Congress put a law in place in 1994 prohibiting people facing domestic violence restraining orders from having guns. But now the high court is hearing arguments challenging the law. 

Two survivors of gun violence are sharing their stories in hopes the Supreme Court upholds the gun control law.

Porche Powell knows from a traumatic experience the dangers of a gun in the hands of a violent partner.

“I just knew I felt funny and I knew I couldn't breathe every time,” Powell said. “I honestly thought like that was over for me. Like, I was going to die.”

On Jan. 24, 2021, Powell, a single mother of two, had just broken up with her partner. She was moving into a new home with her children.

“I woke up to banging on my door and next thing I know, my door got kicked down,” Powell said. “[I was] shot.”

Powell was shot nine times leaving her paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair.

“I think just about every night I was in that hospital, I cried,” Powell said. “I didn't want to be in that situation. I didn't want to. I didn't even want to live life.”

Two years after the attack, Powell is finally enjoying her life again, but she is concerned by efforts to overturn a law preventing someone with a domestic violence restraining order from possessing a gun.

“Absolutely not,” Powell said. “I don't feel like they should. No, not at all. Because stuff like that happens. Or me being in this chair, I don’t think they should.”

Connecting with a support group, Rochester Spinal Association, Powell and board member Nicole Nabors have found an outlet. Nabors knows all too well the dangers of domestic abuse.

“I was at a relative's house,” Nabors said. “I did not realize that she was in a relationship with someone who was abusive until it was too late.”

Nabors says her cousin had attempted to break up with her boyfriend, even receiving a restraining order against him.

“A restraining order is only a piece of paper and it's not going to stop someone who feels like they have the ability to control situations or people and access to a firearm only empowers that person even more to be more controlling, more dominant,” Nabors said.

Nabors says her cousin died at the hands of her abuser.

“He said, "If you're not going to be with me, you're not going to be with anybody,'” Nabors said. “And he shot her three times in the head. And then he turned and pointed the gun on me.”

Nabors was left paralyzed. Despite the trauma she and Powell endured, they hope their stories inspire change.

“I would just encourage people to be aware of their decisions and how their decisions can affect others,” Nabors said. “It doesn't take much power to use a gun to try to change a situation. In fact, that power isn't in the person, it's in the weapon.”

Powell and Nabors are using their second chance to share their journey of being a survivor of gun violence. Both women have joined the Rochester Spinal Association, finding this as an outlet to relate with others who have been impacted by gun-related incidents. They hope officials, in regards to the Supreme Court case, can be aware of the impact of their decision, as both women do not want to hear another case like there’s reoccur once again.