‘It was terrifying… he told me he knew where to find me’: Woman reveals horrific moment she was raped on her boat by man who tracked her down after reading her blog about 1,500-mile charity row

Jenn Gibbons, 27, was hoping to become the first person to row the entire perimeter of Lake Michigan solo

On Sunday, a man boarded her boat and assaulted her in her boat's cabin



A woman rowing 1,500 miles to raise $150,000 for a breast cancer charity has been sexually assaulted a month into her journey.

Jenn Gibbons, 27, was hoping to become the first person to row the entire perimeter of Lake Michigan solo, inspiring women around the world to fight cancer with courage.



On Sunday, she told the world that a man boarded her boat in Mueller Township in Schoolcraft County and assaulted her - and she's hoping that by reaching out about the ordeal, she can find her attacker and bring him to justice.

Today the resilient woman started on her journey again, this time accompanied, but still determined to 'to give something back, even when people try to take things away from us.'

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Victim: Jenn Gibbons was sexually assaulted just two days into her attempt to become the first person to solo-row the 1,500-mile Lake Michigan perimeter

Determined: Despite the horrific ordeal, Miss Gibbons has vowed to continue her quest around Lake Michigan

Miss Gibbons founded Recovery on Water, a non-profit rowing team that trains recovering cancer patients to 'get fit and fight back.'



As the coach and founder, she was hoping to row 30 miles per day on her solo trip to raise money for the worthwhile cause.



She departed from Chicago on June 15 and was set to row around the shores of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana in her vessel, 'Liv.'



She chronicled her journey on Facebook and Row4ROW.com , sharing the photographs, stories and struggles of the endeavor.

Police believe her attacker may have carefully tracked her movement through her blog, waiting until she was vulnerable to strike.



In the early morning hours of July 22, Miss Gibbons was staying along Lake Michigan in Mueller Township, Schoolcraft County.

She said that a man broke into the cabin of her boat and raped her - identifying her by her full name.

'It was terrifying. He told me he knew where to find me,' she said.



'Fortunately I was able to get myself out of the situation and call the police, and get to safety,' Miss Gibbons said in an interview with CBS .



'There was an outhouse on the premises, and so I was able to get to the premises, or get to the outhouse, and go in there, and lock myself in there.'

Attacker: The suspect is described as a white male in his 30s, approximately 5¿8¿ to 6¿ tall, with a fair amount of facial stubble hair Getaway: A yellow Jeep Wrangler with a smiley face cover over the spare tyre was seen in the area at the time of the attack and is being sought by police

The man got away, but police believe he 'traveled a significant distance to commit the assault.'

Miss Gibbons was able to provide a detailed description of her attacker as well as a curious vehicle she remembers seeing from the night.

He is described as a white man in his thirties, between 5ft 8ins and 6ft tall, with a moderate amount of facial stubble, short hair and light eyes.



He was wearing a grey/green T-shirt, jean shorts and tennis shoes. Police have released a sketch of the man and are openly calling for tips about his identity or location.

She also said a yellow Jeep Wrangler with a smiley face cover over the spare tyre was seen in the area at the time of the attack and is being sought by police.

Charity-minded: Miss Gibbons is rowing to raise $150,000 for a breast cancer centre

Police believe Miss Gibbon's attacker may have pinpointed her location by following her adventures on her Internet blog

'I have always tried to be transparent and honest about the obstacles of this trip in the hope that my openness and vulnerability might give someone strength or inspiration in their fight against cancer, or in pursuing a dream,' Miss Gibbons shared on her website.



'I know that I had a choice in telling people about the details of my attack, particularly that it was a sexual assault.'



'I still believe that life offers us the privilege, the opportunity, and the responsibility, to give something back, even when people try to take things away from us.' Jenn Gibbons

'To go through this at all, let alone publicly, is extremely difficult.'



'I chose to talk about it in the hope that someone might be able to provide more information about the person who did this to me.'

Despite the horrific ordeal, Miss Gibbons has vowed to continue on her quest and has been inspired by the outpouring of support.

'I still believe that life is a gift, even when it’s scary and unfair,' she said.



'I still believe that life offers us the privilege, the opportunity, and the responsibility, to give something back, even when people try to take things away from us. '

Giver: Miss Gibbons founded Recovery on Water, a non-profit rowing team that trains recovering cancer patients to 'get fit and fight back'



Journey: As the coach and founder, she was hoping to row 30 miles per day on her solo trip to raise money for the worthwhile cause

She hit the road today, choosing to travel by bicycle instead of boat to ensure her safety. She will be accompanied at all times by a team of volunteers. Police officers from all over have chosen to stay by her side as well.



She wrote on her blog: 'Regarding the trip, one thing hasn’t changed - I've still got this. But the trip plan will change in a few ways to ensure my safety.'

Hitting the Road: 'When I took this picture and smiled I realized it was the first time I'd really smiled in days. It felt great,' she said today

At Muskegon, she will reboard her boat and continue the journey by both land and water.



'My chin is up, my eyes are open, and we’re going to get this show back on the road (then water),' she said.



She told the MailOnline that so far, even though it's been rainy, being back on the road has raised her spirits. She has a little less than a month until the end of her journey.

'It feels good to be making progress,' she said. 'Being able to focus on something I can control is really helpful. I can control how hard I work, how many miles I'm making; what's going on in my body.'