A 23-year-old Georgia mother is alive today for reasons doctors call nothing short of remarkable — and she’s choosing to speak publicly so that other women might recognize danger before it’s too late.
Shamay Pitt, still bandaged and recovering, recounted her ordeal from a Cobb County hospital bed days after police say her ex-boyfriend, Joshua Woodruff, shot her 10 times, kidnapped her, and drove her around for hours as she begged for help.
‘I come into realization that he is shooting at me’
Pitt told WSB-TV that the meeting on Nov. 2 was supposed to be a simple conversation. Instead, an argument inside her own car turned into a struggle — and then gunfire.
“He steps back, he steps forward, and he starts shooting me,” she said. “My ears are ringing, but I come into realization that he is shooting at me.”
She had no way to defend herself, no chance to run. She remembers only the ringing, the burning, the blood — and the sudden realization that she had been shot repeatedly but was still conscious.
Driven for Hours While Bleeding
What happened next has left both investigators and trauma surgeons stunned.
Bleeding heavily from multiple gunshot wounds, Pitt says Woodruff forced her back into the passenger seat and drove her across multiple Georgia counties for hours. She pleaded with him to let her out, to leave her somewhere with people around, somewhere she could breathe.
“Just lay me on the grass,” she told him. “I don’t want to die in this car.”
But the drive continued — silent, disorienting, and excruciating.
Left at a Hospital — Then Arrested
At some point, Woodruff pulled up to WellStar Douglas Hospital in Douglasville. Security officers, seeing Pitt’s condition and his behavior, detained him until police arrived.
Woodruff, 25, now faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault and false imprisonment. Authorities say additional charges could come as Pitt’s medical team assesses the full extent of her injuries.
Doctors rushed Pitt into emergency surgery after transferring her to Kennestone Hospital, where she is now recovering and expected to undergo further treatment.
‘I’m fighting for myself and my son’
Pitt’s focus now is survival — and her young child.
Her voice is soft, sometimes shaking, but steady when she explains why she is sharing her story just days after the attack.
She wants other women — especially those navigating breakups, custody issues, or cycles of intimidation — to take warning signs seriously and to understand that leaving an unsafe relationship can be the most dangerous moment.
Her message is direct: “I’m fighting for myself and my son.”
A Stark Reminder of a National Crisis
Advocates say Pitt’s story fits a pattern that domestic violence experts have warned about for years. Research shows women are most likely to be seriously harmed or killed when attempting to end a relationship. Firearms escalate that risk dramatically.
Georgia has seen several high-profile intimate partner violence cases this year, and Pitt’s survival highlights both the severity of the problem and the need for stronger interventions.
Her survival — after 10 gunshots, hours without medical care, and extreme blood loss — is medically extraordinary. But the circumstances that put her in danger are tragically common.
Moving Forward
Pitt still faces a long recovery. She has surgeries ahead, physical therapy ahead, and the emotional weight of trauma that, she admits, comes in waves.
But she also has resolve.
She lived. She remembers every detail. And now she wants her story to function as a lifeline for someone else.
“This could have ended differently,” she said. “But I’m still here.”
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and Pitt’s testimony may play a key role in securing a conviction.
For now, she is focused on healing — and on making sure her survival isn’t just a miracle, but a warning others do not have to learn the hard way.
