Mary Forgues Saves Her Life & Joins The DC Project – Riding Shotgun With Charlie #144

by Charlie Cook September 06, 2022

U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- At SHOT Show 2022, I was checking Dianna Muller’s (RSWC #059) presentation on The DC Project (DCP) and ran into several DCP ladies who I’ve had on the show. Holly Sullivan (RSWC #036, CCDL) introduced us and said I needed to have Mary Forgues on the show, which should be easy since she isn’t that far from me. I was thrilled that Mary thought I was a rock star, so how could I NOT have her on the show?

The real reason for her being in the shotgun seat is that Mary’s story about using a firearm to save her life is truly amazing! She didn’t grow up as a firearm person, certainly not like she is now. She eventually got a firearm as a means to be able to protect her children as she is a single mother. She shares a shocking story that changed her life and her attitude about life.

Mary was involved in an attack in her home by someone she knew. Her attacker was someone she tried helping through the VA, where she has strong connections as her brother is a Veteran. Previously, there was a need for using her home during a VA event, which is how her attacker knew where she lived. Later that year, the attacker was released against clinical advice, she was notified, and he ended up at her house. On the night of her incident, her kids were out of the house, and she was home alone.

He broke into her home and lied about some papers that he thought she had, and he said he needed them. While she was putting one dog away in her room, he followed her upstairs to attack. While the man was on top of her, choking her neck and punching her face, her thoughts went from her daughter coming home and finding her lifeless body to her daughter coming home and being the next victim. During the struggle, she was able to dial the last number she called on her phone, and a male’s voice was heard, which distracted him long enough for Mary to grab her handgun from the dresser. If there were storage laws at that time, Mary would be dead.

She was able to get out of the house, contact the police, and get to a neighbor’s house while she waited 10 minutes for the police to arrive.

After the attacker continued with his drug and alcohol abuse pattern, which ended his life before a trial for Mary’s attack could occur.

During a training session at her boyfriend’s training school, she shared her story with other women who have their own stories of struggle and maybe an attack. She reached out to Holly Sullivan, president of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, and Holly wanted her to share her story with Dianna Muller and the other DCP members. Since then, Mary has taken over the helm of the DCP representative for Connecticut. She’s got lots of amazing and ongoing plans and goals, which are going to include monthly get together are various businesses in Connecticut where the funds will go to the efforts of getting Mary to Washington, DC, where she tells her story to our employees, the politicians, and let them know that gun rights are women’s rights.

Favorite quotes:
“It’s probably my responsibility as a parent to protect my children.”
“It took him around like 8 times for him to use his body to slam up on my door and to break through that sliding lock.”
“Imagining your child going through anything like that, that puts more fight in you than for your own life.”
“I’ve always been an advocate for people to have better options in life.”
“Everybody is struggling with something and too many people avoid it.”

Riding Shotgun With Charlie

Riding Shotgun With Charlie isn’t about firearms. It is about having an intimate conversation with 2 people talking. You’re the fly on the rearview mirror. Many passengers are involved in the firearm community, but not all of them.

This is a more intimate conversation than a phone, radio, or Skype interview. You get to see the passengers. And you’ll see where the road and the conversation take you!