BURLINGTON, N.C. (WGHP) -- A mother, a fighter, and a survivor.

Crystal Clay is recovering in the hospital after deputies say her ex-boyfriend stalked, kidnapped, and shot her in the face last week.

"I'll say the last week and a half has been for lack of a better statement a nightmare for me and my family," said Quenclyn Ellison, Clay's sister.

Authorities say on the morning of Sept. 8, Renaldo Tate took Crystal from her home, tied her up in her car, and drove to Carroll County, Virginia.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Department says the two got into a fight outside the parked car and that's when Tate shot Crystal in the face and then turned the gun on himself.

She was the only survivor.

"You broke a beautiful woman's spirit, temporarily. My sister is a fighter," said Ellison.

Tate is the father of Crystal's youngest son. The two dated off and on for the last several years.

Ellison says two months ago, Crystal broke it off and that's when the stalking started.

"50B's can be sufficient in certain situations, but when that attacker has it in their mind that they want to hurt you that 50B just becomes a piece of paper," said Ellison.

Ellison says Crystal just recently started opening up about some of the abuse in her and Tate's relationship. When she asked her sister why she never went to the police, she gave a concerning response.

"The police are not going to do anything, and it broke my heart," said Ellison.