Fil-Am stabbed 40 times by hubby

A Filipino-American woman has lived to tell her story of domestic abuse she suffered from her husband of 20 years.

Gemma Johnson thought she was going to die when her husband stabbed her more than 40 times.

“Akala ko talaga that's the end of it because yung feeling ko that moment, the way I breath, the way my eyes was closing, I didn't feel like I was gonna make it,” she said.

According to Johnson, the motive that drove her husband to stab her was professional jealousy.

She said her husband’s business closed 2 years ago while her beauty saloon continues to do well during the recession.

“Na-depress siya sa business niya kasi na-close yung kanyang car dealership, and besides that, ako lahat ang nagsusuporta,” she explained.

She said her 2 children were home when her husband stabbed her. She feared more for her children’s safety than her own.

“I was praying. I hope he would save me from that and also that my kids would be safe. If it's not gonna be me, at least my kids,” she said.

She said they had issues with domestic abuse in the past and went to counseling for it. But things took a turn for the worse when his business went under.

She filed for divorce from her husband while he is still in jail. Her legal counsel said her husband is facing a second-degree murder charge and could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the alleged crime.

She now struggles to keep up with her bills and is on the brink of losing her house. The Filipino community of Arizona fundraised on her behalf.

"Selling flowers, you know. Donations that people, you know, literally do not know me, but giving away some money to donate to help me,” she said.

Her friends believe that her will to survive and her faith saved her.

“God was with her and is going to be with her all the time because of her kids and she has a goal. She wants to survive and she did," said her friend, Tess Menendez.

She wants to move on, but continues to fear for her and her children’s safety.

“Just in case na makalabas siya, natatakot ako, maybe this time, alam niya na buhay ako, he would really, definitely finish me and my kids. So yun ang aking kinakatakutan ngayon,” she said