A brave rape victim has come forward to talk about the afternoon she was sexually assaulted and stabbed 17 times by a man who broke into her home.

Melissa Schuster, 26, said she was waiving her anonymity because: 'I want to make a difference in someone else's life.'

She insisted she had 'defeated' her attacker through the support of her loved ones and her doctors.

Schuster, from Willowbrook, Illinois, spoke through tears as she described how she fought for her life as she was stabbed more than 17 times in her neck, back of her head and near her kidney and liver.

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Melissa Schuster, 26, from Willowbrook, described how she 'defeated' her attacker with the support of her loved ones and help from doctors at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove

Schuster spoke through tears as she described the moment that she had to fight for her life

Londale Madison, 31, allegedly broke into her house and attacked her for money and then raped her

Her alleged attacker, Londale Madison, 31, from South Bend, Indiana, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, home invasion and armed robbery.

Schuster, who also suffered a fractured nose, broken bones in her cheeks and injuries to her left eye, told a press conference: 'I was determined I wasn't going to let this defeat me, that I would get on with my life. I want to make a difference in someone else's life.'

She was released by doctors at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove on Friday in a wheelchair after staging a remarkable recovery.

She was brought in for treatment on August 29 - and recalled how hearing a simple baby's lullaby in the emergency room gave her strength.

'I was still alive,' she said. '[I knew] God has a purpose for me.'

Schuster, was released by doctors at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove on Friday in a wheelchair after staging a remarkable recovery

Schuster said that during the attack, she remembers screaming at the top of her lungs as he grabbed hold of her. She recalls that she 'asked him to let me go. Then he hurt her in the neck.

She was stabbed more than 17 times in the neck, back of the head and near her kidney and liver. She also suffered a fractured nose, broken bones in her cheeks and injuries to her left eye.

Schuster's ordeal began when she was putting goods into her car at 12:45 p.m. on August 29.

She spotted a car driving down her street and backing into her driveway.

She told The Chicago Tribune: 'It had Indiana license plates. It drove away and came back.'

The driver asked her for money for gas to get back to Indiana, but Schuster said she was sorry but she couldn't help.

She recalls how she then closed the garage and went inside her house. Suddenly, the same man knocked at the door, asked for money, and then barged his way inside.

She then suffered a frightening attack and was stabbed multiple times and sexually assaulted inside her home.

Madison, from South Bend, was arrested on Tuesday in Indiana and charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, home invasion and armed robbery

Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Lindt said Madison hit Schuster several times and then dragged her by her hair into an upstairs bathroom, where he forced her to take off her clothes and then raped her.

Schuster said she remembers screaming at the top of her lungs as he grabbed hold of her. She recalls that she 'asked him to let me go. Then he hurt her in the neck.

She said she remembered thinking: 'This isn't going to be good. I have to figure out some way to get out of this.'

The home invader left her sprawled out on the kitchen floor, so she quickly got herself together and ran over to her neighbors house.

The police and emergency services were called and she was rushed to hospital.

Meanwhile, police hunted for her attacker and arrested the suspect, Madison - a convicted felon, who had spent time in jail for a felony battery in 2003 and burglary in 2014.

Madison, from South Bend, was arrested on Tuesday in Indiana and charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, home invasion and armed robbery.

He is an animal. No human being should ever be treated like he treated me. I want to see him put away for a long time so he doesn't see the light of day.' Melissa Schuster

He told police that he had stabbed the victim because 'she wasn't acting quickly enough to give him money,' the prosecutor said.

On his way out of the home, Madison took the victim's purse and cellphone from her vehicle, which was still running in the driveway.

He disposed of the phone and then went to a river to wash the blood off himself.

He then left the Nissan Altima - which his wife had lent him to drive - in a handicapped parking space in Brookfield, where police found it the next day.

On the driver's side of the door he left a rag with blood on it; the victim's purse and wallet were inside the vehicle, along with his wallet, the State's Attorney said.

On Friday, Madison appeared in DuPage County court, where his bond was set at $5 million. If convicted, he could face up to 120 years in prison.

Schuster, pictured left and right before the attack, added: 'I want people to understand my story. It wasn't easy the last four or five days,' she said. 'My parents could not recognize me at first.'

Schuster said: 'He is an animal. No human being should ever be treated like he treated me. I want to see him put away for a long time so he doesn't see the light of day.'

The brave woman waved her right to anonymity - which is given to rape victims - because she hopes her story will inspire others.

She spent a week in hospital and has battled to get better. Her parents, Paul and Tonie Schuster spoke of their 'unspeakable joy' at their daughter's recovery.

Schuster said: 'The physical scars will go away over time. I'm alive, and I'll be well and have my family. He can't take that away from me.'

She added: 'I want people to understand my story. It wasn't easy the last four or five days. My parents could not recognize me at first.'