A mother whose face was melted in an unprovoked acid attack is using her experiences to help other survivors of trauma - and said she has grown to become thankful for her scars.
Ten years ago Karli Butler, 32, was the victim of a vicious attack made in retaliation against her then boyfriend that left her fighting for her life.
Her attackers poured acid over her body and she spent six and a half weeks in intensive car.
She endured third degree burns to 30 per cent of her body and was left with 70 per cent scarring and initially doctors feared for her life.
After waking up from her first surgery and catching her reflection in the mirror Ms Butler was so horrified she spiraled into depression.
However she came to 'love' her scars and accepted her transition from 'burns victim to burns survivor'.
She now hopes to help others drawing on the 'invaluable lessons' she learned from the traumatic experience.
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Karli Butler, 32, was the victim of a vicious attack in 2006 made in retaliation against her then boyfriend that left her fighting for her life
Ms Butler spent six weeks in the Intensive Care Unit recovering from third degree burns
Ms Butler described how she was initially 'angry' with the world but came to 'love my scars'
Ms Butler was first targeted by a gang in March 2006 in a revenge attack against her then boyfriend.
She escaped from the attempted kidnapping but in May she was attacked again - with much more serious consequences.
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ShareShe was visiting her cousin in her hometown of Chicago when she was approached by two unfamiliar women as she returned to her car.
In the heinous act, her attackers poured acid over her body which left the skin falling off her face.
Recalling the terrifying ordeal she said: 'I took off running towards my car and they took off running towards me.
'I eventually made it into my car but one of them had a gun and she was trying to get it into the car.
'Eventually she got her hand in and she put her gun on my face and she said, "Do it again and I'll shoot you."
'I put my hands up immediately and I felt the splash. It was horrible - I can't even describe the pain.
'My eyes burned so badly my first reaction was to wipe and my eyes melted down and then I felt the second splash on my stomach.
'I remember just screaming and screaming and my skin falling off of my face.'
Ms Butler, pictured with her son Zailen, has refused to let the attack dominate her life
Ms Butler said: 'Going to sleep one person and waking up someone else is really difficult'
She was taken to hospital where medics battled desperately to save her life.
She spent six weeks in the Intensive Care Unit recovering from third degree burns.
When she first saw her reflection in the mirror she was horrified and immediately burst into tears.
She said: 'I woke up from my first surgery with my head completely shaven and I remember accidentally seeing my reflection in a mirror and it was ghastly.
'I didn’t recognize myself. I immediately burst into tears.
'Going to sleep one person and waking up someone else is really difficult and there is no one can prepare you for something like that.'
As she recovered she came to realize beauty is 'much more than skin deep' and refused to let the attack dominate her life.
When she first saw her reflection in the mirror she was horrified and burst into tears
Ms Butler's charred trousers following the unprovoked acid attack a decade ago
Her bra was also burnt in the horrific attack in 2006 - she now hopes to inspire others
She explained: 'I was angry with the world. I was angry that I was scarred, I was angry that I was in pain, I was angry that my life had changed dramatically, but I was most angered by the fact that everyone else got to move on with their lives except me.
'That anger and resentment only dragged me down.
'Making the transition from burn victim to burn survivor has been a long journey, but I have learned invaluable lessons about who I am and my capabilities.'
She added: 'Before I was burnt I put so much of my worth into how I looked in my physical appearance. My definition of beauty has definitely changed.
'Beauty is much more than skin deep and I love my scars, I always say I love my stripes. I wouldn't change anything.'
Ms Butler even reached out to her attacker in jail - but did not receive any reply
Ms Butler is now drawing on her ordeal to help others who have experienced trauma and abuse.
She said: 'I'm in a really great place in my life, I'm now working as a social service provider with young women.
'I have an amazing four-year-old son and my experiences are actually bringing a lot of amazing opportunities to my life that I otherwise don't think I would have.
'I'm thankful for everything, I'm thankful for my scars, I'm thankful for the trauma that has ultimately shaped who I am.'
She added: 'Before I was burnt, I put so much of my worth into how I looked in my physical appearance.
'Now I realize that beauty is something else altogether and I want to use my experiences to be an advocate.'
Ms Butler is using her experiences to help other survivors overcome trauma
Due to a lack of sufficient evidence, only one of her attackers, Nicole Baker, was ever brought to justice.
She was sentenced to 15 years in prison for heinous battery.
In an incredible show of forgiveness Ms Butler reached out to her attacker in jail - but her generous attempts of reconciliation were rebuffed.
She said: 'I was angry, I was hurt and also confused about why they do something so heinous, but all that negative energy was negatively impacting my own life.
'I hold no ill will, I actually wrote her a letter last summer just telling her that I hope she sees better days and to let her know that it's a wash, but I never heard anything back from her.'
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