'I Think It's Finally Over:' Domestic Violence Survivor Finds Closure Knowing Her Abuser Will Spend Decades In Prison

Four years after being beaten nearly to death, Ally Stephens says she can rest easy knowing her abuser will spend decades behind bars.

In 2022, Gage Ford was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison and 30 years of probation for the 2020 attempted murder of Ally Stephens and her unborn child. Ford immediately attempted to appeal the sentence, but the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals unanimously denied the appeal in September 2024.

Ally sat down with News 9 for what she says is likely her last interview, as she begins a new chapter of her life. 

Ally’s life began to change at just 19 years old, on August 25th, 2020.

“My dad died at 3 a.m.,” said Stephens. “Then I go to the doctor and they say, ‘Oh by the way you're pregnant.’ And I'm like today? Of all days, of all days.”

The father of her child was her recent ex-boyfriend, Gage Ford. When she told Gage the happy news, he didn’t have the same reaction.

“We weren't together at that point. We had broken up, we had actually been apart for about two weeks. He told me I was lying, he told me I bought fake ultrasound pictures off of Amazon,” said Stephens.

Less than a month after she found out she was pregnant, Gage punched Ally, leaving her with a black eye.

“I reported him, the judge dropped his bail, so he was out within an hour,” said Ally.

Ford was arraigned, and while the Cleveland County district attorney’s office requested a $30,000 bond, Judge Scott Brockman issued a $1,500 bond.

“I wanted that fairytale, like he was the father of my kid, I thought maybe this would be a wakeup call for him knowing if he did something like this again, I will go,” said Stephens.

But 16 days later, it happened again. Ford called Ally, telling her to come over, and threatening to harm himself if she didn’t.

“He locked me in his bedroom, and everyone in that house was belligerent and messed up so no one heard me. I screamed for help,” said Ally. “I remember the first 15 seconds and then I was knocked out. Then I woke up and he was standing above me and just apologizing.”

Ford beat and battered Ally and their unborn child, landing them in the hospital for more than a month. Investigators noted that Ford repeatedly kicked Ally in the stomach and even told her to "get rid of it" reportedly referring to the baby.

“I think we were both at our breaking point at that point. I was pregnant, he didn't want me to be pregnant, and I think he thought that was the only way out,” said Ally. “I didn't have a choice to be open about it or not. It was everywhere before I even had the chance to open my eyes and realize what was going on.”

Her baby survived.

“I named him Steele because I said one day, ‘Somehow some way he did not get killed,” said Ally. “I knew I had to heal for him or he wasn't going to have a good life. He needed the mom because he didn't have the father figure that he deserved.”

“I just want him to know that everything I went through and everything that I've spoken on, everything that I've gone on public about was for him,” said Ally. “He deserves the best, and that was why I put Gage in jail for that long.”

Ally says she didn’t want to testify or even be in the courtroom during the jury trial, but ultimately did so for her son.

“My only requirement whenever I was talking to my attorney was I am not stopping until he's in jail until Steele turns 18. Because once Steele turns 18 he can't come back and fight for anything,” said Ally. “He can't come back and fight for his rights, he can't try to take me to court over it, he can't ask me for child support, nothing.”

Over the past four years, Ally said the healing journey hasn’t been easy.

“I didn't really get to grieve my dad for a while and then once things started moving with court I was able to grieve what I lost,” said Ally. “Because I lost two people that I loved; one of them went to jail and one of them went to heaven.”

“They just kept telling me I was so strong, so strong, so strong after that happened, and I didn't feel that. But those words of encouragement, they helped me for who I am today,” said Ally. “Behind closed doors, the positivity does not stay as much because it does hurt me. I still cry about it to this day.” 

“I had bruises all over my body, I still have scars. But I like to think it made me who I am,” said Ally.

She says through it all, she wants to ensure she can be an advocate for other victims of domestic violence.

“If I give everyone this positive outlook; anyone that's in this type of relationship, they can see that they can go and live their lives without that partner,” said Ally. “Once you're past that three week mark without seeing them one time, it's like you're in a brand new world, it's like the colors get brighter, life gets better, you just feel at peace.”

“Once he was actually gone out of my life, like no more calling, no more texting, nothing, it just finally felt like I could be me again,” said Ally.

Now, Ally is working two jobs, and going back to school to get her master's. She says after she graduates, she wants to move with her son to Texas, where they can start their next chapter.

“It was a bad situation, a horrible situation, I never wish that upon anybody, but I think it made me a better person, a better mom, it made me realize that I could do it without him there, and I have,” said Ally.

Oklahoma has a 24-hour Statewide Safeline for domestic violence victims. That number is 800-522-7233. For additional resources, CLICK HERE.