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Paige McKenzie says her experience with a violent stranger has made her more wary of the world. In her first public appearance since her savage beating in October, McKenzie said Thursday she hopes her story can convince others to take a stronger stance on violence against women.

A photograph taken at University of New Mexico Hospital after her beating in October shows the damage Paige McKenzie suffered.

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Paige McKenzie's beating could have been just another story, a quick blurb at the top of the newscast, or in the newspaper, three or four paragraphs about a woman who was assaulted on her way home from the gym.

But it wasn't. Isn't. Won't be. McKenzie was, is, someone many in our community know.

In part because so many in government and politics know or know of her, McKenzie's story hasn't faded into the yearly roundup of crime stats.

McKenzie, who was the spokeswoman for Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl until Oct. 4, says something good can come of the horrible night that left her unconscious for four days and with medical expenses higher than the value of many homes.

"Every time I turn on the news, there's another story about another woman who has been raped or beaten or shot or tortured or killed in New Mexico," McKenzie said Thursday.

"If talking to the media, releasing these pictures, causes women to take steps to protect themselves, if it causes people to get angry enough to say, `We are not going to tolerate this kind of violence in New Mexico anymore' - I just want as much good to come out of this as possible. That's why I decided to finally talk."

The photos she released were taken at University of New Mexico Hospital shortly after her beating. The pictures would make even a seasoned crime reporter grimace.

Her face is unimaginably distorted. The attacker used a tire iron on it, giving her blue, black, purple, brown and yellow bruises, wrecking her lips, severely damaging her eye, shattering her jaw.

McKenzie had been driving home from the gym after work on the night of Oct. 4 when her tire went flat. She pulled over on U.S. 550 to look at it, and drove into a bank parking lot in Bernalillo. Her attacker saw her pull over to look at the tire, McKenzie said he told her.

At that time, everything seemed normal. He offered to help her. She offered to pay him several times for his trouble. He was going to put the jack in place under her car, and she went up to the First Community Bank to see if anyone was inside to help. When she returned, the man hadn't made any progress.

That's when McKenzie got the bad vibe, she said. Then the man she'd never seen before attacked.

"I never saw it coming. I never saw it coming," she said. "You just don't expect someone who is helping you, or at least pretending to help you, to turn around and start hitting you. You don't expect that."

The man left the scene soon after, and McKenzie used her cell phone to dial 911. Her face was so badly injured, she couldn't speak clearly. A couple passing by - whose identities McKenzie still doesn't know - helped her finish the call.

Luckily, emergency medical technicians were at a gas station across the street when McKenzie and the couple placed the call.

"When the ambulance pulled in, I climbed in the ambulance, and I laid down and that's when I started feeling the pain. I was unconscious not too long after that and I don't really remember anything until four nights after that," she said.

That's about the time the community pulled together around her. The paramedics, doctors, the friends, family, well-wishers. And the strangers.

"There's so many wonderful people out there who have been so supportive, people I've never even met."

So many, she said, she hasn't been able to get to all the thank-you notes. She is asking for forgiveness from all the people who gave to the fund set up to help with her medical bills, because she doesn't have a complete list. She also didn't have medical insurance.

"I'm sure there are people out there who want to know what happened to me, and if I'm all right, and I want them to know the amazing healing that God has done for me in this amount of time. All my doctors are amazed at how fast I've healed and I know it's all the people praying for me," she said.

While McKenzie's story is about recovery, healing, community, it's also about caution.

"I'd tell everyone out there, don't leave your house without a cell phone and a AAA (American Automobile Association) membership. And sadly, don't even let a stranger who stops to help you help you for any reason."

Bernalillo Police Department Chief Fred Radosevich said the case investigation continues and that the department is still waiting for evidence from the crime lab. McKenzie was not robbed or sexually assaulted.

There have been no similar attacks in the area, he said.

"We really believe it was random," Radosevich said.

McKenzie wants the man locked up and prays he will be caught.

"It scares me to think who else he may have done this to, or who else he may do this to," she said.

For now, McKenzie is recovering and looking to the future.

"I know that God has doors that he's going to open for me, he'll show me what those are, and whatever that is is fine with me. I have no doubt that he's going to bring out of this a better life than what I had. I'm really excited and anxious to see what he's going to do next because he's already done some really incredible things throughout out of this."