Kelly Herron for all the wins, people.
And we mean it: All… The… Wins!
As documented below, the 36-year old was out for a run in Seattle last week when she stopped to use the bathroom.
But this basic decision led to a complicated and dangerous encounter with a registered sex offender, someone who is now under arrest and someone who learned a very important lesson the hard way:
You do NOT want to mess with Kelly Herron.
Meet Kelly Herron
At 36 years old, Kelly is training for a marathon. This would be an impressive enough feat, even before getting to the story that follows.
A Fateful Decision
Four miles into her run in Seattle’s Golden Gardens Park last week, she stopped to use a public restroom. “As I was drying my hands, I became aware that something was wrong,” Herron told ABC News.
And She Was Right
As it turns out, Gary Steiner – a registered sex offender in Arizona – was hiding in the bathroom. He tried to attack Kelly.
But He Chose the Wrong Victim
Explained Kelly to ABC: “He immediately took me down to the ground, hit both my knees and legs, and then it was a fight on the bathroom floor and I just kept screaming, ‘Not today, Motherf-cker!'”
And Kelly Wants the World to Know About It
Herron shared this collage on Instagram and wrote as a caption: “My biggest running nightmare became reality- 4 miles into my long run Sunday afternoon, I stopped to use the restroom and was assaulted by a man hiding in a stall (that is my GPS in red lines). I fought for my life screaming(“Not today, M**F**er!”), clawing his face, punching back, and desperately trying to escape his grip- never giving up. I was able to lock him in the bathroom until police arrived. Thankfully I just took a self-defense class offered at my work and utilized all of it. My face is stitched, my body is bruised, but my spirit is intact.”
She Told You!
Kelly managed to escape and lock the man in the bathroom until police arrived. She also posted this photo and message online.
The Arrest Was Made
Steiner was charged with second-degree attempted rape, as he allegedly told Seattle police he was in the bathroom for the purpose of raping a woman. He’s being held on $750,000 bail.
Steiner’s Past
Steiner was convicted of several sexual assaults in 1999, indecent exposure in 2008 and another conviction of criminal mischief with a deadly weapon in 2015 in Arizona.
An Important Message
Wrote Kelly as a caption to this photo: “I couldn’t remain the silent, anonymous victim- there is a message of survival that is too important to remain untold. I’m grateful to have found the right people to help me tell it.”
The Full Story
Click above and watch this news report for the full (AWESOME!) story.