CHARLOTTE — Thanksgiving took on a whole new meaning this year for a woman and her family.
Shaquanta Youngblood was fighting for her life at this time last year after a shooting in Gastonia.
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She could have died last year after a shooting on Bond Avenue in Gastonia.
Youngblood was with her boyfriend in Gastonia when there was an argument.
Robert Adams, of Gastonia, shot her as she walked out of the home, police say.
She collapsed.
A year later, Channel 9 reporter Ken Lemon asked her, “Did you think we would get to this day?”
“No. At first, I didn’t,” she said. “The most scariest thing I ever had experienced in my life.”
Youngblood could have died that day, but neighbor Anthony Whisnant saw the shooting on his security camera.
Whisnant grabbed his own gun and protected her from Adams while performing CPR.
“If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be here right now,” Youngblood said.
She remembers talking to Whisnant as he defended her.
“I said, ‘Hold my hand, please. I got children,’” she said.
Youngblood was able to drive to Syracuse, New York, to be with family last week and on Thanksgiving Day, she called Whisnant to thank him.
“You can’t see it, but I’m telling you, I’m happy to be able to talk to you and thank you,” Youngblood said.
She said it feels like he is part of the family now.
Her mother, Theresa Youngblood, said she gives thanks and says a prayer for Whisnant every day.
“I still want to thank the man. I’m going to always thank him, that he saved my daughter’s life,” she said.
Meanwhile, Adams remains in jail under a $750,000 bond.
He is waiting for court officials to set a trial date.