Actress Kelly McGillis exploded into the American consciousness in the 1980s with riveting roles as a young Amish widow and mother in Witness (1985), Tom Cruise’s love interest in Top Gun (1986), and as Jodie Foster’s attorney in The Accused (1988).

Last week she starred in a real-life horror show as a crazed woman broke into her home and waited for her in ambush, a terrorizing incident McGillis chronicled on her Facebook page.

I came home last night around 9:00 after attending a lecture by theologian Robin Meyers. The final conclusion of which was about loving others. ‘Every single other.’ When I arrived home on top of my mountain I notice the downstairs bathroom light was on (you can see it from the street). I didn’t recall leaving it on but I was in there before I left brushing my teeth so I thought maybe I’d left it on. There weren’t any cars around. I began collecting the bird feeders to bring them in for the night (we have hungry bears). When I put my key in the front door it was unlocked. I thought it was strange but I made up the story that maybe I had left it unlocked just as I had left the bathroom light on. Upon entering the house I notice a pair of girls pink sandals and a black larger pair. I thought that maybe one of daughter was here because on of them has a key. Called out hello several times. I was trying to get rid of the stuff in my hand to better assess what was going on when a stranger, a woman, came barreling down the hallway and began yelling at me. I asked her who she is and why she was in my house and she said ‘you know why you’ve been stalking me in Twitter.’ Not true. At that moment I got worried that there may be someone else in the house with house with her. We have quite a few guns and lots of ammo and that’s when I started to panic. Thinking that if they have one of them I could be shot. I ran out the front door and called 911. She ran out after me and began punching and scratching my trying to grab the phone out of my hand. I began screaming as loud as I could hoping someone somewhere might hear me. I still had my car keys in my hand so I set off the car alarm. That distracted her enough to throw the cell and try to deal with the keys. More fighting ensued. I got the cell phone back and dialed 911 again. More fighting. And she once again had the cell phone. I finally broke away, got in the truck and drove off trying to find a neighbor to call 911. There was no one around since it was Friday night, so I chased someone in a car, kept flashing my lights and honking the horn. They finally pulled over and she made the 911 call for me. A truly good Samaritan. Dispatch told me to wait there for there for someone to arrive. Too shorten this ever long story. She was apprehended. I’m alright. Scratched and bruise. I feel very thankful it turned out well. But who I feel heartache for is the little girl that was with her. Mental illness takes many hostages. I don’t know her name…but I would like to asked that you pray for her and her mother. On a lighter note…my cell phone was thrown in the street and run over by my pick up. Thanks to the Otter case it still is in good shape. Also I have RayBan glasses frames and the were ripped from my face and stomped on I don’t know how many times. They are still wearable. It always a good day when you can find the positive in a negative situation.

As a result of the attack, McGillis decided it was finally time for her to obtain her North Carolina concealed carry permit.

I thank you all for your warm thoughts and love. I’m still a bit shook up and struggling with some residual fear. I do have an alarm. I was complacent and didn’t set it after living here four years and having nothing happen. My bad. She broke my in the garage window and called through by stacking 10 bags of mulch. She threw dog food all
over the kitchen floor to distract the dogs. I have three. Honestly they seemed really freaked out by the whole thing. I have decided to get a conceal and carry permit. And you can be sure I will be setting the alarm from here on out.

Sadly, this was not the first time McGillis has been brutalized in a violent crime.

For those of you on my feed that are telling me that getting a cc permit is not the best choice for me to make, well let me fill you in on a few things that have lead me to this decision. Which by the way, I have struggled over for a long long time. Not being pro gun fanatic. When I was 12 I was gang raped by three men. Later while in College I was living in NY I was held up at gun point. A year or so after that while finding the subway I was hit across the face a few time by a man long who wanted me to give him some kind of a response to his calling me ‘just a white bitch.’ Remarkably or not, no one on the train offered any kind of assistance. Not long after that is when two men broke broke into my apartment while I was there and repeatedly rapped me. I have been stalked by and ex girlfriend who took great pains to try to poison my animals and wreak a swath of destruction of my personal property. After each one of these attacks I moved thinking I could find a safe place. Not. The incident Friday night has now pushed me over the edge. It has been my tipping point. No I am not a victim. I am a survivor. The last few hours I have been alternating between tears, anger, despair and the ‘why me’ of it all. And if one fucking person out there something like ‘why not you’ I will go absolutely ballistic. A cute little phrase to make all okay? For who…you? Me? It will not be okay. I am now left with all the terrifying feelings of PTSD and trying to pull
myself out of the very depth of the all consuming depression and despair. All that background pain has
pushed itself to the fore of my psyche.And those Demons are raging inside me right now. I do not ever want to feel violated again. Ever. Hence the conceal and carry. All I have ever wanted is to feel safe. Safe in my own amhome. And now two separate times has been broken. I have thought about it long and hard. Ever since 1982. I don’t know why this shit keeps happening to me. Bad Karma? So a wierdo magnet. Am I supposed to be getting some kind of lesson from all of this. Or is he Universe out to get me? Or God? I don’t know if there are answers. I just know I am deeply frightened. I can’t think. I can’t eat. And I am terrified to be alone. And the worse thing…my neighbor heard me screaming and yelling help and my car alarm going off and did absolutely nothing. That is the kind me of world we live in. No one is willing to help their neighbor, the stranger, their brother of sister, he orphan or the widow. That’s why I am going to start carrying a gun.

McGillis has found some help in the form of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department, which has expedited her concealed carry permit.

They rushed me through the conceal and carry course so I am armed and ready. The Henderson County Sheriff’s department has been absolutely the greatest. Here’s my first target practice. I only missed five from the center out of thirty rounds. All hit the target.

It’s horrific that Ms. McGillis has gone through so many traumatic events in her life. Every time, it seems that she had the idea that she could move away from threats, and sadly, every time that idea has been proven wrong. Like those lost in the Islamic terrorist attack in Orlando, she thought someone else would come to her aid, and that aid never came.

In the end, you and you alone are responsible for your safety and the safety of your family. You can’t rely on strangers to answer your cries for help, and you can’t rely upon the police to respond in time to save you.

There are however, firearms instructors and shooting enthusiasts around the country that are more than willing to help you learn to defend yourself. All you have to do is ask. I don’t know if Ms. McGillis is interested, but there is an active Pink Pistols chapter in Asheville where she might find kindred spirits with similar stories.

I don’t care what your religion is, who you love, or where your views lie on the political spectrum. You have a basic human right to defend your life and the lives of those you love with the arms you determine are best for your needs.

Get armed, get trained, carry, and live your life unafraid.