Anwen O'Driscoll On the Importance of Lifetime's "Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story"

Lifetime's month-long, ripped-from-the-headlines programming event Summer of Secrets continues this weekend with the harrowing true-crime drama Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story. In 2006, the then-17-year-old Reeves was brutally beaten and left to die in a cold, damp forest. Her injuries were so grave, the teen spent the 30 hours following the attack scared, alone and paralyzed, unable to move or help herself in any way. Thankfully, she was finally found, but her nightmare would continue -- first having to learn to walk and talk again, then trying to recall the events that led to her beating and to court to punish the man who stole her independence, but did not break her spirit. While it tells a horrific tale, the film stands as an important story of hope and resilience.