A woman who was kidnapped at knifepoint by her own boyfriend has shared the details of her horrific experience, revealing how she came to terms with the fact that she was going to die at the hands of her abuser.
In October 2022, 24-year-old Pawel Sliwinski violently forced Alexis Ruhlen into his car and drove her to a local shopping center, where he threatened to dismember her and sew her back together.
Once parked, the college student from New Jersey quickly locked the doors after Pawel got out, running to the local police department and reporting her abuser.
Pawel was sentenced to seven years in prison in April 2024 after pleading guilty to Alexis’ kidnapping.
Now, nearly two years after the ordeal, the nursing student is reflecting on the abuse she suffered, as well as the quick reaction that saved her life.
In October 2022, Pawel Sliwinski, 24, violently forced Alexis Ruhlen, 21, into his car and drove her to a local shopping center, where he threatened to dismember her and sew her back together.
“I accepted that I was going to die that day,” the college student recalls. “Saving myself was my most difficult accomplishment, but it’s one I’m most proud of.”
At first glance, Alexis Ruhlen and Pawel Sliwinski seemed like the perfect match, having struck up a whirlwind romance after first meeting on Tinder in December 2020.
They officially began dating in January 2021 and it wasn’t long until Pawel began to expose his cruel side which would culminate in him snapping and threatening her life.
“I just thought he did it because he loved me,” Alexis admitted.
“But then he would do grand gestures, like take me away from home on weekends, to make up for making me sad,” the New Jersey native explained.
However, just weeks after the couple began dating, Pawel began to show worrying signs: he became aggressively possessive, attempted to dictate what she should wear and demanded to know her location at all hours.
Over time, he began to physically abuse her.
“He even said he would never hurt me again, but of course that didn’t last long,” Alexis said.
“I lost count of the number of times he hit me and yelled at me for what I was wearing or where I was going,” she added.
Alexis, from New Jersey, met Pawel in December 2020 when they first matched on Tinder, but he later became abusive.
The pair quickly entered into a whirlwind relationship and became “inseparable,” with Alexis eventually thinking she had gotten her fairytale ending.
Four months into their relationship, the 24-year-old became increasingly aggressive and physically abusive before exploding in October 2022 when Alexis attempted to break up with him.
Alexis, who has since told her family about the abuse she suffered, said she went through a long healing journey to get to where she is today.
The final straw came in October 2022, when Pawel insisted on speaking to him on FaceTime, but “went crazy” when she bumped into a stranger while walking on her college campus.
“I told him right then and there that I was finished for good,” she said.
Furious over the breakup, Pawel had sent the college student no less than 43 emails threatening to harm her and her loved ones before storming her campus to get revenge.
The jealous ex hid in the trunk of her car with a knife, jumped out and punched Alexis in the face before forcing her to drive 45 minutes to a shopping center.
After Alexis quickly escaped to the police, Pawel was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, robbery, assault with a weapon, stalking and terroristic threats against him.
In April, Pawel appeared in Bergen County Court and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
However, they were later dropped as part of a plea deal to first-degree kidnapping.
After reflecting on the ordeal, Alexis says she does not consider herself a victim, but a survivor.
“Seeing the person who made my life hell for a year and a half face punishment is powerful,” she said.
“I refuse to live my life labeled as a victim because of him.”
The future nurse said she will continue to survive life’s tough battles and strive to stand up for people in similar situations to her own, noting that she went through a long healing journey to get to where she is today.
“It took me a long time to get well, but I’m better now,” admitted the brave woman.
“I would have liked him to stay longer, but going to trial would have been tough.”
She said her experience had made her stronger and more resilient, despite being hurt in “unimaginable” ways.
“My family has been amazing and I have the kindest boyfriend,” she gushed.
“I am free, I can breathe and I am at peace. I am living my life on my own terms.”
Pawel appeared in Bergen County Court and was sentenced to seven years in prison in April 2024.