A Montana woman is reflecting on her miraculous survival after being shot multiple times by an intruder in her home. On January 6, 2018, Ashley Van Hemert, then 32, and her roommate, Lauren DeWise, 35, were both shot by an intruder in their Belgrade, Montana, home. While DeWise tragically lost her life, Van Hemert somehow survived despite sustaining life-threatening injuries.
The gripping story is featured in an episode of 20/20, titled “You Left Me For Dead,” which aired on March 14 and is available for streaming.
Van Hemert, a former nursing assistant, awoke in the hospital nearly a week after the attack, unable to speak or move, but using her fingers to make the “I love you” sign to her family. That small gesture showed her loved ones that she was still conscious and aware of her surroundings.
Belgrade police found Van Hemert on her bedroom floor, covered in blood and fighting for her life. She was rushed through three different hospitals before being flown to the University of Colorado Medical Center, more than 700 miles away.
“We didn’t have the resources to care for her… She had been shot point-blank in the back of the head,” said Belgrade Police Chief Dustin Lensing. “We weren’t even sure if she would make it.”
Van Hemert credits her survival to the strong support of her family and her deep faith. “God is good, and I’m still here,” she said. “The Lord literally saved my life that night.”
The night of the shooting, Van Hemert had returned home after a date with her boyfriend. She remembered locking the door before heading inside the home she shared with DeWise and homeowner Audria Butler, who wasn’t home at the time.
DeWise had moved in with Van Hemert after separating from her husband, Paul DeWise. She had left her marital home due to ongoing issues with Paul and was starting a new chapter in her life when the tragedy struck.
The next morning, on January 7, 2018, Butler arrived home to find the two women shot and lying unconscious. She immediately ran to a neighbor’s house to call 911. Upon arriving, law enforcement officers discovered signs of a break-in, including two distinct sets of boot prints outside the house.
Investigators determined the women had been shot two hours after Van Hemert arrived home, and they weren’t discovered until hours later. Doctors later revealed that one of the bullets had actually saved Van Hemert’s life by blocking a vital artery.
“I know that God was watching out for her, because even the doctor said that they had never seen that before,” said Van Hemert’s mother, Linda. “A part of a bullet lodged in the carotid artery and blocked it. If it had moved slightly, she would’ve bled out.”
Van Hemert underwent numerous surgeries, including a craniotomy to address a massive stroke she suffered from the attack. An active snowboarder and hiker before the shooting, she spent the next eight months in rehab, relearning how to eat, walk, and perform basic tasks with only the use of her right side.
The investigation soon pointed to Paul DeWise as the shooter. Evidence, including boot prints and a Ruger .22 caliber pistol linked to him, led to his conviction in December 2019. He was sentenced to 220 years in prison, though he maintains his innocence.
During DeWise’s sentencing, Van Hemert had the opportunity to confront him for the first time. Despite the immense pain he caused, she chose forgiveness, sharing, “I don’t know why God fully chose to save my life yet, Paul… But one thing I do know is that I’ve gained a new understanding of people’s pain. And you may have tried to kill me, but you don’t have the final say on when someone’s life is over.”
Through the unimaginable pain, Van Hemert chose to focus on forgiveness and healing. She even wrote a poem for DeWise, expressing her commitment to pray for him and his family.
“You killed Lauren, and left me there for dead. By the grace of God, I survived and became a testimony,” she wrote. “If God can forgive me an unlimited number of times, then how could I withhold forgiveness from you, Paul?”
Years of recovery followed, and Van Hemert returned to her home in Bozeman, Montana. She resumed activities she loved, like hiking with her dog, Bronson, and even returned to snowboarding. She now works for a homeschooling program and hopes to inspire others through her story of survival and resilience.
Van Hemert’s story is a powerful message of forgiveness and strength, even in the face of unimaginable hardship. She continues to honor her roommate, Lauren, and raise awareness about domestic violence, choosing every day to see herself as a survivor—not a victim.
“If I see myself as a victim, then he still wins,” Van Hemert said. “I have to see myself as a victor. Even though he tried to kill
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