 percent of her blood. She had severe brain damage. She could not breathe on her own.
She survived and eventually returned to her job at Salomon Brothers and was later promoted to vice president. But she realized that she wanted to share the lessons of healing she had learned from her life-changing experience. So she left her job to become a motivational speaker.
She shared some of those lessons with "Good Morning America."
Seek Support: During her ordeal, Meili "always felt an envelope of support and love," which saved her from feeling alone, from her family and friends to her doctors and the countless strangers who wrote to wish her well after the attack. The support helped Meili stop thinking of herself as a victim, and instead think of herself as a survivor. She says being a survivor is an "attitude," a "mindset" and a "way of carrying" yourself.
Live in the Now: Meili found she couldn't wallow in the past, wondering why she went running in Central Park that day. Instead, she focused on one obstacle in front of her at a time. She also didn't fret about the future. She said while planning for the future is productive, worrying about it is not.
Push for the Possible: It is easy to get caught up on what can't be obtained, so instead Meili focused on what she could do. A key to her recovery was pushing the edges of possibility while not setting expectations that were too high and would only lead to disappointment. Remember to look at how far you've come," Meili said. "Be proud of that and keep pushing forward."
Related Stories
ABC News Live