WGN reporter Winnie Dortch is sharing her survival story after a domestic violence attack last year.
On Oct. 7, 2024, an incident in Cleveland almost kept Dortch from returning home to Chicago. Growing up in the city’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, she dreamed of working at WGN. Later in life, a reconnection with her high school sweetheart and the birth of a baby followed.
Then the relationship took a turn.
“I remember him saying, ‘You know if you get out, I’ll shoot you,'” Dortch recalled.
“What would’ve happened if you stayed in the car?” asked WGN’s Dina Bair.
“I would’ve been dead,” Dortch answered.
In a sit-down interview with Bair, Dortch recounted the day she was dropping her daughter off at school when her child’s father shot her in the face. She has battled back to being whole and committing to a life, all while carrying a burden, but moving forward despite it.
Winnie Dortch’s story of love, jealousy, anger, and a life-altering crime is also a story of survival. Now, she is speaking out in hopes of helping others who may be facing domestic violence. Bair will have Winnie’s full story on WGN’s Evening News Monday at 9 p.m.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any domestic abuse, know that you are not alone. Reach out for help by contacting the Domestic Violence hotline at 800.799.SAFE. You can call anytime. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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