Kidnapped woman: 'Prayers got me through it'

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The Bay Area mother of five who, according to deputies, was kidnapped by her husband Friday night, says he slit her wrists and tried to suffocate her during the awful two-day hostage ordeal that followed.

Alisa Summers' left arm was in a sling, but otherwise, she seemed in good spirits and thankful to be alive during her first interview since being rescued Monday morning. 

"I'm just so thankful for everyone who was following and the sharing the story" on social media, she told FOX 13's Kellie Cowan. "I could actually feel everyone's prayers during it all and that's what got me through it.”

Hillsborough deputies say her estranged husband, Trevor Summers, kidnapped Alisa from her home in Brandon early Saturday morning -- although no one knew it until 15 hours later when she tried to escape from the car they were in, while parked at a Walgreens in Lithia.  A store employee called 911 after seeing Alisa her with her hands tied, screaming for help. 

Alisa told FOX 13 that the Walgreens store employee probably saved her life. 

But Alisa herself paid a price for trying to escape.  According to her mother, Donna Waryga, he punished her by cutting her wrists.  Waryga says her daughter was repeatedly attacked during the ordeal.  She says he used a pillow to try to suffocate her and choked her with a rope.

It all ended Monday morning in Ruskin when a good Samaritan recognized from media reports the car they were in and called 911.  Deputies say Trevor Summers resisted arrest and had a self-inflicted knife wound to his throat, though it was not life-threatening. 

Trevor was booked into jail Tuesday after being released from the hospital.  He is charged with kidnapping, grand theft, domestic violence, and first-degree attempted murder.

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Alisa told FOX 13 that when she left her husband in November, she had no money to her name.  She says her husband had left them in financial ruin and it kept her from feeling like she could escape.  She says a new job gave her the means to leave him -- and close friends helped her buy groceries, kitchen items, and a few things to set up house.

She says she filed for a protective order after he held her at knifepoint on February 21, when she met with him to discuss a divorce.

"I know because of my faith that I'll be able to forgive him, but I still have a lot of healing to go as far as he's concerned. But I feel sorry for him," Alisa offered.  "I do feel that now I'm safe and he's going to be behind bars and will never be able to hurt me again."

According to court records, Trevor Summers was convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy last September.  Records show he pleaded guilty of trying to defraud investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He had been due in court Wednesday morning to be sentenced.