'I thought I wouldn’t make it' - Blackpool attack survivor saved by Siri reveals how she is now helping others

A Blackpool woman who was brutally attacked by her ex-boyfriend has told how she is now helping other women rebuild their lives after trauma.  

Emma-Louise Kelly, 34, made national headlines when Siri helped save her life after she was punched, kicked, and sexually assaulted over a 30-minute period by her then partner, Lee Thomas.  

Thomas, of Yarrow Road Chorley, but previously of Rawtenstall, pleaded guilty to assault by penetration and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was sentenced to nine years and four months at Preston Crown Court on August 14, 2025.

But Emma-Louise’s journey has been marked by trauma long before the attack.  

Having experienced childhood trauma, she later endured devastating losses , losing a baby, her grandmother Anne Kelly aged 76, who she describes as “like a mother” to her, and her father Nicholas, who died aged 55 from cancer and she experienced domestic abuse previously all before she turned 30.  

During this time, while working as a DJ in Blackpool from the age of 15, Emma-Louise struggled with drug addiction and severe binge drinking as she tried to cope with overwhe`lming grief and emotional pain.  

Following years of turmoil, she began rebuilding her life after a turning point in 2018, entering recovery and later finding the holistic healing and spiritual wellbeing community in 2023.  

But in January 2025, her life was once again turned upside down by the brutal attack that nearly cost her life.  

Speaking about the moment, Emma-Louise said: “I remember thinking I wasn’t going to make it. I had already been through so much in my life, but in that moment, everything came down to survival. I truly believe I wouldn’t be here today without Siri.”  

Since the attack, she has turned what she describes as “pain into purpose.”  

The mum-of-one has since launched E.L.K Evolution, a wellbeing business that creates safe spaces for women to heal, connect, and rebuild their lives after trauma. Her events are already selling out , something she says she “never imagined possible.”  

She added: “Everything I’ve been through, the trauma, the loss, the addiction, the attack, it’s all led me here. Now I just want other women to know they’re not alone, that healing is possible, and that they can rebuild their lives too. I’ve had to find compassion and forgiveness for the old version of myself.”  

Emma-Louise now also delivers wellbeing programmes within local communities, supporting women on their own healing journeys.  

Her work is gaining recognition, with the Solopreneur Awards inviting her to apply for two categories, reflecting the growing impact of her work.  

Emma-Louise hopes her story will inspire others to believe that even after the darkest moments.

She said: "It is possible to rebuild, rediscover yourself, and create a life filled with purpose."