WITH the sun beaming down on her carefree son Blake at a friend’s summer party Tyran McNown couldn’t imagine anything disturbing the peaceful day.
Little did she know that she would soon be fighting for her life with her six-year-old boy witnessing her the moment she ‘died.’
Tyran McNown had been celebrating with her son Blake at a summer party when she was attacked[/caption]
Blake says his mum looked like ‘a zombie’ after she was attacked by ex Tyler Guffy[/caption]
Guffy was sentenced to 11 years in prison for attempted murder[/caption]
After lying down in her tent for a nap, her violent ex, Tyler Guffy, 34, followed her inside and strangled her.
As she spluttered for breath, her precious boy’s face flashed through her mind, until everything went black.
Mum-of-one, Tyran, 44, was found face down and not breathing with her son witnessing her lifeless body, which he later described as ‘grey and looking like a zombie’.
Thankfully, another guest, who was a nurse, performed CPR, saving Tyran’s life.
In October last year, Guffy was convicted of attempted murder and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Now, Tyran, from Washington, is bravely sharing her story.
She says: “Tyler nearly left my son without his mum.
“His sentence isn’t enough for nearly taking my life but I fought back from the brink to be with Blake.”
Tyran met Guffy in 2019, and after hitting it off the pair started dating but kept it casual.
While their romantic relationship fizzled out, over the next three years they kept in touch.
At the end of June 2022, Guffy messaged Tyran.
She recalls: “That night he called for a catch up.
“He told me he’d had a baby with his girlfriend.
“I was happy for him and told him I was in a long distance relationship.”
The next day, Tyran noticed her email account had been hacked.
An intimate video meant for her then boyfriend had been sent to her contacts, including Guffy.
She immediately changed her password and called Guffy to explain.
Tyran says: “It was too late, his girlfriend had already seen the video and was convinced we were having an affair.
Tyran had dated Guffy casually and when they decided to be friends she invited him along to the festival party[/caption]
Guffy attacked her while she was in her tent, strangling Tyran until she passed out[/caption]
All of the blood vessels in Tyran’s face burst during the attack[/caption]
“Tyler told me she’d kicked him out. I apologised, and felt awful.”
Tyran’s boyfriend ended things after finding out about the video being sent to other men.
Two days later, Guffy visited Tyran and being a shoulder to cry on for each other, one thing lead to another and they ended up in bed together.
But Tyran instantly regretted it and they agreed to be friends.
True to her word, later that week, she invited him to a friend’s annual summer party making it clear he’d need his own tent as they’d be going as mates.
She explains: “It was a festival with fire spinners, face painters and live bands.
“Blake and I looked forward to it every year.”
But just before they were leaving, Tyran admits she had a bad feeling and thought about ditching Guffy.
She says: “I didn’t want to give him the wrong impression, but then I felt awful to un-invite him, so I shook it off.”
After a 40 minute journey, they pitched their tents in the garden and went to bed.
Next thing I remember was waking up in an ambulance unable to talk, my body was convulsing and my tongue was swollen
Tyran McNown
Only, during breakfast the next morning at the main house, one of Tyran’s friends referred to Guffy as her boyfriend.
She says: “I quickly corrected him, explaining we were just friends.
“Tyler was in earshot but didn’t react.”
While Tyran danced to a rock band and Blake played frisbee with his friends, Guffy sat alone by the firepit.
Tyran remembers: “He seemed moody and withdrawn, so I offered to drive him back home.
“But he refused. Insisted he was fine.”
Tyran then headed to her own tent to rest but minutes later, Guffy appeared at the door.
He walked inside and towering over her.
Suddenly, he reached his hands out and grabbed her by the throat.
As his grip tightened, Tyran struggled to breathe, then she lost consciousness.
How you can get help
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
She says: “Next thing I remember was waking up in an ambulance unable to talk, my body was convulsing and my tongue was swollen.
“All I could manage was ‘Tyler’. I wanted them to know who was responsible.”
At PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, Tyran was given a CT scan and sedative.
Hours later, she woke up in agony.
Spotting her reflection in the mirror, she noticed all the blood vessels in her face had burst.
She even had thumb marks on her neck.
But despite her horrific experience, that day Tyran discharged herself.
She says: “With no phone, I couldn’t contact anyone, so caught the bus to my mum’s house.
“She was horrified seeing my injuries.
“I used her laptop to contact my friend at the festival an luckily Blake was safe.”
But Guffy was on the run after the attack and the police had launched a manhunt.
Blake is now eight and extremely protective of me but we keep each other strong
Tyran McNown
Soon after a friend of Tyran’s drove Blake to hers.
She remembers: “I was so happy he was OK but he was badly shaken.
“He told me he’d seen me being brought back to life.
“Said I ‘looked grey, like a zombie’. It broke my heart. He must’ve been terrified.”
Tyran and her son then went into hiding until Guffy was caught.
After three days, he was finally arrested and she gave her statement to the police.
Weeks later, Tyran’s friend explained how he’d overheard Guffy shout ‘it’s done’ from her tent as he walked out following the attack.
Her friend had found her face down on her mattress, unresponsive.
According to him, for four minutes she was ‘dead’ while a nurse performed CPR, and resuscitated her.
In October 2024, Guffy was found guilty of attempted murder and he was sentenced to 11 years.
Tyran says: “I once considered Tyler a friend but it turns out he was evil.
“Blake is now eight and extremely protective of me but we keep each other strong.
“I’m so relieved Tyler failed to snuff out my life that day.
“Now he spends the rest of his in jail.”
The mum says that she and her son ‘keep each other strong’[/caption]
