Duluth, MN (LifeNews.com) -- One of the pro-life sidewalk counselors at a Minnesota abortion center who was attacked on Tuesday at knifepoint by a woman considering an abortion is sharing her story. Leah Winandy and her mother found themselves on the receiving end of a woman who held a knife to their throats.
As LifeNews.com reported Wednesday, the woman brandished a knife after Leah urged her to reconsider her decision to have an abortion.
Her mother met the same fate and the woman was eventually apprehended by police inside the Building for Women abortion center and found the knife in her purse.
Now, in an email LifeNews.com has obtained, Winandy shares more about what happened.
Winandy says Duluth has one abortion center that does approximately 600 abortions annually and she and her family have been helping women find positive alternatives for more than four years.
On Tuesday, Winandy was present at the abortion center with her mother and Jim Tuttle of Pro-Life Ministries of Duluth.
"I saw a lady walking toward the building, who I figured must be a client," she relates.
"Before I could talk to her or approach her with literature, she snapped open a knife. She waved the point at me saying, 'Don't come near me,'" Winandy explained. "I stayed where I was and said, 'Please don't kill your baby, fear God.'"
"She walked past into the courtyard, so I moved to the fence corner to continue counseling. She then turned around, came up to me and held the point of the knife at my throat," the pro-life advocate continued.
Winandy said she had a momentary fear of what would happen to her if she were a victim of a stabbing but said her Christian faith helped her overcome it.
"She turned around, and began to walk through the court yard again. My Mom, Sarah, who was standing at the other end of the fence, called out to her, 'We love you, and care about you, don't kill your baby,'" the young woman explained. "The women turned and waved the knife at her yelling, 'I'm certified crazy, that's why I'm doing this!' She then went into the building."
Tuttle called the police at this point and seven squad cars with police eventually showed up on the scene.
"Several went immediately into the building, and shortly came out with the women in handcuffs, she was crying. They interviewed us, had us write reports, and told us that this is a felony offence," Winandy continued. "My Mom told two of the officers that we feel very sad for the women who did this, and we will be praying for her. One of the officers looked shocked at that."
Winandy said she talked with a local news reporter about the violence of abortion and how the incident will not change her mind about helping women find better solutions.
Winandy related in the email LifeNews.com received that not only is she thankful for the incident but she said the story is not over.
"As the police were leaving, a young women ran into the building very quickly," she said. "After a few minutes she came out onto the sidewalk, and seemed to be waiting for someone. My Mom talked to her, and she turned out to be the friend of the women who had just been arrested."
"Not knowing what had just happened, she had come to support her friend, but was told that her friend had left the building quickly. They didn't even tell her why or in what state she had left," Winandy continued.
"So we were able to minister to this women, her name is, Melissa and her friend, who had been arrested is Michelle," Winandy said.
Winandy indicated she and her mother talked with Melissa about their Christian faith and she indicated it may be possible for the Winandys to visit Michelle in jail.
"Please pray for these two women. I do forgive Michelle," she concluded.
Well, Ms. Winandy, please keep us posted about this.
I would love to know how that jailhouse visit goes.
This is so intriguing.
