She Was Attacked by Her Ex and Survived: The Inspiring Story of Madison Schemitz

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: True Crime with Kendall Rae

Episode: She Was Attacked by Her Ex and Survived: The Inspiring Story of Madison Schemitz

Date: November 6, 2025
Host: Kendall Rae
Production: Mile Higher Media & Audioboom Studios

---

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the harrowing and ultimately inspiring story of Madison Schemitz, a Florida high school student whose life changed forever after surviving a brutal attack by her ex-boyfriend. Host Kendall Rae covers the stages of Madison’s relationship, the warning signs of abuse, the escalation to violence, and Madison’s recovery and activism. The episode is filled with empathy, hope, and calls to awareness about teen dating violence, with a focus on survivors’ strength and the power of community support.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction and Foundation Work (02:00–06:10)

• Kendall discusses the importance of uplifting survivor stories in true crime.
• Announcement of collaborative charity work between Higher Hope (Kendall’s foundation) and the Gabby Petito Foundation, including funding a critical security fence for a Wyoming safe house.
• Interview clips from the Safe Project team highlight the urgent need for survivor security and support services.
  • Quote: "It’s really important for the healing journey of survivors that they feel 100% safe when they’re here." – Safe Project Team [06:03]

2. Madison Schemitz: Background and Relationship History (06:30–13:30)

• Madison’s background: a kind, talented student and athlete in St. John's County, Florida, close to her family, especially her mother Jackie.
• Beginning a relationship with Spencer Pearson in late 2022, which became toxic within months.
• Escalating abuse: jealousy, manipulation, stalking, threatening behavior, and attempts to maintain control after the relationship ended.
• Both Madison and her mother Jackie sought help immediately, involving trusted adults and eventually legal measures.
  • Quote: "For Madison, bringing this to the attention of a trusted adult is 100% the right thing to do..." – Kendall Rae [09:20]

3. Escalation to Violence and Stalking (13:40–19:30)

• After the breakup, Spencer’s behavior intensifies: stalking Madison’s movements, leaving threatening messages, nearly running her down with his car.
• Legal interventions pursued, but ultimately failed to keep Madison safe due to lack of enforcement and support from the perpetrator’s family.
• Describes chilling incidents of being followed and feeling constantly unsafe.

4. The Attack at Mr. Chubby’s Wings (19:30–23:00)

• On June 3, 2023, Madison, her friend, and their mothers met at a local restaurant.
• Spencer entered the restaurant, and after Madison’s party alerted staff and quickly left, Spencer ambushed Madison in the parking lot, stabbing her 17 times and severely injuring her mother.
• Good Samaritan Kennedy Armstrong intervened heroically, saving Madison and Jackie, but was himself injured.
  • Memorable Moment: Surveillance footage caught Madison’s shock at seeing Spencer; the attack unfolded within moments as they left the restaurant.
  • 911 Audio Clip Excerpt:
    “Somebody just got stabbed… There’s two victims and one is the suspect… a passerby tried to intervene and help…” [21:19–22:27]

5. Immediate Aftermath and Medical Response (23:00–27:30)

• Madison survives the attack but is left paralyzed from the chest down.
• Jackie endures her own significant injuries, yet remains her daughter's advocate and caretaker.
• Madison’s resilience appears immediately—even in the hospital, she sets ambitious goals, including walking at her graduation.
  • Quote: “Despite her entire world flipping upside down in moments… she set a goal that she was not only going to walk again, but she was going to walk across the stage at her high school graduation.” – Kendall Rae [26:50]

6. Recovery and Community Support (27:30–36:00)

• Community rallies around Madison and Jackie with fundraising, keychains, and unwavering emotional support.
• Hero Kennedy Armstrong becomes like family, maintaining a strong bond and continued support.
• Madison’s rehab journey: remarkable progress, standing within weeks, and ultimately walking at graduation.
  • Notable Quote:
    “If anyone is ever curious what true determination and grit looks like, it looks like Madison Schemitz.” – Kendall Rae [27:02]
  • Madison’s words at Press Conference:
    “I believe there’s no looking back now. Everything happens for a reason… I am determined and confident in myself that I will reach my goals to one day walk again.” [35:39]

7. Madison’s Advocacy: One Love Foundation and Peer Education (33:00–41:00)

• Madison quickly focuses on survivor activism, founding a One Love chapter at her high school, teaching about healthy relationships and warning signs of dating violence.
• Kendall shares staggering statistics on teen dating violence and the urgent need for education:
  • 1 in 12 teens experience physical dating violence; likely higher due to underreporting.
• Madison’s focus on controlling her narrative and supporting other survivors.
  • Quote:
    “The One Love Movement is about creating a culture where relationship violence no longer exists.” – Madison Shemitz [33:38]
  • Quote:
    “I aligned myself with [One Love] and have used my platform to share their message.” – Madison Shemitz [40:38]

8. Remarkable Rehabilitation & Academic Determination (41:00–44:00)

• Madison excels at Brooks Rehabilitation, inspiring other patients and maintaining rigorous therapy attendance.
• Emotional highlight: Madison walks—unaided—at her high school graduation, surprising many in attendance and receiving a standing ovation.
  • Quote:
    “To see her walk across that stage and for everyone to erupt in cheers… just the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” – Kendall Rae [42:51]

9. Madison’s Resilience, Mantra, and Trauma (45:00–47:20)

• Madison credits her survival and recovery to a mantra shared by a respiratory therapist:
  • “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
  • Madison has the quote tattooed and says it kept her motivated through the darkest times.
  • Quote:
    “If you’re going through hell, like, why would you want to stay there?... so you just have to keep going to get out of it.” – Madison Shemitz [46:15]

10. Court Proceedings and Sentencing (47:20–64:36)

• Spencer Pearson pleads guilty; his defense attempts to claim CTE, mental illness, and immaturity.
• Madison, Jackie, and Kennedy deliver powerful victim impact statements.
  • Madison’s Victim Impact Statement:
    “A 17-year-old girl should not know the feeling of getting stabbed… I remember the moment I realized I was paralyzed… But I was never prepared for the fears to come alive.” [51:32+]
  • Madison highlights her healing and achievements, from walking at graduation to inspiring others.
  • Jackie’s Statement:
    “You handed Madison a life sentence… It only seems fitting that you get the same… I have to watch my daughter struggle every night and day because of you.” [59:22]
  • Kennedy Armstrong’s Statement:
    “You thought you were going to kill people that day, but instead you blew on an ember that sparked a fire inside Madison. And that fire will continue.” [61:53]
• Spencer’s father and Spencer himself plead for mercy, but the judge sentences him to life in prison without parole.
  • Quote:
    “The judge ruled that he’ll never spend a day out of prison ever again. He got life without parole.” – Kendall Rae [64:01]

11. Honoring Heroes; Pursuing Accountability (65:18–66:45)

• Madison awards the Carnegie Medal for Bravery to both her mother Jackie and Kennedy Armstrong.
• Ongoing lawsuits against Spencer’s parents (for enabling him and gifting the knife) and Mr. Chubby’s Wings (for alleged failures to protect).
• Spencer’s side intends to appeal; future outcome pending.

12. Looking Forward: Madison’s Future and Continued Activism (66:45–69:00)

• Madison currently attends college and considers working with law enforcement.
• She promises to continue using her voice and story to educate and support others facing dating violence.
  • Quote:
    “What’s next is about finding peace, embracing the future, and using the strength I’ve gained to help others who may face similar struggles… My story truly is just beginning.” – Madison Schemitz [64:36]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "For Madison, bringing this to the attention of a trusted adult is 100% the right thing to do…" — Kendall Rae [09:20]
• "If anyone is ever curious what true determination and grit looks like, it looks like Madison Schemitz." — Kendall Rae [27:02]
• "You blew on an ember that sparked a fire inside Madison. And that fire will continue." — Kennedy Armstrong [61:53]
• "If you’re going through hell, keep going." — Quote that guided Madison’s recovery
• "A 17-year-old girl should not know the feeling of getting stabbed… I remember the moment I realized I was paralyzed..." — Madison Shemitz [51:32]
• "You handed Madison a life sentence on June 3, 2023… It only seems fitting that you get the same." — Jackie (Madison’s mom) [59:22]
• "My story truly is just beginning." — Madison Schemitz [64:36]

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 06:10 — Start of Madison’s story and relationship background
• 13:40 — Escalation to stalking and abuse
• 19:30 — The attack at Mr. Chubby’s Wings
• 23:00 — Medical aftermath & Madison’s determination in hospital
• 33:00 — Madison’s victim advocacy (One Love Foundation)
• 41:00 — Progress in rehab; walking at graduation
• 45:00 — Madison’s mantra (“If you’re going through hell, keep going”)
• 47:20 — Legal proceedings, impact statements
• 64:01 — Sentencing: Life without parole for Spencer
• 65:18 — Carnegie Medal awards & lawsuits
• 66:45 — Madison’s future, ongoing advocacy

---

Takeaways

• Madison’s story is equal parts horrifying and uplifting, a testament to survivor strength and the importance of supporting victims.
• The episode highlights failures in the system regarding stalking/domestic violence, the huge role of bystanders/heroes, and the value of community intervention.
• Madison has transformed personal tragedy into motivation and activism, educating others and working to prevent future relationship violence.
• Kendall’s empathetic storytelling, supported by authentic quotes and primary source audio, makes this a must-listen episode for awareness, hope, and inspiration.

---

For more on Madison’s ongoing journey and resources for abuse prevention, links to the One Love Foundation, Safe Project, and Madison’s social media are included in the show notes of the podcast episode.

---

Transcript

[Kendall Rae]

At Lowe's this Veterans Day and every day, verified military members, veterans and their spouses get automatic silver status in Mylos rewards with free standard shipping plus 10% off eligible purchases with no annual limit. It's one way we honor and give back to those who have served and still do. Learn more now@lowe's.com Military 10% discount can't be combined with another offer. Exclusions Terms and conditions apply. Loyalty programs subject to terms and conditions. Details@lowe's.com Terms subject to change. And Doug, here we have the Limu emu in its natural habitat helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Ferry unwritten by Liberty Mutual insurance company and affiliates Excludes Massachusetts foreign and welcome back to another episode of True Crime with Kendall Ray. And if you're new to the show, then welcome. I'm so happy to have you here today, you guys. I'm really excited for this episode because I'm going to be telling you the story of an amazing young survivor. And I don't know about you guys, but I love stories of survival and people who have been through hell and back, truly. And that's something that Madison Shemitz, who we're gonna be talking about today, has kind of leaned on that idea. I'll get to that later on. But she is just such an inspirational young woman and I feel inspired and invigorated after learning about her story and I think you will, too. I think it's so important that if you consume true crime, you know as much as I do and probably a lot of you do that. We also make sure to bring in some stories of people who have been through these things, have survived them, and then have gone on to do amazing things for others. I just think kind of getting that balance in life is. Is really important. I think you guys will truly be in awe the way that I have been. When you hear what Madison actually went through, what she overcame and, yeah, what she's doing as a result of what happened. This episode is also really special because I finally get to tell you about a very exciting project that I have been working on with my foundation, Higher Hope and also in collaboration with the Gabby Petito foundation and the Petito family, who are amazing people yesterday. For me, by the time you guys see, it'll be about a week And a half ago, ish. I got to go to Laramie, Wyoming for the day and meet up with Joe Petito, who is such an amazing person who's so funny, fun to be around, and just so passionate about what they're doing at the Gabby Petito Foundation. But anyway, our team and Joe got the pleasure of spending the day with Safe Project up at their safe house in Wyoming. And I'm telling you, some of the best people on the earth work at safe houses. The work that they do is so incredibly needed. And I could go on and on about it, but instead of me going on and on about it, we put together a little video so you can hear right from Joe himself and also from some members of the Safe Project team. And I'll let you know now that we have put up the funds with the Gabby Petito foundation to fund a safety gate that is so very needed. Let's go ahead and roll that video. So what is the mission of Safe Project? Yeah, here at Safe Project, our mission is to empower and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking while promoting sustainable practices that support long term healing. Along with that focus on education and awareness efforts to focus on prevention and improve community response and outcomes. Can you tell us more about the services that Save Project offers? Yeah.

[Madison Shemitz]

So all the services Safe Project offers are free and confidential.

[Kendall Rae]

We have a 24 hour hotline, an.

[Madison Shemitz]

Emergency shelter, we do court accompaniment, hospital accompaniment, as well as like police reporting accompaniment. We have financial aid for survivors and we can help fill out protection orders as well.

[Kendall Rae]

Here at SafeProject, we believe a lot in bringing awareness to our community. So we partner with our community and we go into schools and teach about healthy relationships and healthy boundaries and consent. And we also have a program called SafeMan where we partner with our university and their violence prevention program. And we teach about healthy boundaries there, but also how to a good bystander and just spread awareness whenever we can. And how did you get in contact with safeproject? Safeproject reached out to Nikki and Tara about doing an event that they had here. And then Tara and Nikki came. They absolutely fell in love with the people that worked here because when you met them, they're really amazing. And Nikki and Tara noticed that they didn't have a security fence around their property. We just decided that we're going to put up half and try and raise the other half. And whether that be matching donations or whatever it was, that's when we heard from you. You guys are going to put up the other half like that's that's fantastic. It's because of that that enables us to do what we're doing here today.

[Madison Shemitz]

And getting them that security fence to make sure that people that come here are safe.

[Kendall Rae]

Yeah, that's. That's step one, which is kind of.

[Madison Shemitz]

Why we're here today. And I'll tell you, I'm in awe.

[Kendall Rae]

Of the Higher Hope Foundation. Just amazing what you guys do.

[Madison Shemitz]

And it was such a big deal.

[Kendall Rae]

For us to, to come up here.

[Madison Shemitz]

To Laramie to see it firsthand and.

[Kendall Rae]

You know, you can just really the.

[Madison Shemitz]

Lay of the land and you realize.

[Kendall Rae]

Like the fence is critical, has a long lasting impact.

[Madison Shemitz]

Right.

[Kendall Rae]

Like, this is not just a one and done type thing where this will just provide that safety and security for years to come. Yeah. And, you know, it's so great for our audience to be able to actually see the impact directly because all of this is thanks to them. Can you tell me more about why this project and why a security fence is so needed here at SafeProject? Yeah. So here at SafeProject, one of our biggest things is providing all of our clients with safety. And we have taken a lot of safety measures, but unfortunately, without a security gate, we have people who can come onto the property who maybe shouldn't be on the property. We've had abusers who have showed up. And I think it's really important for the healing journey of survivors that they feel 100% safe when they're here to see us. Confidentially. But it's also really important to keep all of the staff here safe. This job is already intense and just having that little bit of extra security I think will help us, our clients and the community feel safer. Yeah, I'm just so glad to hear that and thank you so much for everything you do. It's amazing. Thank you guys for all of the support to get this date because it's not something we could have done without the support of the Higher Hope foundation and without the Gabby Petito Foundation. Of course, we feel privileged to be able to help. Love shouldn't hurt in paradise. Wow, guys. Again, I just wanted to say thank you to you all who have supported us over the years. I mean, it's because of you that we are able to do things like this. And like I already said, just consuming our content, listening to our podcast, watching our shows, commenting. Any engagement that you do with any of the Mile Higher media content does support Higher Hope, but if you want to go the extra mile, we do accept donations and we would be very, very grateful. There'll Be a link to donate in the description box if you would like to do so. And also you can shop any of our merch for any of our shows. And 100% of the Prophet goes directly to Higher Hope. But anyway, I know that was a long intro. Thank you for sitting with me. It's important and I hope you guys found that interesting and as valuable as I did. But with all that being said, let's go ahead and get into Madison Shemit story. Now. I can say with complete confidence that Madison is an incredibly intelligent, just wildly driven and unbelievably talented young woman. She is a sister to five siblings, also a daughter to her amazing mom, Jackie, who I am also just in awe of. And at the time that Madison was attacked, she was a rising senior at Ponte Vedra high school in St. John's County, Florida. Not to mention the fact that she was a super dedicated softball player. And she actually started playing softball when she was just four years old. Which I am not much of an athlete, but if you ask me, I would think that being an athlete played a role in her work ethic and was so pivotal in her recovery. And on top of that, all her loved ones would tell you that she's trustworthy, she's kind, she's the type of person who would really do anything for anybody. And honestly, you guys, at the end of the day, Madison was and is a normal teenager. And she did normal teenager things. And to my understanding, she lived a very normal teenager life. And a very normal teenager experience is having a boyfriend or a girlfriend. And so around this time of year. But back in 2022, October, November, Madison started dating a football player, her school, a kid named Spencer Pearson. And at first everything seemed to be going fine, but then things quickly went downhill. Just after a few months, she ended their relationship because it became clear that Spencer was a very, very toxic person and that their relationship was just not a healthy one. The signs included jealousy, verbal manipulation, and he was really just overreacting to any autonomy that she had in her life and much more. And it got so bad after a while that Madison ended up having to conf her mom, Jackie about it. And then Jackie ended up confronting Spencer's parents about it because it was that concerning which I just want to pause here for a second and applaud Madison and her mom for these things alone. For Madison, bringing this to the attention of a trusted adult is 100% the right thing to do. And I'm just so impressed with how Madison handled everything at her age. Everything from recognizing the signs and getting help for something that she knew she just wasn't equipped to handle on her own. And then Jackie did the right thing as a mom too, by bringing this to the attention of Spencer's parents that they could hopefully do something about it. But it seemed like no matter how many times she expressed her concern, his parents never seemed to stop him. And it's just frustrating that even though these two did everything right, something horrible still happened. I first discovered our place a couple years ago when I was on Instagram. I saw some cookware that looked pretty a pan specifically called the Always Pan. It was in a very pretty green color and I love green and I had to have it. Little did I know this pan would change the kitchen game for us. I can't tell you how much I love our Always Pan and I love our place in general and everything that they make because not only do they work super well and they've held up, but I also had no idea that a lot of traditional nonstick cookware is absolutely loaded with forever chemicals and us switching to toxin free cook cookware was such a great decision for my family. The R Place four piece cookware set is the best way to overhaul your kitchen with multifunctioning high performance space saving pots and pans. And you'll save so much by buying a full set versus individual pieces like I did. The set includes two multifunctional always pans and two perfect pots in mini and full sizes and that will replace your bulky expensive stack of cookware with just four pieces. You can sear, saute, fry, bake, broil, roast, steam and more. And I have to give a shout out to a new winner in our house, the Wonder Oven. We've had it I think about six months now and I don't know how we ever lived without it. Stop cooking with toxic cookware and upgrade to our place today. Visit from our Place.com TCKR and use code TCKR for 10% off site wide. With a hundred day risk free trial free shipping and returns. You can experience this game changing cookware with zero risk. But anyway, back to the timeline here. So In March of 2023 Jack Jackie even went and got coffee with Spencer's mom to talk face to face. And she specifically chose a coffee shop away from their houses because she was afraid of Spencer finding out and retaliating. Which I think we can all agree says a lot about Spencer and tells you everything you need to know about why Jackie was so freaked out if she was that worried about just meeting up with his mom for coffee, him retaliating from that. Yeah. And ultimately, Madison describes her not even 6 month long relationship with Spencer as having made her feel suffocated, trapped, manipulated and controlled. And sadly, Spencer's terrifying behavior only escalated after they broke up. Not even 24 hours into ending things, he started stalking her. And listen to this. On April 4, 2023, Madison had just finished a softball game, and after hanging out in the parking lot with some of her friends, she got in her car and started to drive away. But that's when she noticed that Spencer was there. And that immediately terrified her because he had no reason to be there. Clearly he was waiting for her. And she was so uncomfortable with the thought of being alone in a parking lot with him, especially late at night. And she ended up doing what she thought would be best in that moment, which was roll down the window and ask Spencer if she could call him when she got home. Which I think in the moment was her way of sort of easing the tension from their breakup. You know, making him think everything's okay just for the sa safety of that moment. But as soon as she drove off, she realized that everything was not okay. And that's because she realized that Spencer was following her. As soon as he didn't turn down his street, she knew what was going on and became very afraid of what he might do. So she pulled into a different parking lot and straight up just texted him saying that he was scaring her, but that did not stop him. So she's freaked out. She ends up calling one of her friends to ask if she any advice, figure out what she should do. And they make a plan for Madison to just go to this friend's house because it sounds like her parents were home and that she'd be pulling up somewhere where there are other people. And I'm not sure if Madison called him or texted him, but I know that somehow she told Spencer that she had to drop something school related off at this friend's house. So basically, there was no need for him to keep trailing her. Yet once again, the stalking continued. In fact, he started demanding that she drive straight home because he said he knew that going to this friend's house wasn't part of her plan for that night. But she ends up going to this friend's house anyway. And he still followed her. Apparently he just kind of pulled off to a nearby gas station and basically waited her out. Knew that she had to go home at some point and he was going to be ready to start following her whenever she did. Thankfully, though, he did end up just driving off. At some point, he gave up. But I think this example just goes to show how quickly this whole situation escalated. And later on, he tried to make some excuses for why he was following her. Everything from I wanted to make sure she got home safely to I just happened to be driving that way. Just a bunch of. And this incident and just everything going on with Spencer in general made Madison feel like she had to be looking over her shoulder every time she left the house. That she had to be so cautious that he may be following her or watching her at any time. And it wasn't just the physical stalking that made her so afraid. He would also leave notes on her car. He would create these new social media accounts just to comment threatening things on her posts after she blocked him. And one time he even accelerated his car towards her, almost like he was planning to hit her or at least scare her. And it got so bad that by the end of May, they started taking steps to get a restraining order against him. But no matter how bad things got, and no matter how many times Jackie confronted their family about it, nothing was ever truly done to stop him. There was one time that we know of at least, where they did something. It was in mid April. They ended up getting Spencer to speak with a virtual counselor through a service called Here Tomorrow. However, his mental health declined shortly after that, which resulted in a five day hospitalization. Yet despite his well documented mental decline, it sounds like he was just free to go about life as normal. And because of that, Madison nearly lost her life. The day that it happened was June 3, 2023. It was a totally normal day for Madison. It was a Saturday actually. One of her friends from softball had spent the night the night before, and the two of them woke up early that day because they wanted to go to the beach. Sounds like a great plan, right? But then they got to the beach and it was pretty cold and windy. So they ended up leaving after a few hours and they met their moms and brothers at Madison's local community pool. And then after spending a little bit of time there, they decided they wanted to go ahead and grab some L and watch the Women's College Softball World Series. So they went home to change out of their bathing suits. And then by 2:53pm they were blasting the song California Girls on their way to Mr. Chubby's wings. And then on the way there, Madison says they decided to text their moms to ask if they wanted to join. And this was kind of funny, but Jackie responded to the text and said, you just want me to pay for your food. And while that was partially true, Madison also says there was something in her, a feeling that she just knew she needed her mom to be there that day. And it literally gives me chills thinking about how accurate that was. So, anyway, both girls and their moms all eventually got to Mr. Chubby's wings. And Madison says she distinctly remembers looking around when they got there to make sure Spencer wasn't around. That's how aware she was of him. I mean, for two months at this point, she had been looking over her shoulder, and this restaurant happened to be a place that she had run into him before. But she was relieved to see that he wasn't there. That is, until 3:47pm when Spencer entered Mr. Chubby's with a very specific intention. Like the sick predator that he is, he waited to make his whereabouts known to them. But then at 4:15pm he walked directly by their table. So they had no choice but to see that he was there. You can literally see on the surveillance video as Madison turns her head in shock that he was at the restaurant. And instantly, she was filled with that same panic and fear that she had been experiencing for weeks now. So they started talking through what they should do, and the group ultimately decided it was unsafe for Madison to be there. And that's when they alerted the restaurant staff to the situation, including the fact that this person was a threat to her safety. And after quickly paying their check, all four of them walked out. And seconds later, Madison's life changed forever in a way she never could have truly expected. Just as she reached her car in the parking lot, she heard her mom scream in a way that could only mean one thing. Madison turned around to see that Spencer was running towards her faster than she had ever seen him run. And before she had a chance to get away, he grabbed her and proceeded to stab her 17 times. During the attack, she begged for him to stop, but her screams just got quieter and quieter until she wasn't able to scream any longer. And in the midst of it, her spinal cord was severed, which left her unable to move or fight back. And as scary as it is to say, the truth is, Madison would have died that day if it weren't for the bravery of two people. First of all, Jackie, as fast as she could, ran over there and was on top of Spencer, trying to pry him off of her. And just like Madison, she was also stabbed. He struck her in her forehead, her arm, her leg, her hand. Her hand was really, really severe. But even then, Nothing was going to stop her from doing everything she could to protect her daughter. And then, in act of bravery that can only truly be described as fate, a 22 year old man named Kennedy Armstrong had just exited his truck on his way to Mr. Chubby's with a friend when he heard their screams. And without thinking twice about it, he sprinted as hard as he could tackle Spencer to the ground. And he was able to free both Madison and Jackie from his wrath. And the friend he was with can also be seen sprinting toward the attack in an effort to help. And during his efforts to save them, Kennedy also suffered stab wounds to his arm and his hand. But finally, the attack was over. And during this, several witnesses proceeded to call 911 just as Spencer had turned the knife on his own neck, attempting unsuccessfully to take his life.

[Madison Shemitz]

Who is this?

[Kendall Rae]

91 1. What's the address of your emergency?

[Madison Shemitz]

Somebody just got stabbed.

[Kendall Rae]

What's the address of the emergency, ma'? Am? Oh my God.

[Madison Shemitz]

It said Chubby's Wings on A one.

[Kendall Rae]

A Chubby. And you said somebody got stabbed. Somebody just got stabbed right in front of Chubby's.

[Madison Shemitz]

Oh, my God.

[Kendall Rae]

There's more people injured. Okay, ma', am, don't transfer from the county. I'm reference to 150 Valley Circle. She's at Mr. Chubby's Wings advising that somebody was stabbed.

[Madison Shemitz]

Okay.

[Kendall Rae]

How many victims do we have?

[Madison Shemitz]

There's two victims and one is the suspect. Ma'.

[Kendall Rae]

Am.

[Madison Shemitz]

Yeah.

[Kendall Rae]

No, three.

[Madison Shemitz]

There's. So there's three victims. Three victims and I'm sorry, there's two.

[Kendall Rae]

Victims and one the guy who was stabbing.

[Madison Shemitz]

So.

[Kendall Rae]

But there's three patients.

[Madison Shemitz]

This nice family came out and was have their to go and then all.

[Kendall Rae]

We heard was screaming. So they're outside.

[Madison Shemitz]

They're not in the restaurant? No, they're outside.

[Kendall Rae]

Okay. And then the guy who completely.

[Madison Shemitz]

Not that I know of. And the guy saw this happen and he came and his. He literally, he. His hand is completely torn apart. So we have a fourth victim.

[Kendall Rae]

So a passerby tried to intervene and help. Yes.

[Madison Shemitz]

And he got assaulted as well? Yes, he got his hand completely. 911 is on.

[Kendall Rae]

I'm on the phone with 911 right now. Now you would think you would hope that in a moment like this your brain would sort of block everything out, that it would go into some sort of self preservation mode to keep you from remembering this type of trauma that you just experienced. But that, sadly was not the case for Madison. She remembers every single painful moment of this horrific attack. Everything from when it Began to the moment she realized she was paralyzed and everything that followed. There is nothing about what Spencer did to her that she forgets, which is something that no 17 year old, no person in general should ever have to experience. And the pain and trauma that was inflicted upon her didn't end there. The next morning, after the attack, after receiving life saving treatment, Madison learned the news from her mom that she was paralyzed from the chest down. Even at the scene, she had told her that she was worried she couldn't feel her legs. And Jackie tried to tell her that everything would be okay. But once surgery was over and she was waking up, Madison knew it was true. She turned to her mom and said, I'm paralyzed, aren't I? And Jackie had to tell her that she was. Think about what that would be like as a mother. Think about what that would be like for Madison to wake up and realize that you're paralyzed and to process everything in such a short amount of time. I mean, the attack itself was so short, so much damage done in such a short amount of time. And to think it was a great day. She was having a wonderful day with her friend and her mom, her brother earlier, her friend's mom, she was just, everything was good. And then Spencer came in and changed her life like that. And Jackie's life was changed in that moment too. She was having surgery right away for her own injuries. In her struggle with Spencer, both ligaments on her hand were cut, one completely in half and the other was basically down to a string. And her bone had also been cracked, which ultimately left her with limited mobility and the thumb of her left hand. Yet even while managing her own emotional and physical recovery, she was doing everything she could to put Madison first. Now, Madison's strength is something that should be studied. I just cannot understand her ability to be so positive and determined right away. I mean, I am truly in awe of her. Despite her entire world flipping upside down in moments. I mean, she was right away determined that this wasn't going to be the end of her story. Even though she had just learned that she's paralyzed, she set a goal that she was not only going to walk again, but she was going to be able to walk across the stage at her high school graduation. If anyone is ever curious what true determination and grit looks like, it looks like Madison Shemitz. I mean, almost immediately after surviving a murder attempt, her loved ones say that they knew that she was going to achieve anything. She set her mind too, because she already had the attitude of a fighter. And this is funny, but her sister Tatiana says that she was already cracking jokes and very much lived up to her nickname, which is sass. Right away, even Jackie says that when they were in the hospital, Madison looked over at her and said, you look like a hot mess. Which I just thought was hilarious and shows so much of her personality. And of course, it was in a humorous way. It just made everyone feel a little bit better, like kids. Hey, we're going to get through this. We still need to laugh. There's moments of joy to be found, even in the darkest of moments. And it was just comforting for everyone in her life to see that Madison hadn't lost her spark, that Spencer was not able to take that away from her. Oh, boy. 2025. Can't believe it's coming to an end. And I will remember that 2025 was the year that I discovered Hungry Root. Oh, how things have changed in our house since we have found Hungry Root. How everything has gotten so easy. We can prepare our dinners in 15 minutes or less sometimes. And we're not only saving time, we're saving money. And we are getting delicious food. Not just delicious, but also healthy. And it's given us so much time back, so much time that we don't have to spend grocery shopping or meal planning. All we have to do is make time to cook it, which is not that long, and then to eat it. And it's easy to stay on top of your goals and your preferences. They're going to fill your cart with personalized recommendations that get smarter as they learn about what you like, what you don't. That's one thing I love about hungryroot is every week they send me a little kind of survey thing where I let them know which ingredients I liked, not just the whole recipe, which ingredients inside the recipe. And then they're going to customize my recommendations every week to make it easier to pick my meals. Oh, I just can't say enough good things. It's so good. They also have healthy groceries like smoothies and kids snacks, sweets, ready to eat meals, salad kits, even supplements. Dude. So take advantage of this exclusive offer for a limited time, get 40 off your first box. Plus get a free item in every box for life. Go to hungryroot.com Kendall Rae and use code Kendall Rae. That's hungryroot.com Kendall Ray. Code Kendall Ray and get 40 off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. Now, Spencer, on the other hand, he was about to face the consequences of his actions. Only two days after stabbing three innocent people he was arrested at the hospital and charged with two counts of first degree attempted murder and one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Then, after being released from the hospital, he was booked into the St. John's county jail, and he made his first court appearance later in June. Honestly, though, I want to focus as little attention as I can on Spencer today because, quite frankly, he got what he deserved. I'll circle back to him when it comes to his sentencing later on, but for now, I just want to talk about Madison and her recovery because, I don't know, she is just such a badass. I love her story so much, and I really hope that all of you can find inspiration from it now. Madison's community was filled with so much support right off the bat. Within days of the attack, a GoFundMe was created to help cover the cost of her and her mom's medical bills, as well as to support Jackie's income until she could start working again. And currently, that page has raised over 166,000 of their $200,000 goal. And a friend of hers, Alyssa, also had Madison Strong keychains made, and the proceeds of those sales went directly to her recovery. And another thing I thought was really special was that when her mom posted an update on Facebook in early July, she included a photo of the moment when mad and met Kennedy for the first time. And I'm sure you all agree with me that Kennedy is a true hero. He's only 22 years old when this happened. He doesn't know Madison. He doesn't know Jackie. But he springs into action. It doesn't matter. He does whatever he can. Risked his life to save them. And Jackie is also a hero. I mean, without either of them stepping in, I would almost certainly be telling you about this case in a very different way. And I don't even want to think about that. And what's so cool about this story and about Kennedy is that he has become like family to them. He stood by Madison then, and he's continued to do so every step of the way in her road to recovery and to justice. And when I said before that she wasted no time on this journey, I meant that as soon as she was discharged from the hospital, she began her physical and occupational therapy journey at Brooks Rehabilitation Center. And she put her absolute everything into it. She was a champion when it came to her PT and ot. Even when, especially in those early days. Days it was hard to imagine walking again, given the severity of her injuries. But there was one moment in particular in the early days that gave her hope. On June 20, she took the Asia Impairment Exam, which measures the severity of a spinal cord injury. And hours after being discouraged, she was asked one last time to try and move her left foot. And it worked. Her left foot moved just the tiniest bit, and that's all she needed. That reignited her belief that she was going to walk again. And believe it or not, only 10 days later, she was able to stand with assistance. And of course, her progress wasn't always linear, but it was definitely going in the right direction and she knew exactly where she was going. And then in early July, and this is really cool, Madison asked the sheriff's office if she could hold a press conference. And I'm going to play a clip from a podcast that she was on, the Sheriff Hardwick and Lieutenant Harrigan, because I'd love for you guys to hear her explain why she did this. After. About a month after this incident happened, Madison's mom reached out to the sheriff and said that they wanted to. Or Madison wanted to call a press conference at Brooks at your Brooks Hospital, the rehabilitation facility in Jacksonville. And she wanted to address the community. So our first thought was, so this 17 year old at the time wants to call a press conference. That's usually what we do. So we were a little confused about that. And I'm like, oh, I got to meet them, this kid. So. So we set that up, we organized some stuff. I found out very quickly that she was in Brooks under a false name or a different name. Right. What was the name? Can you say the name?

[Madison Shemitz]

Because X ray.

[Kendall Rae]

X ray.

[Madison Shemitz]

X ray.

[Kendall Rae]

Oh, that's like a code name.

[Madison Shemitz]

That's.

[Kendall Rae]

That's like an Avengers name.

[Madison Shemitz]

My mom was Yankee.

[Kendall Rae]

It's like Delta 4 stuff. That's pretty cool. So X ray Yankee. I went up there and met her. And you, you. We brought all the media in and you addressed the community. And I think we've talked about this before, but tell us why, like, why did you want to, literally one month in, want to address the community?

[Madison Shemitz]

I think it was honestly probably more so out of fear. I think my mom kind of talked it into my head, like, like to avoid news and media and all of the outside world. Once, like, I got home, I wanted to kind of just be able to go home and, like, have already said my part and that. Then just go home and be able to keep on healing.

[Kendall Rae]

That's awesome. What's the. What's the phrase I taught you? What is. What is that called? When you control the narrative, control the narrative. And I Wish I could play the entire podcast episode for you guys in my episode. Obviously that wouldn't make much sense. Definitely go check it out. I'll have it linked below. It is so worth watching and it's so uplifting and funny and inspiring. And the relationship that Madison now has with these guys is just so cool, so special, so unique, and I was just so moved by it. I mean, the love and respect that they have for her is so cool to see. I can't remember who exactly, but one of them said that if he was lucky to have a daughter in life, he would want her to be just like Madison. But anyway, like you guys heard in that clip, Madison's goal from the beginning was to control the narrative, which she certainly did. And she wanted to do that so that way she could return home and focus on her healing. And what I thought was really amazing is that her focus during the press conference had nothing to do with the attack itself. Instead, she thanked everyone who showed her support thus far and spoke about what the future held for her, which included opening a One Love chapter at her.

[Madison Shemitz]

High school to start St. John's County Sheriff's Department and first responders who acted quickly and vigilantly. Next, my trauma and neuro teams at Memorial Hospital who kept me alive and followed me with great care since. In addition, I would also like to thank the nurses, staff, and of course my physical and occupational therapists at Memorial Hospital who have continued to show up and put a smile on my face. Now, to thank the incredible staff here at Brooks Rehab Hospital, I'd like to thank my entire care team here, from doctors, nurses to nutritionists. The individualized care and attentiveness has not gone unnoticed. Next, the entire therapy staff. Without you guys, I don't know where I would be today. So thank you all for pushing me every day to reach my goals while also being a light and in the darkness. I'd like to specifically thank my physical therapist, Sydney, and my occupational therapist, Sally, who have been with me every day and have shown me nothing but love, support and encouragement throughout this. I now like to thank the incredible community for the outpouring of love and support that you have all shown me and my family over the last month. I also thank my friends and my family for showing up day after day and supporting me and loving me constantly. More specifically, I thank my mom. My mom was one of my heroes that day. My love for her is endless. And I and I'm so lucky to be her daughter. And finally, Kennedy Armstrong, the man who saved my life that day. I am forever endlessly grateful for the brave acts you showed. Kennedy is and forever will be my hero and is now a family for life. I believe there's no looking back now. Everything happens for a reason. I'm incredibly lucky to be alive today and will take each day as its own opportunity to live and make a difference in the world. Moving forward, I will be starting the One Love chapter at my high school. The One Love Movement is about creating creating a world with healthier relationships through education to empower and advocate for young people. The One Love Movement is about creating a culture where relationship violence no longer exists. I hope that by bringing the One Love Movement to our community and one day sharing my story, it can help others and ultimately change the way we all treat and love each other. Regarding my recovery, I am currently paralyzed from the chest down. It will be a long and hard road, but I am determined and confident in myself that I will reach my goals to one day walk again. Thank you you all for the support this far. My story is just getting started and.

[Kendall Rae]

If you didn't know, One Love is a great nonprofit that was started by the mother of Yardley Love who was killed as a result of teen dating violence in 2010. And Madison has since gotten involved in spreading their mission. And like you heard her say, the goal of the foundation is to create a culture where relationship violence no longer exists by empowering and educating young people about the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. One Love provides educational content and workshops both in person and online and they have provided life saving prevention education to millions of people. This is beyond needed. This is something where we have consistently failed our youth for decades. I will have a link to their website below if you're interested in learning more about their mission and I highly encourage you all to check it out. There's tons of amazing free information and resources there, all of which Madison has eagerly shared with her community, realizing the signs of an unhealthy relationship and giving students tools to get out of one once they're in one. One is extremely important and it needs to be taught to kids while they're still in school. Now some of those signs include intensity, manipulation, sabotage, guilt, deflecting responsibility, possessiveness, isolation, belittling, volatility, and betrayal. Teen dating violence is a very prevalent issue. It's something that urgently needs attention. I went to a conference recently where I attended a seminar specifically on teen dating violence and teen dating violence online and I was just blown away. And education is really the most important tool when it comes to how we can all help keep our kids safe. According to a 2021 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey, about 1 in 12 teens experience physical dating violence and 1 in 10 experience sexual dating violence. And of course, you have to keep in mind that's only based on who has actually reported it. And as we know know so much goes unreported, so those numbers are likely much higher. And it's just so impressive to me that not even one month after almost being killed, Madison immediately jumped into ways that she could help others. She's already brought so much awareness to her community, and I'm just so confident that she's going to continue to do that in the future and probably for the rest of her life. This week I am so excited because I am going to Paris. I've never been to Paris. I don't know what to expect and the first thing I thought of when we decided to go to Paris was, oh my gosh, I need better clothes. From what I've seen of the French people, they are pretty stylish, they present themselves well. And currently right now I am in a sweatsuit with slippers. So as soon as I knew I needed to step it up, the first brand I turned to is my favorite favorite Quince. And you might think I'm saying that just because they're sponsoring this episode, but I truly mean it. Quince is one of my favorite brands, if not my favorite brand. I love it so much. Quince has it all, you guys. 50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters made for everyday wear, denim that never goes out of style, silk tops and skirts that add polish. And it's perfect for gifting or upgrading your own wardrobe. And I got so many pieces for this trip, I am so excited to wear them. I found the perfect coat for my trip. It's their Italian wool classic single breasted coat coat. And I got it in the color dark chocolate and it is so nice. I used it this weekend. It's so warm. I feel like so luxe wearing it can dress up any outfit. I wore it the other day with a set of yoga pants underneath and it still looked good. And you might be wondering how does quints offer prices that are 50% less than similar brands and also work with ethical top tier factories? Well, they cut out the middleman and they offer those savings to us. So step into the holiday season with layers made to feel good, look polished and last from Quince Perfect. Perfect for gifting or for keeping for yourself. Go to quince.com tckr for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com tckr to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com tckr tell us about the One Love foundation and how important that organization is to you. And for people that may not know what it is, maybe, maybe give a brief overview of that and why you kind of aligned yourself with them.

[Madison Shemitz]

So OneLove is a national nonprofit organization started by a woman named Sharon Love, whose daughter, Yardley Love, was brutally murdered in the early 2000s by her ex boyfriend at the University of Virginia. Her mom started it as a way to kind of help inspire and educate other people on domestic violence, dating violence and all the statistics and what to do when you're involved or what to do when you know someone involved involved. So very early on I kind of align myself with them and have used my platform to kind of help share One Love's message.

[Kendall Rae]

Her physical therapist, Sydney, said that she is one of the hardest working patients that they've ever had and no matter what they asked her to do, she was ready to make the effort. If someone ever canceled and there was an opening, she was the first to say that she wanted to fill the spot. And regardless of how difficult it may have felt at times, she just never gave up. And both Madison and Jackie say that her team at Brooks Rehabilitation center made all the difference. They were able to turn something that is incredibly hard and emotional into something that was fun and light and just made it a point to keep the environment very positive for Madison's sake. And she really gives a lot of credit to her physical therapist, Sydney, who she says pushed her even when things weren't pretty or didn't look perfect. And just to add to how impressive she already is, Madison even took the time to be actively involved with other younger kids who were also going through rehab. Of course, no one was asking her to be a mentor, but regardless, she just began to show her support for others because she is just that type of person and she was encouraging them all through really challenging times, all while balancing her own therapy and continuing in school. And Jackie says that from the time that Madison was young, she had always just been that type of person. To look after others like this was nothing new. And mind you, she had been going through her recovery almost completely behind closed doors. Her friends and family obviously knew about it, but it wasn't something that she publicized and it wasn't until she reached her goal goal and took those steps at her graduation in May of 2024 that people got to see everything that she had been working towards. And I'm sure there wasn't a dry eye in the whole room. And I haven't even watched the video today. Every time I have watched it earlier this week, I have just cried so hard. I can't even tell you. Like, I am definitely pregnant, but I. How can you not? It's just the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Scene. God, to see her walk across that stage and for everyone to erupt in cheers. And I'm sure there were so many people that were just shocked, had no idea that that was even a goal of hers. And she receives this very well deserved standing ovation. It is just so beautiful.

[Madison Shemitz]

Madison, Victoria, Shannon, Sam.

[Kendall Rae]

And then after this, on the one year anniversary of almost losing her life, Madison posted this very emotional, beautiful video to her Instagram that documents everything that she had been through over those last 365 days. And it showcases her struggles and her triumphs and all the moments in between. And oh my God, it just brings me to tears every time I see it. You can see her smiling and laughing through trying to relearn how to walk and the determination in her face as she gains the strength that once came so easily to her body. I can't play the video due to copyright restrictions, but I will definitely have that one linked below for you guys. And please, I really encourage you to take a moment to watch it. There's no way that you could watch it and then walk away not feeling completely inspired. God, it's just amazing. And I also want to encourage you to follow Madison on social media. Her Instagram is Madison Shadow Shemitz, and that way you can send her some words of support and follow her journey and keep getting inspiration from her. And Madison, if you happen to see this. Oh my gosh, I don't even know what to say to you. Thank you. Thank you for the inspiration that you have given to so many people, myself included. Your story is just so beautiful. Your strength, your relationship with your mother, it's all just. Just. It was so uplifting to see and I'm. I'm truly grateful to have learned about your case and your story. I also wanted to let you know that my team will be reaching out to offer you a hope grant, if that is something you're interested in from my foundation, Higher Hope. You could not be more deserving of something like that. And it would be our honor to find some way that we can support you. There are so many heroes in Madison's story. But Madison, you are a hero, too. The world, the way that you have turned what happened into an opportunity to help others is just beyond selfless. And your sheer determination and grit is more inspiring to so many people than I can even put into words, clearly. And if any of you are wondering how she has the strength to do it all, which I wonder, too, there's actually a quote that she said really helped her through all of this. It's a very famous quote by Winston Churchill. I'm sure a lot of you know it. It's if you're going through hell, keep going. This is actually something that I kept saying to myself when I was giving birth. And I think it's a great quote that can apply to so many different things in life. And someone said it to her while she was in the hospital, and ever since then, it's become really her mantra in her path to recovery. There's a one thing I wanted to bring up. There's a quote that you often refer to or you often use that's been very inspirational to you. Can you share the story of that quote and what it is?

[Madison Shemitz]

So very early on, when I was still at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, I had a respiratory therapist come in at probably closer to 4 or 5 in the morning. And he was an older gentleman. He's probably the nicest, sweetest older guy that you could probably imagine. But he came in and obviously, like, I was in rock rough shape at that point, and it was never enjoyable when they came in. But he came in and was telling us his own life story and how he ended up as a respiratory therapist after Covid and all these things, and then shared the if you're going through hell, keep going quote by Winston Churchill and then explained it in a way that really resonated with me. As in, like, if you're going through hell, like, why would you want to stay there? You'd never want to stay there, so you just have to keep going to get out, out of it. And since then, I. I've had one chance to speak to him since then and was able to thank him and tell him how impactful that really was for me. But it really did resonate with me, and it's been something that I've continued to share with people. I have it tattooed on me now.

[Kendall Rae]

So I started going to therapy when I was quite young, and I've been really in and out of therapy my entire life. And the times that I am not in therapy therapy, it starts to show after a while. I always hit a point where I'm like, I could use someone to talk to, someone who's unbiased to my life, someone who is open to whatever I have to say, who I don't feel like I need to put on a facade with the way that you do with just strangers that you talk to. Eventually they become a confidant, a safe place. When you find the right therapist, it can be such an amazing experience. But finding the right therapist is hard enough. Finding one who actually takes your insurance, that's where most online therapy platforms fall short. Most don't work with insurance at all, which means you're stuck paying the full cost out of pocket or paying for an expensive monthly subscription. Rula does things differently. They partner with over a hundred insurance plans, making the average copay just 15 per session. And that's real therapy from licensed professionals at a price that actually makes sense. And other online therapy platforms might match you with the first available provider, whether or not they are the right fit. But Rula considers your goals, your preferences and your background to provide you with a curated list of licensed in network therapists who are aligned with what you need. Because they know that finding the right therapist can make all the difference. Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high quality therapy that's actually covered by Insurance. Visit rula.comtckr to get started. After you sign up, you'll be asked how you heard about them. Please support my show and let them know that I sent you. That's r u l a.com TCKR. You deserve mental health care that works with you, not against your budget. Now, I think it goes without saying that the hell that she was going through wasn't just the physical side of her injuries. Of course, that was the hell of its own. But it was also the emotional trauma that she endured. It's hard to remember that at one point, Spencer was someone that she cared deeply about. And now she had to face him in court for his sentencing hearing, which I just have to say, she handled. Of course, it's not shocking, but with so much grace and courage. Courage. He ended up pleading guilty to three out of five total charges in July of 2024. So rather than sit through a trial, a hearing was held in November to determine how long his sentence would be. And going into it, he was facing about 18 years to life. Not surprisingly, though, his attorneys attempted to convince the judge to give him a more lenient sentence. They had psychological testing performed on Spencer, which they say shows he suffered from major depressive disorder. Social anxiety disorder and social phobia. They also argued that he suffered from ct, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that develops after repeated head injuries. It is a terrible disease. We often hear about it most when it comes to football players. But what's crazy about it makes it even more difficult is you actually can't be diagnosed with it while you're alive. The patient has to be dead for them to make a diagnosis. But yeah, his attorneys tried to say that Spencer likely suffers from this after years of playing football. And maybe he. He does. And they argued that potentially having CTE plus a sudden breakup was what caused him to lose a major part of his identity, which then triggered this event. And they also tried to argue that he didn't understand the consequences of his actions because of his age, which I just can't help but roll my eyes at. I mean, come on, he was 18 when this happened. You're telling me that 18 isn't old enough to understand the consequences of stabbing someone 17 times and also stabbing two other people? People, please. Luckily, though, the judge saw right through this. It was totally team Madison. And I don't know how you could really be anything else in this situation. And during the hearing, she gave an unforgettable victim impact speech. She outlined every single moment she remembered from the day Spencer tried to kill her. Her speech is long, so I'm only going to put in part of it, but I encourage you to watch or listen to the full thing. I will have it linked in the description box or in the show notes as well. Again, it's worth checking out. It's worth listening to.

[Madison Shemitz]

Good afternoon. My name is Madison Sh. Your honor, I'd like to begin by saying thank you. Thank you for your time and commitment these last538 days. Thank you for taking this matter so seriously and for working the incredibly difficult job you do. It is truly admirable and beyond appreciated. I've thought about this day, this moment, this statement, every single day for the last 538 days. 530. 38 days of living in true torment. 538 days that regardless of the circumstances, always had the same dark cloud looming over 538 days of constantly reliving the trauma the defendant put me through. Your honor, I say 538. Is that as how many days it has been since June 3, 2023? But the truth is, the torment, the dark cloud and the trauma I have endured dates back much further than June 3rd. As a then 16 year old high school girl I deserve to live the life that many 16 year old girls do. I deserve the opportunity to form relationships with whomever I wanted. I deserved the opportunity to be happy in these relationships. I deserve the opportunity to learn and grow from these relationships. And most importantly, I not only deserved, but had every right to remove myself from a relationship that instead of making me feel happy and safe and dragged me down in every way. Those two months following the breakup were torture. Those two months I was put in a position by the defendant where I felt scared, worried and constantly threatened. But I was never prepared for the fears to come alive. June 3, 2023 was without a doubt the absolute worst, most traumatic day of my life. And I remember every single second of it. As a 17 year old teenage girl on a Saturday in the summer, my day started as any other day would have for me. I had one of my best friends I met through softball in town to spend the weekend. We had stayed up late and woke up early excited for the plans we had made for that day. Once we woke up, we got ready to go to the beach. That day was windy and almost cold for a beautiful a Saturday in June. After some time being there, we both got cold and decided we would leave the beach and go join our moms and brothers at my community pool. During this week in June, the Women's College Softball World Series was happening. Eventually we decided we would go get something to eat and watch the games happening that day. This decision unknowingly became my life or death decision. I remember going home sometime between 2:10 and 2:50 to change out of our bathing suits and get ready to go to Mr. Chubby's wings. And by 253 my friend and I were in the car. Blossom in California Girls by Katy Perry on the way to the restaurant, I remember sitting at the stoplight, leaving my neighborhood and texting both our moms asking if they would come with us. I remember my mom responding, saying, you just want me to pay for your food. Which although may have been true, I had this feeling that they just had to be there and to this day I am still unable to fully explain why I felt so strongly about wanting them to come with us. My friend and I arrived at the restaurant a little bit before our mom said, and as I walked in, the defendant came to mind. I entered the restaurant and looked around to make sure he was not there before we sat down to eat as I knew I had previously run into him there within those two months. At 3:43, the defendant pulled into the parking lot At 3:47 the defendant walked into the restaurant and knowingly walked right past me. By 4:15, the defendant had gotten up and walked past us to make his presence known. At 4:15 was when that same fear set in. After going back and forth on what to do, we paid our check and decided to leave the restaurant. At 4:28, myself, my mom, my friend and her mom all stood up and walked out. Never in a million years did I think that I would never end up making it to my car. I remember finally reaching my car and hearing my mother scream. Knowing my mother, I could hear her fear. This was when at 4:30pm on June 3, 2023, I turned around and saw the defendant running towards me faster than I had ever seen him run before. Not knowing what was coming next, I turned and attempted to go in the opposite direction. This was when the defendant had grabbed me. I hit the ground. I began feeling the attack. I remember being on my hands and knees begging for the defendant to get off me, with my screams slowly being becoming more and more silent. I remember staring at the ground, my thoughts being muffled by my mother's constant scream. The scream that had first alarmed me did not stop throughout the entirety of the attack and frankly, I can still hear it to this day. I remember hoping for the pain to stop and feeling my mom pulling him off of me. I remember finally being let go and falling to the ground because at that point my body had been paralyzed. Little did I know that me being let go in that moment meant my mom was now being made another victim of the attack. Your Honor, a 17 year old girl should not know the feeling of getting stabbed. I remember feeling an impact against my mother, the defendant and I, which was the moment Kennedy Armstrong had ultimately saved our lives. I remember finally opening my eyes but still being unable to see. I remember asking my mom to get off of me because she was now actively leading onto my face and into my eyes. I remember finally realizing I had been stabbed and that I could no longer feel my legs. I remember the moment I realized I was paralyzed. I remember struggling to breathe and formulate words. I remember telling my mom I could not feel my legs, to which she responded it was okay and everything would be okay, but I could hear in her voice that it wasn't okay. She didn't know if it would be okay, and just how scared she was.

[Kendall Rae]

After this, Madison went on to talk about all the moments that followed, including being airlifted to the hospital, the moment she had her chest tubes pulled out, and how every day she's had to Relive the memory of what Spencer did to her. From the constant nightmares where she's reliving the attack to the hours she spent relearning how to do something as simple as sit up on her own. Madison will never forget how this has impacted her life. Yet despite this, she talked about how she chooses to be positive every single day and how she's using everything that happened to her to inspire others. She also talked about the impact she saw this attack have on her friends and family, who experienced trauma in their own individual ways. And even still, they chose to find light in the darkness of it all.

[Madison Shemitz]

I watched as my friends changed. The friends I had known for years go through one of the most unimaginable traumas and step up for me in a way no friend should ever have to. I watched them each be affected by this attack in various ways. I watched my friends dealing with ptsd, but still being so strong for me. I watched as they all matured as their innocence was stolen. I watched as each of them stepped up in their own way to be there for me, to help me and to support me through whatever I needed. I watched as my family suffered. They each suffered daily as their mother and sister were almost taken from them. I watched as they all stepped up to be there for us when we couldn't be there for them. I watched as their innocence was stolen. I saw their pain, their tears and their resilience. I watched as the one so lively, happy and bright home became sad and dark. Yet through it all, we were all there for each other. We all found light in the darkest of situations. We all found reasons to laugh and smile and we were all simply grateful for every day we got to be alive.

[Kendall Rae]

And towards the end, she also talked about some of her accomplishments, which I really loved. She fought so hard to be where she is today and she's done so much to motivate others and I love that she took the time to include that in her speech.

[Madison Shemitz]

Your Honor, I've accomplished every single goal I've set on on since the attack. I attended my senior year. I walked and got hit on my senior night for softball. I walked unassisted at my high school graduation. I am a full time college student and I even walked into this very courtroom and I'm currently reading a victim impact statement in front of not only the whole world, but my attempted killer and his family. Just as I said I would when the attack first happened. I've spoken and shared my story of survival and resilience on many different platforms such as in front of the media, Ponte Vera High School, the Betty Griffin Center, St. John's County Fire, rescue and sheriff's office events, Birth Rehabilitation Memorial Hospital, a police conference in Washington state, and so on. I started a wave of one loved chapters throughout our community, including at the University of North Florida. And I promise I will continue to use my story and my platform to inspire, motivate and help others in every way I can. Your honor, I mention all of my accomplishments as I am proud of them. I'm proud of the human I am, the impact I've made, and how I've handled myself these last 538 days. I say this as a reminder that I can turn myself from being a victim to a survivor.

[Kendall Rae]

But even with everything she's been able to achieve, she mentioned that it doesn't take away from the ways where she still struggles. The ptsd, the sleepless nights, the fact that she will always wonder who she can trust. Those things are going to follow her for a long time. And because of that, and because of everything else Spencer did to her, she believes he deserved to spend the rest of his life in prison. And so did Jackie. And her victim impact speech was equally as moving.

[Madison Shemitz]

My name is Jacqueline Roget and I'm the extremely proud mother of Madison Chemitz. First, I'd like to thank you, your honor, for all your time with this case. I imagine your job to be extremely difficult. Thank you, Kennedy, for saving my daughter's life. I cannot ever express how much you mean to me and my family. You are the epitome of what a man should be. And I'm grateful for your parents for raising such a super superhuman. I love you all beyond measure. Thank you to our amazing first responders who then kept Madison alive. You guys are a family now and we love you all so deeply. To the memorial trauma team and neuro team for being so amazing and taking care of my daughter like she was your own. Brooks Rehab Hospital, inpatient and outpatient. I'll never be able to express my gratitude enough. Madison has made tremendous gains with your help and support. Thank you to all of our friends and community for rallying around us and helping us through the worst time anyone can imagine. And you're still here rallying to the St. Johns county sheriff's office. You all are amazing team of incredible people and our community is so lucky to have you all protecting us. And I want to stress all of this so you, Spencer, know who Madison's people are, who has her back and that you'll never get to her ever again. I cannot believe I ever loved you. And I worried about you. And I genuinely thought you were a good kid. What a fool I was. And I have to figure out how to get over that guilt that I have. You're evil. And that's that. You handed Madison a life sentence on June 3, 2023. And it only seems fitting that you get the same. While Madison has been very private with her recovery, I have to watch my daughter struggle every night and day because of you. You have no idea how much pain you've caused my family. And you never will. You've stolen from my whole family, and that's unforgivable. You don't deserve to breathe the same air as someone as amazing as. As Madison. And I hope you spend the rest of your life knowing that. I haven't slept more than four hours in a year and a half. I wonder how you sleep every day. And I wonder how your parents sleep. This isn't fair. And I'm not as strong as Madison. And I'm not recovering quite as beautiful as she is. I shouldn't be in fear every day, every minute for my kids lives. You did this. You don't deserve to ever be free to instill more fear on me or my children. I live in constant fear of dying and leaving Madison to worry about a day. You're free and I'm not there to save her. That is not fair. None of this is. I spent her entire senior year sitting in my car in the senior lot just in case. Because of you. You're a monster. I pray for my family's peace. And I pray for you and your family to have the lives you deserve. Thank you, your honor.

[Kendall Rae]

And then I also wanted you guys to hear a little bit from Kennedy as well.

[Madison Shemitz]

Out of respect to the court, Madison and miss Jackie. I'm not going to say everything I feel. This guy could not handle a breakup and proceeded or proceeded to plan the murder of Madison. His accident leave a family grieving while he took the cowardly way out. A man who could not handle a breakup decided to take the time to stalk, stab and try to kill a young woman. Doing so impacted many lives, families, friends and those in our community. Laying the TR1 unit Shant on the night of June 3, 2023 left me with many thoughts. First being Arthur's Run Alive. Second, being why did this Happen? Third, will my hand ever work again? Laying in the trauma that night, all I was praying for was the help. Madison of Shaki. You planned this. You knew what you were doing. And thanks to God, you failed. You failed at your planned murder attempts. You failed at your own. You'll remain a failure until God. Until you see God, he sends you to the devil. Madison and Ms. Jackie's Road to recovery has been something I wouldn't wish upon anybody except you to close things out. You thought you were to going to kill people that day, but instead you blew on an Amber that sparked a fire inside of Madison. And that fire wouldn't continue. God bless the court. I know the prover sentencing will unfold.

[Kendall Rae]

In total, there were 69 pages of victim impact letters written by 46 people, each of which spoke to the kind of person Madison is and how Spencer's actions have forever changed her life. And his dad actually took the stand as well. And he only spoke for a few minutes, but he spent the majority of that time apologizing to Madison, Jackie and Kennedy for what his son did to them. And he asked the judge for some mercy. Spencer deserves a chance to have a life. Spencer needs help.

[Madison Shemitz]

I know that without a doubt, he's.

[Kendall Rae]

Got a lot of issues, a lot of mental problems.

[Madison Shemitz]

I'm worried about his head injuries. Spencer was never violent. He was a good kid.

[Kendall Rae]

I don't know what happened.

[Madison Shemitz]

I believe Spencer could be re revolution rehabilitated.

[Kendall Rae]

And I believe he needs that chance. And even Spencer himself addressed the judge. And I'm not going to play it because I don't think he deserves any airtime. But basically, he apologized for his actions and said that he understands why they all hate him so much. He also said that he knows he needs help and that he's needed it for a long time. And in the end, the judge ruled that he'll never spend a day out of prison ever again. He got life without parole. Died. That's right. Life without parole is the sentence that he walked away with. And I personally believe that that was the right decision. Following his sentence, another press conference was held and Madison was given the opportunity to speak. And she once again expressed her very sincere gratitude to every single person who helped her along this journey. And I love that she ended this speech with a very positive message about what the future holds for her.

[Madison Shemitz]

As we move forward from here, we are focused on healing and rebuilding this chapter, though challenging is now behind us. And while it will take time, we are committed to moving forward with hope and strength. For me, the journey is far from over. There are still many steps to take, many challenges ahead, and many lessons to learn. But with the support of those who have stood by me, I'm confident that I will continue to grow stronger each day. What's next is about finding peace, embracing the future, and using the strength I've gained to help others who may face similar struggles. I know that healing is a process, and while it won't happen overnight, I am determined to keep moving forward with gratitude for all the people who have supported me with a renewed sense of. Of purpose. Thank you to everyone who has helped me get this far. I look forward to what comes next, knowing that together, we are stronger. My story truly is just beginning.

[Kendall Rae]

What's really special is after this, Madison had the privilege of awarding both her mom and Kennedy with a Carnegie Medal for Bravery. This medal is offered by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission and is given to people in the United States and Canada who risk their lives to save or attempt to save others. It's considered the highest civilian honor for heroism in North America. And I can't think of two more deserving people. And the fact that Madison got to be the one to present them with these medals is really, really special. And then, of course, we can't forget about all of the first responders who worked seamlessly to save her life and everyone at the hospital, of course, and Brooks Rehabilitation center, who only ever encouraged Madison to reach her goals, not to mention her community, who showed her endless support and continues to show her that daily support. And it's just really nice to talk about a case where despite something truly horrific happening, there seems to be this glimmer of hope. And we've talked a lot about how Madison and her mom all the right steps, but technically, not everyone took the right steps, which is why Madison and her mom filed a lawsuit against Spencer's parents, as well as against Mr. Chubby's wings. In this lawsuit, it's alleged that Spencer's parents were notified of his dangerous behavior multiple times, yet they still allowed him to be in possession of the knife that was used in the attack. And you guys, the knife had been a gift from his parents. It literally had his name carved on it so they knew it was something he was in possession of during a time where he was mentally unfit. Now, as for character Chubbies, the lawsuit alleges that employees were notified of the impending danger of Spencer being at their restaurant while Madison was around. And they did not act on their duty to take necessary precautions to keep her safe from, quote, reasonably foreseeable criminal attacks. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find much more information about the outcome of the lawsuit, but an update I do know of is that as of December 2024, Spencer's attorney said that they are planning to appeal his sentence, which is of course, not a shock. Right. Hopefully that's not something that goes very. I highly doubt it will be. If for some reason there is an update there that you need to know about, I'll be sure to pin a comment if there's any major change. And as for what the future holds for Madison, all I know is that no matter what she chooses to do with her life, she is going to find success. She's in college right now, and in that podcast I mentioned earlier, she said that getting a degree is really important to her, but she didn't know exactly what she wanted to major in. I'm not sure what she ended up choosing, but she did say in the podcast that she sees herself working at the St. John's County Sheriff's Office. Hey, I got a question for you. Where do you see you're strong person? Where do you see Madison in 5 years?

[Madison Shemitz]

5 years. Graduated from college. Yep. Working for you.

[Kendall Rae]

I was say. I was actually ready to say we can just stop this right now. You'll be working for Rob Hardwick, probably that five years is a long goal.

[Madison Shemitz]

Yeah.

[Kendall Rae]

Two.

[Madison Shemitz]

Two. Yeah. Okay. You need to speed college up.

[Kendall Rae]

I know your grades are stellar. I'm definitely going to keep a lookout for the amazing work that Madison continues to do in her life, because I know that she will. And to all of you who have watched this whole episode, I just want to say thank you. Teen dating violence is an issue that needs to be talked about as much as we possibly can. It's a massive issue, and I think it's so important to tell stories like this also, because sometimes teens are able to learn about these things best from their own peers. So the fact that Madison brought it to her high school and is continuing to work with one love after graduating, graduating is going to make a big impact. I hope Madison's story has inspired you all as much as it has inspired me. I know that everyone has their own challenges at the end of the day, their own battles, and, you know, we all face them in our own unique ways. But I hope this is a nice reminder to all of you. It was a nice reminder to me that you just have to keep going and anything is possible when you set your mind to it. And you never, never give up. I'm gonna cry again. Oh, Madison, you are amazing. I just. Wow. That is gonna be it for me today, guys. Thank you for joining me for another episode and make sure you follow the show on Spotify and Apple podcasts it really does help me out. If you want to watch the video version of this show you can find it on my YouTube channel which will be linked. Or you can just search Kendall Ray. I will be back with another episode soon.

[Madison Shemitz]

Soon.

[Kendall Rae]

But until then stay safe out there. And Doug here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company affiliates excludes Massachusetts calling all new TikTok users. TikTok brings together fun, inspiration and shopping all in one app. And here's a special treat for you. Download TikTok, search for GetTick g e t t I k and instantly get $20, no minimum spend voucher just for joining. Search for GetTick g e t T.

[Madison Shemitz]

I k. Use it right away on.

[Kendall Rae]

A wide range of TikTok shop products. No limits, no catch. It's quick, it's easy, and it's all yours. Download TikTok now and claim your voucher today. And Doug here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Ferry Unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates excludes Massachusetts.