Steph Claire Smith recalled a terrifying experience on her daily walk that left her in tears.
The Melbourne-based fitness influencer, 29, detailed the terrifying moment a man behind the wheel of a white van began following her as she walked.
She recalled how she feared for her safety when a white van braked “drastically” alongside her, before circling and passing her again.
Speaking to her friend Laura Henshaw on her KICPOD podcast, Steph said she was crying as the driver kept driving past her and staring at her.
She shared: ‘There was a time for me, where I walked every day and I had this route that I loved to follow in my old place where I used to live.
Steph Claire Smith recalled a terrifying experience on her daily walk that left her in tears while speaking to Laura Henshaw on her KICPOD podcast.
‘There was one day that changed everything for me because I hadn’t thought about changing routes.
‘I often walked during the day… and lived near busy roads, but to be honest I didn’t think about it. I think I was a little naive about it.
Detailing the shocking experience, he continued: ‘I can remember the van like it was yesterday (…) It was an old white van, like a wagon, with curtains on the back window, super creepy.
“And this guy had his window down, he was old, and he looked me dead in the eye when he drove by me.”
The Melbourne-based fitness influencer, 29, detailed the terrifying moment when a man behind the wheel of a white van began following her as she walked (pictured she is running).
“I looked over my shoulder and this van made a U-turn and passed me again, slowed down and stared at me as it did so,” he added.
‘The guy did it several times, like three or four times. At this point, I’m crying and I don’t want to make eye contact with him.
Steph said she then called her now-husband Josh Miller and asked him to pick her up because she felt unsafe amid the ordeal.
Steph said she and Josh immediately went to report the incident to the police after he picked her up, and she said she had never walked the same route since.
Amid fears for her safety, Steph told how she called her now-husband Josh Miller (pictured) to come pick her up, and they immediately went and reported the incident to the police.
She said: “I haven’t gone down the same route and I constantly call Josh when I’m feeling (scared) or have triple-0 ready on my phone and it’s just shit.”
Laura agreed while fuming: ‘It just sucks. “We just want to go for a run or a walk.”
The comments section was flooded with messages from women who had gone through similar terrifying experiences as Steph’s followers sent her messages of support.
