After exiting the complex Chiasson had to walk across tons of debris and glass that had fallen from the apartments and parking garage. Once outside, Chiasson was able to fully understand the scale of destruction to the structure of her building.

“People were panicking. Apartments were completely gone,” Chiasson said. “The pool, the garage, everything was destroyed. This is by far one of the craziest moments of my life.”

Chiasson relied on her ability to adapt and make decisions on the fly to escape her apartment. She believes that her time in mixed martial arts, combined with life experience, helped her make the correct decisions on the way to safety.

“Honestly it is really similar to what you do in the cage,” Chiasson said. “You can’t really think about what you’re doing in the moment. You have to react, protect yourself and understand how to deal with uncomfortable situations.”

In the hours following the tragedy Chiasson was quick to thank first responders and other emergency crews for “risking their lives to get people out.”