EXCLUSIVE: I shot myself TWICE in the face and miraculously survived… I will regret it forever, but now I use my pain to bring hope to others

A Pennsylvania mom has revealed how she miraculously survived two self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the face — and is now using her experience to help people struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Amanda Thome, 35, felt like her whole world was coming to an end in 2022 as her marriage began to fall apart – and the pressures of her side job as a consultant had become overwhelming.

When her grandmother died, the emotional burden became too much to bear and she turned to alcohol and substance abuse for relief.

On September 6, she reached for a drink before the clock even struck 12 and became frustrated when she and her husband started arguing.

Locking herself in their office, she grabbed her husband’s gun, though she’d never touched it before, making a harrowing decision that she now says she’ll “regret forever,” by the gun pointing at her chin and pulling the trigger twice.

Now, a year later, Amanda remembers how her mental health issues dominated her life that day and how she miraculously survived.

She said, “It wasn’t even noon yet and I was already reaching for a drink. My husband and I had been through a lot of hard times, and that day it escalated into a big fight. Frustrated, I stormed off and locked myself in my office. ‘

Her husband tried to lure her out of the office, but she refused, so he called the military police as they were living on a military base at the time.

“As soon as they arrived and tried to talk to me through the locked door, I made a decision that I will regret forever,” she continued.

“I went into my husband’s gun safe, which happened to be in my office closet, opened it and grabbed a semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun. Despite never touching my husband’s guns in the nine years we were together, I found myself holding it in my hands.”

She aimed the barrel of the gun under her chin and pulled the trigger.

She was still conscious after the first shot, so she tried to take her own life again.

Amanda said, “I thought the world would plunge into darkness, but it didn’t. Even after the first shot, I remained conscious. I pulled the trigger again and fell to the ground.’

Upon hearing the second shot, the police finally succeeded in breaking down the door.

Military police found her lying in a pool of blood with Amanda’s husband. Miraculously, she was still alive.

Amanda was rushed to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) for life and kept in an induced coma for three days while doctors mapped out the best course of action.

“My time in the hospital was tough, one of the hardest experiences of my life. I was completely bedridden and unable to do anything for myself.

“I underwent numerous surgeries to reconstruct my face, including flap surgery where doctors removed a piece of flesh from my leg to close the hole in my face,” she explains.

Amanda added: ‘The pain was indescribable and dealing with a tracheostomy and the feeding tube (G-tube) made things even worse. Over time, however, the doctors gradually weaned me off those drugs and I felt a sense of progress.”

After regaining her mobility, Amanda – who has struggled with mental health problems since childhood – was transferred to a psychiatric ward.

She had faced difficulties since she was 11, being diagnosed with epilepsy and PCOS, and suffered from severe bullying and a troubled relationship with her father.

Unfortunately, admission to the psychiatric ward did not help Amanda. She even said it did the opposite.

“The way the nurses and doctors treated us there was far from compassionate; it felt like we were herded like animals. Fortunately, I wouldn’t let that slide.

“I contacted the patient’s advocate and the doctors, and they agreed to take me back to the ICU after my next surgery. It was such a relief,” she explained.

Amanda, who still has trouble eating, has since undergone several reconstructive surgeries with many more to come.

She said: ‘The doctors have plans to try and recreate my lower lip, but they want me to wait until I’m completely healed from the previous surgeries.

“They’ve tried using a tendon from my right forearm before, but they couldn’t — it went all necrotic and they had to deal with it.

“They’ll try it again next fall, this time with the tendon of my left arm,” she added.

Amanda’s journey of recovery has led her to discover a powerful sense of purpose – to be a guiding light to others navigating their darkest moments.

Today, she fearlessly shares her story on TikTok, with dreams of becoming a motivational speaker, especially for teens, championing mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

As she approaches a major milestone in sobriety on September 7, 2023, Amanda has emphasized the importance of reaching out for help, being open about struggles, and avoiding the pitfall of internalizing pain.

Her advice to those with mental health issues is, “Hold on tight – you are worth every moment and your existence matters!

“Send help, share your pain and remember that hope is always within reach. Remember storms don’t last forever!’