Roy Campbell says he is giving all the glory to God, knowing it is a miracle he survived after he was shot multiple times while protecting his wife from an armed robbery earlier this month.
“I know that God was most definitely on my side with this one because it could have very well ended tragically,” he said.
The 35-year-old was shot multiple times in front of the couple's Hyde Park home nearly two weeks ago.
“Me being the man, the provider—you gotta make sure your wife is safe,” he said. “So that’s all I was trying to do.”
Campbell told NBC 5 his wife was heading home from a night out with friends. She had just parked her car and was crossing the street when he said a car pulled up, with two men getting out near 52nd and University Avenue.
“When I got on the front porch she had her hands raised with a gun pointed to her forehead screaming 'I don’t have anything, I don’t have anything” he said. “It was kinda shocking, like, wow, is this really happening?”
Campbell said he ran over to save his wife, the mother of his two children. They have been together since high school. At that point, the assailants opened fire.
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“The first bullet hit me I fell and I kinda got back up and said at least I got to get to my wife to make sure she’s okay,” he said. “So I got back up and I guess they thought they weren’t done since I’m getting back up and shot four more times.”
Campbell spent days in the hospital in critical condition. The bullets hit his stomach, arm, and leg. His right arm now shattered. His kidney and spleen are also gone.
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“I’ve lost some organs. I’ve lost you know a little movement in my hand, probably got an extensive recovery, but at least I can go to sleep knowing that I did my job as her husband and being her protector," he said.
A GoFundMe page for him has raised more than $15,000.
“Living in a city like Chicago you don’t think people really care as much as they do until you go through something and you see the outpouring and the outreaching,” he said.
While police continue the search for the suspects, Campbell said he would take another bullet for his wife.
“I’m not looking for any vigilante justice,” he said. “I’m just thankful that I was able to protect my wife from being hurt.”
Campbell described the suspect's vehicle as a dark blue four door sedan. The suspects, believed to be teenagers, got away with his wife's cellphone and purse. His wife's phone was recovered at 47th and Drexel. Area One detectives are still investigating.