Acid Attack Victim: I Could Hear My Skin Burning

(CBS)  The victim of a vicious attack with acid is telling what happened for the first time.

On Monday, Bethany Storro, 28, was assaulted by a complete stranger.

Police are seeking the culprit.

During a hospital news conference, her parents at her side, her face wrapped in bandages, Storro recalled the violent, random attack that, says CBS News Correspondent Betty Nguyen, may have disfigured her for life.

"It was the most painful thing ever. My heart stopped, I almost passed out," Storro said.

Earlier this week, she was celebrating a new job, when she got out of her car in an upscale neighborhood in Vancouver, Wash.

Out of nowhere, a stranger appeared and, according to Storro's mother, Nancy Neuwelt, said, " 'Hey, pretty girl,' and she turned and said, 'Do you want a drink of this?' And my daughter said, 'No, I'm going to Starbucks. I'm alright.' And the woman threw this acid substance … in her face."

Storro stumbled to the ground as the skin on her face bubbled. She could literally hear it burning.

"It ripped through my clothes the instant it touched my shirt," she told reporters.

"She had," says witness Dwayne Stewart, "her face in her hands (and was) screaming, 'It burned, it burned, it burned." '
Storro described the suspect as an African-American in her mid-twenties. A police spokesperson told CBS News they haven't located anyone who saw the attack.

Storro says she'd like to ask her attacker, "Did you wake up and go, "I'm gonna carry some acid in a cup and throw it on the first person I see?" ' "

The woman who threw the acid ran away as a passerby called 911. Storro was rushed to the hospital, where she's being treated for severe burns on her face.

"The only area that's spared is the eyelids area, where she had apparently sunglasses on when this occurred," says Dr. Nick Eshragi, a burn surgeon.

Storro had purchased sunglasses just hours before the attack -- a decision her mother says saved her from permanently losing her sight.

"The miracle out of all this," says Neuwelt, "is that, … she (had just) decided to buy a pair of sunglasses. She never wears sunglasses, ever."

Storro, who has been almost completely deaf since childhood, said that, despite her ordeal, she's chosen to remain positive. "I have an amazing family and friends who love me, and I'm blessed," she remarked.

Bethany underwent surgery Wednesday to remove dead skin from her face to help her burns heal faster.

Doctors say she'll probably need more surgery, though it's still too soon to say just how much.

[ge556]

I'm so glad she wasn't blinded. And I hope she recovers fully.

To the people who said this was racist, and the people who said it wasn't, we don't know. Only the assailant and any confidants know her motive.

[ge556]

I'm so glad she wasn't blinded. And I hope she recovers fully.

To the people who said this was racist, and the people who said it wasn't, we don't know. Only the assailant and any confidants know her motive.

[sing-with-rapture]

Sick America...unbelievable demented people walking the American streets.

Did they arrested the blacky or not...

I would do the same to her or him,Just a little more cleaner by dissolving him in a bath tub full of his favorite acid.

[1740red]

wow how stupid do you feel, i guess it's not always the "blacky" sometimes it's the lying ass whitey!

[akatink63]

knowledge is the key to those of you that have a hard time with the mentaly ill. in not wanting to take the time to learn abit more about this topic. it is a serious problem in the world we all share so lets not forget they are not to blame for all the crimes commit today they are good people with big harts and giveing soles.and i have had personel contact with these types of folks and i can say they may have there problems but alot more of supossable sane ind are the hearless ones and no congeous i might add.

[hidiousgreen]

They bleeped the word NEGGER LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL CBS can S*** my D*** LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

WHITE POWER

[jcdugger1234]

I'd like, just for once, for a guy like Sharpton to come out and condemn this as a racist hate crime.

Also, the article isn't the best...how did the victim hear what the girl said to her if she's almost completely deaf?! And nobody saw the attacker...yet it says the girl "ran away" while a passerby called 911...how do they know that for sure if nobody seen her?!

[1luckyMT]

This girl cannot help she was born beautiful. This is not punishment for being beautiful. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and thank God she bought sunglasses beforehand. I wish her a speedy recovery and I hope they catch her attacker. This is sick.

[itzagirlthing]

The attacker was right about one thing - she's a pretty girl, both inside and out. I'm convinced that regardless of potential scarring, she will remain beautiful.

[xybex2004]

When they find the ****** perpetrator, hog tie her and dump her into Jupiter. I've always wondered what would happen to an object that fell in. Let's hope she gets crushed by the immense gravity.

[akatink63]

lets not point figures at the mentally disabled just because they were born with there disability iam sure they didnt ask for it and iam sure if a percetage of are population in the world would rather see them locked away and forgoten,one never knows the pain i asure you they live with day to day i also dont belive that haveing a member of mental illness in ones family is easy. it affects all members i asure you but i would like to belive that most familys would do there best to make what they were given a better place for that induvidual.