July 20, 2002, was a day that changed Sabrina Greenlee’s life forever. It was the day she endured a terrifying acid attack that left her fighting for her life and ultimately took her sight. And it was a day that sent her on a journey that tested her strength and her faith.
Over two decades later, Greenlee is sharing her story in a new memoir, “Grant Me Vision.” The Root sat down with Greenlee to talk about her experience and why she thought it was important to share her story with the world.
In “Grant Me Vision,” Greenlee paints a vivid picture of her young life growing up in South Carolina near the campus of Clemson University. She describes the place generations of her family called home as “amazing” and an important character in her life story.
“I felt it was super important to capture all of the generations who had been there and to spotlight the love and richness of the people who lived in our neighborhood,” she said.
Greenlee, who was once a well-known exotic dancer, described her life as one filled with trips and parties with celebrities.
But all of that changed when a woman who was involved with her ex-boyfriend threw a mixture of bleach and lye on her face and body. Greenlee says she was left for dead in a gas station before being airlifted to a burn care center in Augusta, Georgia. She spent a month in a coma before she was reunited with her family.
The attack took a severe toll on Greenlee’s mental health. She writes candidly about the over three years she spent confined to her bedroom battling depression and thoughts of suicide. But she said it was her faith and her love for her four children – including her son, NFL star DeAndre Hopkins – that motivated her to push through her pain and gave her the will to live.
“I was taking pills to wake up, pills to go to sleep and all in between,” she said. “It was scary because I didn’t know how I was going to do it. I cried every day. But something in me said, ‘you better get it together because you’re going to lose these children either to the streets or to other people.’”
Greenlee says that although her life since the attack is completely different than the existence she had before, she hopes readers will be inspired by her story and understand the importance of forgiveness to her healing process.
“I would not be where I’m at today if I had not chosen to forgive. I prayed for [my attacker] when I couldn’t even pray for myself,” she said. “That was one of the best things I’ve ever done because now I live and walk in freedom. I refuse to let anyone else stop me and my family from winning.“
“I was living my best life before the attack. But one bad decision – attaching myself to the wrong people – changed my life in an instant,” Greenlee added. “It was a journey for me to get myself together for my children, but I was determined to do it.”