2008 Woodie Awards
Victim Shares Her Experience
Lisa Oesterreicher
Issue date: 10/28/05 Section: News
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When police found her, she was suffering from exposure to the elements of a cold winter day in a northern suburb of Chicago. She had to have all of her toes amputated and learn how to walk again.
Regardless of her suffering, Jendusa-Nicolai believes the attack happened for a reason: so she could help other women who are in the same situation of domestic violence she was three years before her ex-husband almost killed her.
Jendusa-Nicolai was a special speaker Tuesday, Oct. 4 at the Take Back the Night vigil and rally at Joliet West High School. The first time Jendusa-Nicolai was hit by her ex-husband, David Larsen, they were on their honeymoon. She says that it was scary and painful, but she thought it was a one-time incident. It was when Larsen continued to beat her that she realized what kind of situation she was in.
"I came from a good family, and my parents would ask, 'Why are you allowing this to happen? Why don't you just leave?' I didn't understand it myself, but it was really just about fear."
Jendusa-Nicolai said she stayed with Larsen mainly because of financial reasons and the fear of what would happen to her and her kids if they didn't have any money.
She believed after they had children Larsen would be happier. Their two daughters, Amanda and Holly, were born, but the abuse continued. When Jendusa-Nicolai began thinking that Larsen might try to kill her, she took her kids and left one evening when he was away.
They got a divorce and Jendusa-Nicolai married her second husband, Nick Nicolai, and became pregnant with their first child. Though she had moved on with her life, Jendusa-Nicolai had not seen the last of Larsen's abuse.
Jendusa-Nicolai arrived at her ex-husband's house to pick up their two daughters from a routine visit. Larsen told her they were not ready to go yet, so she waited in her car for several minutes before returning to the door.
Larsen let her in, and told her the kids wanted to play a game. They wanted her to find them. While she was looking for them, Larsen came from behind and struck her numerous times with a baseball bat. He tried to suffocate her, but she managed to fight him away.
