Kathy Kleiner Rubin, a survivor of the infamous serial killer Ted Bundy, vividly recalls the harrowing night of her attack in 1978. At the time, she was a second-year student at Florida State University, living in the Chi Omega sorority house. Bundy, who would later be convicted of multiple murders, assaulted Kathy with a log, leaving her seriously injured but ultimately alive.
On the evening of the attack, Kathy had attended a friend’s wedding and returned to the sorority house to study for an upcoming calculus exam. The room she shared with her dormmate, Karen Chandler, was typical of college dorms, with two single beds and an atmosphere of camaraderie. As they settled in for the night around 23:30, Kathy drifted off to sleep, completely unaware of the horror that awaited her.
In the early hours, she was awakened by a strange sound and saw a shadowy figure looming over her. “I remember squinting into the dark and seeing this black shadow standing above me,” she recalled. The figure was Bundy, wielding a log he had stolen from the fireplace. He struck Kathy with such force that it shattered her jaw and caused severe injuries to her mouth.
“The first feeling was like hitting a bag of potatoes; it didn’t hurt,” she said. However, the adrenaline quickly turned to excruciating pain. Moments later, Bundy moved on to attack Karen, who also suffered a brutal assault. In a twist of fate, Kathy and Karen were saved when a couple returning home parked near the sorority house, startling Bundy and causing him to flee.
Kathy vividly remembers the chaos that followed. “I was moaning and groaning, but I thought I was yelling and screaming for help,” she explained. Covered in blood, she struggled to call for assistance, while Karen managed to find help. When Kathy regained consciousness, she found a police officer at her bedside, assuring her that she would be okay.
Following the attack, Kathy spent nine weeks with her jaw wired shut at her parents’ home in Miami. Therapy was not an option, as her family preferred to cope with their trauma privately. “My mum wanted to shield me from the news,” Kathy noted, explaining how her parents cut out articles about Bundy to protect her.
Despite the challenges, Kathy made efforts to heal both physically and psychologically. She began to reconnect with life by taking small steps outdoors, appreciating nature in a way that felt grounding. To confront her fears, she took a job at a lumber yard, where she would be surrounded by men daily, gradually overcoming her anxieties.
Over the years, Kathy has worked to transform her trauma into a source of empowerment. She co-authored a book with writer Emilie Lebau-Luchessi, detailing her experiences and the impact of Bundy’s actions on her life. This process has been cathartic, allowing her to connect with other survivors and share her story.
Kathy emphasizes the importance of resilience, stating, “One day they were a victim and the next day they became a survivor.” She encourages others who have undergone similar experiences to take their healing journey one step at a time, advocating for a path forward that allows them to reclaim their lives.
Today, Kathy Kleiner Rubin lives in Florida with her husband, Scott Rubin, and their son, Michael. Her journey from victim to survivor serves as an inspiring testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.