In 1992, on the doorstep of her family home, Mary Jo Buttafuoco was shot in the head by 17-year-old Amy Fisher, who she would later learn was her husband Joey’s mistress. As she lay in the hospital battling for her life (the bullet is still lodged in her neck), the 37-year-old mother of two was thrust into a media frenzy that focused on sensationalizing the affair and her assailant, dubbed the “Long Island Lolita.”

For the first time, Mary Jo narrates her own story, which is one of love, faith, truth, resilience and healing. The film, I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco, allows her to discuss why she remained with Joey for years following the shooting, the lasting emotional and physical impact she was left with (facial paralysis and hearing loss, battling depression, suicidal thoughts and addiction), and how she has been able to find peace. “Today, I stand not as a victim, but as a survivor who has turned unimaginable pain into purpose,” she says.

Originally published on tvinsider.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.