Andrea Gunning

As soon as she found out what Mike did to her, she saw the truth clearly.

He said, I guess we're both a little bit crazy.

This is something that's always struck me about Saskia's story.

And it's actually pretty rare.

Immediately, she knew the gravity of what Mike had done.

She went to the authorities to protect herself and to keep others safe.

And then she took the stand and stood up to him.

Wherever it came from, I've always admired that strength in Saskia.

And back in those early days after her discovery, her bravery was clear to everyone around her.

It looked like reporting the crime, taking the stand, seeing her divorce trial through, no matter how many insults she had to face.

But there's more than one way to be brave.

This came up with Ashley Inderfurth, the original prosecutor on Saskia's case.

At the end of our interview, just before we stopped recording, there was one last thing Ashley wanted to say.

This was something I needed to hear, and I imagine some listeners out there need to hear it too.

Bravery isn't always about pursuing criminal action.

I had to understand that after what happened to me, keeping my grades up, graduating, and just getting on with my life was the bravest version of myself.

And today, that form of bravery is what Saskia is practicing too.

These days, for Saskia, bravery looks like getting out of bed and starting her day.

Feeding her pets, going to work, taking a walk.

Nowadays, she's not only back to a normal routine, she's creating that routine for herself for the first time in her adult life.