The Calm Before the Storm
Susan settled into a chair, flipped through a magazine, and her eyes caught a poem in Oprah Magazine. She read the lines slowly:
“I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear.”
At the time, she had no idea just how prophetic those words would become.
Her mind wandered as the stylist trimmed her hair, and she spoke casually about the challenges of her recent divorce. Mike, her estranged husband of nearly eighteen years, had finally moved out. The long, shared life together had ended quietly, without ceremony, leaving Susan to rebuild not just her home, but her sense of safety.
The Intrusion
An hour after leaving the salon, Susan returned to her blue Cape Cod in the Montavilla neighborhood. She was alone, the house quiet except for the soft hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of settling timber.
By the microwave in the mudroom, she found a note left by Mike:
“Sue, haven’t been sleeping. Had to get away—Went to the beach.”
The note should have brought her relief, but the tranquility of the home felt off, almost electric with tension. She moved through the hallway, noting the darkness of the rooms. Had she forgotten to open the curtains that morning?
Then he appeared.
A man, 59 years old, wearing a tan baseball cap pulled low over his eyes and yellow rubber gloves, stepped from behind the door. In his hands glinted the horrifying tool: a red-and-black claw hammer.
Before Susan could react, the man swung. The hammer connected with her left temple. Pain erupted like fire, but instinct and decades of training took over.
You’ll never be forgotten, Stanislawa Celinska. May you rest …
Training Becomes Survival
Susan wasn’t just any victim. For nearly thirty years, she had worked in emergency rooms, facing life-and-death situations daily. She had opened chests to perform heart massages, disarmed violent patients, administered IVs to thrashing addicts, and trained in self-defense against physical threats.
Her mind, honed by countless emergencies, calculated the situation instantly. Retreat would allow the attacker to gain leverage. Instead, she rushed toward him, closing the distance, using her body weight to disrupt his swing.
The first words she heard from him were chilling:
“You’re strong.”
In that instant, Susan recognized the truth: this was no burglary. The man intended to kill her. Every muscle, every reflex, every lesson from years of nursing and training kicked in.
A Fifteen-Minute Fight for Life
The struggle was brutal. Susan tackled him, wrestled the hammer away, and struck him with the claw end—an improvisation her father, a carpenter, had once suggested as a defensive tactic. The fight was relentless; the man countered. She bit him, grabbed his throat, and shouted:
“TELL ME WHO SENT YOU HERE AND I WILL CALL A FUCKING AMBULANCE!”
Her attacker growled, but did not speak. Susan pressed, immobilizing him long enough to escape, yet he caught her again, punching her in the face and splitting her lip. Pain and fear surged, but Susan did not yield. She threw her leg over his body, hooked her arm around his neck, and squeezed with every ounce of strength.
The struggle lasted fifteen minutes—a lifetime compressed into moments. Finally, Susan grabbed the hammer, ran to her neighbor’s house, and called 911. The neighbor’s voice trembled as she repeated Susan’s words:
“There’s an intruder in the house next door. He has a hammer. My neighbor thinks she may have strangled him. Call an ambulance.”
By the time police arrived, the intruder, Edward Dalton Haffey, was dead in the hallway.
The Investigation
Haffey’s criminal record was extensive. He had previously arranged the murder of his ex-girlfriend in 1994, serving nine years in prison. Initially, police believed Susan had simply defended herself against a random burglary.
But Susan knew better. From the moment he spoke, she had suspected that someone had orchestrated the attack. In Haffey’s backpack, authorities found a day planner. It contained a folder with a phone number—belonging to none other than Mike Kuhnhausen, Susan’s estranged husband.
The investigation revealed a horrifying plot: Mike had paid Haffey $50,000 to kill Susan, motivated by greed. Susan had removed him from her life insurance policy, but he still coveted the house they had once shared.
Confrontation and Justice
Mike Kuhnhausen initially denied involvement, but evidence was overwhelming. Surveillance, phone records, and Haffey’s notes tied him directly to the murder-for-hire scheme.
In August 2007, Mike pleaded guilty to soliciting aggravated murder. During sentencing, Susan addressed him directly, holding up photographs of her injuries. Her words were calm, sharp, and filled with the gravity of survival:
“You were willing for me to share your small, miserable life until death we did part—the sooner the better, as it turned out. I am damaged by what you have done. I am damaged. But I am not destroyed.”
He received a ten-year sentence. In a poetic turn, Mike Kuhnhausen died of cancer in prison three months before his scheduled release in June 2014.
Fundraiser by Ryan Garone : Dianne Garone Memorial
Reclaiming Life
Susan did not stop at criminal justice. She sued Mike in civil court for $1 million—not for compensation, but to ensure he could not hire another hitman. The jury awarded her $1,053,783, reinforcing that justice could extend beyond incarceration to protection of her ongoing safety.
She legally changed her name to Susan Walters, moved to a new house, and reclaimed control over her life. Trauma lingered, but so did the lessons of survival and resilience. She continued to practice at the shooting range and honed skills that kept her prepared, mentally and physically.
From Survivor to Advocate
Over time, Susan transformed personal trauma into purpose. She became a victim advocate in Portland, channeling her experience into teaching others about self-defense, safety, and recovery.
She co-created Case Companion, a free platform for victims to track offender court dates, sentencing, and release information. She also contributed to WomenStrength and GirlStrength programs, empowering others to respond to threats proactively and courageously.
Her message is clear:
“If you can’t run and you can’t hide, you have to fight. I didn’t choose my attacker’s death for him. I chose my life.”
Susan’s advocacy has helped thousands understand that survival is both possible and actionable.
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The Psychology of Survival
Surviving such a calculated, violent attack leaves lasting psychological effects. Susan wrestled with trauma, hypervigilance, and the moral complexity of having taken a life in self-defense. Yet she chose to channel those emotions into positive action rather than bitterness.
Her story illustrates key principles of human resilience:
Preparedness Matters: Training and experience gave Susan the edge in a life-threatening situation.
Presence of Mind: Calm, decisive thinking under pressure can save lives.
Purpose Beyond Survival: Transforming trauma into advocacy provides meaning and healing.
A Testament to Human Strength
Susan Walters’ story is more than a tale of survival—it is a blueprint for courage under extreme conditions. Few could imagine facing a calculated assassination attempt, sustaining brutal injuries, and emerging not only alive but committed to helping others.
Her narrative encompasses:
Physical endurance and strength
Mental clarity and decisive action
Moral clarity in the face of extreme adversity
Commitment to systemic change through advocacy
She exemplifies that heroism is not always recognized in headlines, but can manifest in daily, determined choices to survive and to protect others.
Virginia Apgar – Người phụ nữ đứng sau “thang điểm sinh tồn …
Legacy of Empowerment
Today, Susan continues her work, inspiring countless individuals to reclaim agency in their own lives. Her advocacy emphasizes self-defense, awareness, and empowerment, showing that survival is never passive—it is active, intentional, and courageous.
Through Case Companion, WomenStrength, and GirlStrength, Susan ensures that victims of crime can navigate the justice system with clarity and confidence. She embodies a rare combination of lived experience, expertise, and dedication to community service.
The Quiet Heroism of Survival
Susan’s fight was physical, but her courage extends far beyond that moment. It encompasses her recovery, her legal victories, her personal reclamation of life, and her advocacy. She demonstrates that survival is a continuous process—one that requires vigilance, compassion, and purpose.
Unlike stories that celebrate only dramatic confrontation, Susan’s life shows that true heroism includes:
Rebuilding a life after trauma
Protecting others from similar threats
Using personal experience to drive systemic change
Maintaining dignity and resolve in the aftermath
Remembering Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki – Llewellyn Unbound
Lessons from Susan Walters
Susan’s extraordinary story imparts lessons that transcend personal narrative:
Strength Is Trained: Physical and mental preparedness are critical in crisis.
Courage is a Choice: Fear can be overcome through deliberate action.
Justice is Multi-Faceted: Legal recourse can prevent future harm, beyond punishment.
Purpose Heals: Channeling trauma into advocacy transforms pain into empowerment.
Her journey embodies resilience, justice, and human dignity at every step.
Moving Forward
Today, Susan Walters lives fully, aware of both her vulnerabilities and her capacities. She continues to refine her skills, mentor others, and promote empowerment for women and victims of violent crime.
She reminds us all that life is precious, and that the difference between victimhood and survival often lies in preparation, courage, and the refusal to surrender agency.
Her mantra, once a line in a magazine poem, continues to define her life:
“I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear.”
Conversation with Sally Blake – Part 1 Letterkenny – YouTube
Conclusion — The Choice to Live
Susan Walters’ story is remarkable not only because of the violence she survived, but because of the life she reclaimed. She teaches the world that survival is not passive—it is active, determined, and courageous.
From an emergency room nurse reading poetry to a woman who disarmed a hitman, faced trauma, and became a beacon for others, Susan embodies the power of human resilience. Her life reminds us: when faced with imminent death, the choice to fight is not just about survival—it is about reclaiming identity, agency, and purpose.
Her story stands as a guide, a warning, and an inspiration:
Prepare
Act
Survive
Rebuild
Empower others
In choosing life, Susan Walters chose to transform tragedy into courage, fear into strength, and survival into advocacy. Her legacy will endure—not as a tale of violence, but as a testament to the indomitable human spirit.
