PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — Among a sea of Christmas trees under a garland lit gazebo in a Dallas, Georgia park; Nancee Jordan, Desja Thompson, and Ryan Thompson sat close to each other, holding hands on an unseasonably December day.
They didn't go for for the sights and lights. It was simply a place they felt comfortable talking about what happened earlier in the year, on October 19th.
"Nobody thinks stuff like this would happen to them. And then it did," said Desja.
The family all teared up the moment "it" entered the conversation.
"I was stabbed 21 times," Ryan said, bluntly.
Paulding County deputies went to a home on Hiram Sudie Road at 3:41 a.m.
“He woke up to being stabbed," his mom Nancee said. "And he had to fight his way and crawl to the neighbor’s house just to call 911.”
Nancee said the 29-year-old suspect, a new boyfriend of Nancee's roommate, and her son argued earlier in the day. The suspect was arrested during a traffic stop later in the afternoon and charged with aggravated assault. He remains in Paulding County Jail on a $25,000 bond -- an amount Nancee said is not high enough.
"It worries me as a mom because what if he gets out and does this to somebody else?" Nancee said.
Ryan underwent hours of surgeries, spent a week in the hospital with lacerations, four broken ribs and a collapsed lung. He showed 11Alive's Hope Ford his wounds, some still black and blue as they are healing.
His daughter, Desja, said the seven days all rolled into one as she waited for her father to come home.
"That week, I didn't sleep. I didn't eat. I was scared," she said tearfully.
In the following months, the family moved, trying to get away from the crime scene.
“They (police) told me there was my son’s blood, everywhere, on the walls, I couldn’t go back there," said Nancee.
They also face mountains of medical bills. Nancee is feeling an extra pang of guilt, as she is unable to afford gifts for her three grandchildren.
“I don’t want them to grow up with hatred and anger," Nancee explained. "My grandson is just mad at the world. He wants to take on the whole world, because it happened and I have to tell him 'you’re a child, let us worry about this.'”
The contrast of the merry and bright light around them as they talk about the fear, anger, and worry inside them is not lost on this family.
“I feel like, is this ever gonna end?” Nancee said.
She started a GoFundMe account to help raise money for medical bills and Christmas, but was met with negativity on social media -- some people even accusing her of trying to scam people.
"It makes you not even want to ask for help," Nancee said.
The family wonders what exists in their future, but they’re sure the present of today is Ryan’s life.
“My dad’s my best friend," said Desja."I’m thankful for every day.”