Tallahassee, Florida – In the late 1970s, Kathy Kleiner Rubin’s life took a dark turn when she became a victim of one of the most notorious serial killers in history, Ted Bundy. At the age of 20, she survived a brutal attack that left her severely injured and traumatized.
Diagnosed with lupus and undergoing chemotherapy as a teenager, Kathy’s life had already been marked by hardship. However, nothing could have prepared her for the terror she would experience on the night of January 15, 1978. After returning home from a friend’s wedding, Kathy was attacked in her college room by Ted Bundy, who had already murdered her housemate and another girl in the same building.
The assault left Kathy with a shattered jaw, torn tongue, and other serious injuries. Recovering from the physical and emotional trauma, Kathy later testified at Bundy’s trial, where he was found guilty of multiple counts of murder and attempted murder, ultimately receiving death sentences for his crimes.
Despite the horror she endured, Kathy’s resilience and determination to heal led her to become a motivational speaker and author, sharing her story in the book “A Light in the Dark: Surviving more than Ted Bundy,” co-written with Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi.
With her book, Kathy aims to give a voice to Bundy’s victims, honor their memory, and expose the true nature of their attacker. She encourages others who have faced trauma to find hope and strength in overcoming their own struggles.
Today, Kathy continues to inspire others with her message of survival and resilience, using her experience to shed light on the importance of finding hope in the darkest of times. “A Light in the Dark” is not just a story of survival, but a testament to the human spirit’s ability to endure and triumph over adversity.