Aug

March 21, 2015, ABC’s “In An Instant” told the story of a local woman who was savagely attacked by her ex-husband. Teri Jendusa-Nicolai was beaten beyond recognition, kidnapped then left to die in a garbage bin locked inside a Wheeling storage facility.

The show featured interviews with first responders who rescued Teri and doctors who treated her following her 26-hour ordeal. One of those local doctors is IBJI’s Dr. Matthew Jimenez who lived in Wheeling at the time and drove right past that storage facility where Teri had been left on his way to work that day.

Dr. Jimenez describes Teri as “one of the most amazing patients I’ve ever cared for.” An orthopaedic trauma surgeon, Dr. Jimenez has seen more than his share of gruesome injuries in the emergency room. “Teri has such an incredible spirit. She never gave up,” says Jimenez. Teri survived and now serves as an advocate for victims of domestic violence. “She taught us all a lot about courage and positive attitude,” says Dr. Jimenez, who has stayed in contact with Teri over the years.