At a Glance
- Lizzie Ens fled her Swartzentruber Amish community at 19, leaping 15 feet from her roof to a waiting car
- She left behind 18 siblings, including her twin sister who chose to stay, and was shunned from family contact
- Ens now runs health business UnDiet You, is a PhD candidate, and published her memoir “Amish Renegade” in May 2024
- Why it matters: Her story illustrates the cultural shock and challenges faced by those who leave ultra-conservative communities
Lizzie Ens escaped her Amish life at 19 by jumping off a roof with nothing but $20 and an eighth-grade education. Twenty-one years later, she owns a nutrition business, is pursuing a PhD, and has published a memoir about leaving the only world she knew.
The First Attempt
Ens grew up in a Swartzentruber Amish community in Ohio as one of 19 children. At 17, she convinced her twin sister to flee with her. They lasted two days before her sister insisted they return.
“It was one of the most devastating moments of my life when I realized that she wanted to go back. I thought I was out for good,” Ens told News Of Los Angeles.
Between attempts, Ens was baptized, meaning any future departure would result in shunning-complete family separation. She questioned church teachings that equated minor dress code violations with eternal damnation.
“If I’m going to go to hell for putting a pin wrong in my dress, then I might as well go to hell driving a car,” she reasoned.
The Escape Plan
Ens secretly planned her second escape while having an Amish boyfriend in New York. Their relationship consisted mainly of letters and rare visits. One day she received an unaddressed envelope in his handwriting.
The letter revealed he had fled with his sister and her boyfriend. They drove from New York to Ohio to pick her up at 10 p.m. if she wanted to leave.
That night, Ens sat on her roof for 30 minutes, facing two decisions: how to jump 15 feet without injury, and whether this was her moment to leave.
Her twin had just gotten engaged with a wedding scheduled six months away. If Ens left now, she would be shunned and unable to attend.
“I just knew that I had to leave, because if I didn’t go then, I probably never would,” she said.
The Leap
Drawing on farm experience, Ens recalled how cats survive high falls by staying limp. She applied this principle to her own jump.
“I grew up on a farm. On the farm, you learn that it’s very rare that a cat breaks a bone when they jump,” she explained. “I was like, ‘Well, I’m going to leap like a cat.'”
She squatted, leaped, and landed uninjured by keeping her body limp, letting her knees absorb the impact.
Life After
The shunning was immediate and complete. Ens missed her twin’s wedding. Though her sister initially invited her for occasional visits, these stopped after her husband banned Ens from returning.
“It was a very uncomfortable time. I haven’t been back since,” she said.
Starting over proved overwhelming. Ens had no ID, minimal education, and faced massive culture shock.
“You even don’t know what you don’t know,” she described of adjusting to modern life.
Building a New Life
Despite starting with almost nothing, Ens earned her GED and discovered a passion for health. She became a certified personal trainer, then studied holistic health and nutrition.
Today she balances running UnDiet You, her nutrition and health business, with pursuing a PhD in functional medicine. Her memoir “Amish Renegade” published in May 2024.
“It does take a very strong person to be able to leave the Amish,” she reflected. “I know there are a lot of people that would want to leave, but they’re not strong enough to pull themselves out because of the strength of the community and the church and what they’ve been taught.”
Key Takeaways
- Ens’ escape required physical risk: A 15-foot roof jump with no safety net
- The cost was complete family separation: Shunning meant missing her twin’s wedding and all future contact
- Success came through persistence: From $20 and eighth-grade education to PhD candidate and business owner
- Her story represents broader challenges: Many who leave ultra-conservative communities face similar cultural shock and isolation
