A Reason To Live: The True Story of One Woman's Love, Courage and Determination to Survive

by Billy Hills, Dale Hudson

In A Reason To Live, authors Hills and Hudson step out of the bounds of traditional true crime to present the seldom told story of the plight of victims confronting the harsh reality of being victimized once by crime and then repeatedly by the American criminal justice system. A story told with the page turning readability of a novel, A Reason To Live takes readers into the lives of members of a family determined to live again on their own terms following victimization by crime.

In February of 1979, two women from Pawley's Island, South Carolina, had the misfortune to cross paths with two desperate outlaws embarked on a day long, drug induced crime spree that ultimately left five persons dead. Taken at gunpoint from their families during a robbery, the women were raped, shot, and left for dead on a cold and wet dirt road. Miraculously, one of the women survived, although a shotgun blast to her face left a permanent reminder of that fateful night. A Reason To Live is the inspirational story of the survival of Wanda Summers.

Just months after being brutally victimized, as Wanda and her family began the arduous process of learning to live again, Wanda summoned her courage, and, despite suffering from horrific physical and emotional pain, she stood before her assailant in court; her dramatic and heartwrenching testimony helped persuade a jury to sentence Ronald "Rusty" Woomer to death for the murder of her friend.

Confident that due process of law would ultimately render justice, Wanda and her family focused on rebuilding their lives, hopeful to close the tragic chapter opened by Woomer. They had no way to know that the trial was only the beginning of their involvement with the legal system. Following years of countless appeals, and, finally, a last minute stay of execution for Woomer by the U.S. Supreme Court, Wanda faced the prospect of being dragged back into court, ten years after the original crimes, to relive the nightmarish kidnap and assault. The resulting outcry thrust Wanda into the public spotlight and a course of action that would forever change the nation.

Genres: Nonfiction

311 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2001

Reviews

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monday, November 15, 2004 I wrote about this book:

This book was send to me by Roxanne. She is the moderator of yahoo's True crime Book Club .The writer Dale Hudson is also a member and he signed the book for me.Reading right now and loving it.At the start it really reminded me of Stephen King.You get to know the main characters, but what they don't know, evil is coming there way. Right now I am at page 101 of 311.Great Book So Far!
Update November 17 2004. Well finished it already and I give it 5 stars. Very well written. A great book in which the writers really show you how life is for victims. That the murderers get all the attention.It made me wonder about the law in The US, (not that our Law is any good)It does not show any humanity for the victims but everything is pro the murderers.They get the attention. If I understand correctly not in every state they have the same laws! (another thing I don't understand) and in some the murderers can profit from there killings? by writing books and selling there art (John Wayne Casey)and I will never forget that Ted Bundy was allowed to be his own lawyer, with all the benefits he gained of that in jail. But worse , he was allowed to cross examine his victims. This book shows you what happens after the jury convicts someone to the death penalty.The criminals are allowed to have so many appeals (Ted Bundy 15 years!!!) all the money that they cost.It looks like a game.I highly recommend this book. Great book!