HOUSTON — Domestic violence survivors got the celebrity treatment on Saturday night thanks in part to the mother of Houston Texans wide receiver Deandre Hopkins.
Sabrina Greenlee, a survivor herself, treated the women to a special evening.
“I want them to feel like a queen, the queens that they are," Greenlee said.
She’s now a role model for a lot of women.
A vicious attack left her blind but that hasn’t stopped her from making it her mission to help victims of domestic violence.
“All it takes is just one glimmer of hope and to say that I want to live and not only for yourself but for your children, your family,” Greenlee said.
Through her SMOOOTH non-profit organization she challenges women to take their power back.
“There’s going to be things that’s going to come in life again just to always come back to this day and feel empowered and to know that you were loved,” she said.
Greenlee helped give 20 survivors a day worthy of Hollywood stars.
Among them is Brandalyn Gill.
“We got to go to this stupendous studio to have our makeup done and of course makeup doesn’t make the woman -- the woman makes the makeup," Gill said. "And we know that we’re going to go to this event and celebrate overcoming our trauma.”
She has experienced depression but events like this one remind her that it’s not just about being a survivor, but being a warrior for others.
“Do you like the woman that you see in the mirror? Gill questioned. "After the violence, after the shouting, after all the trauma, what do you look like to you and how do you want to feel in the future?”
It’s a feeling of strength and support these women hope serves as an example for others on how they should be treated.
The women said the first step to finding a way out of abuse is the hardest, and that’s talking to someone.
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE(7233).
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