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"The past six months have been very difficult for me, my family and others close to me," Nowak read from a statement to reporters after a court hearing in Orlando, Fla. "I know that it must also have been very hard for Colleen Shipman, and I would like her to know how very sorry I am about having frightened her (in) any way, and about the subsequent public harassment that has besieged all of us."
Nowak has pleaded innocent to attempted kidnapping, battery and burglary with assault in an alleged pepper-spray attack on Shipman, an Air Force captain, whom authorities say Nowak saw as a romantic rival for space shuttle pilot Bill Oefelein.
"I've been both shocked and overwhelmed at the media coverage," said Nowak, who complained of a press "invasion of my street" with reporters harassing her friends, neighbors and coworkers.
Nowak, a Navy pilot and mother of three, then paid tribute to those who have stood beside her, including her family members who have given her "unconditional love."
"One thing that has surprised me throughout these months has been the number of people whose generosity, insight and support and motivation has come shining through this cloudy time. The hundreds of people who wrote me personal letters," she said, her voice starting to break. "I've read and kept every single one."
She added: "It would have been very easy for me to permanently retreat into a world of personal sorrow, but my family and friends have given me a greater view about what is important in our lives, so even though life may change suddenly and drastically, there can be a lot of great yet to be accomplished. I don't know yet how to do that, or if the final outcome of this case will allow it, but I do know that I have these amazing people to thank for making any future possible."
After she spoke, Shipman's lawyer, Kepler Funk said her apology for frightening Shipman "sounds like an admission of guilt."
Earlier, Nowak and Shipman faced off in court for the first time, with Nowak asking a judge to let her remove her electronic monitoring bracelet, but Shipman objecting out of fear Nowak will attack again.
"When I'm home alone and there's nobody there with me, it is a comfort," Shipman told the judge.
• Reporting by JEFF TRUESDELL
