In November of 2015, Megan Rose Hiatt’s life was forever changed. 

She became the sole survivor of a horrific tragedy that left her father and infant twin daughters dead. 

Who was the perpetrator of this crime? Her ex-boyfriend and the father of her children, Navy man Gawain “Rush” Wilson.

Megan’s story serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of domestic violence and the importance of recognizing the red flags before it’s too late. 

It’s a story of strength, survival, and the long road to recovery.

Details of the abusive relationship

Megan and Rush’s relationship was plagued by abuse that was not always visible to those around them. 

While Rush was respectful and attentive in public, he would degrade Megan with offensive insults behind closed doors. 

He forced her to have s*x daily, called her fat, and insulted her for being a stay at home mother with no money.

Despite the verbal and emotional abuse, Megan failed to recognize that it was abuse because Rush never physically hit her. 

This is a common misconception about domestic violence as it can take many forms, including physical, emotional, verbal, financial, and sexual abuse.

Leaving the relationship

Megan finally found the courage to leave Rush on November 13th, 2015, while he was on active duty at NAS Jacksonville. 

The couple had one final heated phone call in which Rush threatened to kill her and begged to see his girls. 

It was the last time they would speak.

Megan called her father and best friend for help packing up her remaining items. 

While she was boxing things up, Rush left his duty station without permission, burst through the door, and pinned her up against the wall while she held the twins. 

Megan shouted at her father to run, but Rush yelled, “Watch your dad! WATCH HIM!” before shooting him.

The tragic crime scene

Rush then turned the gun on Megan and the girls. 

She tried to shield her daughters’ faces from the barrel of the gun, but Rush fired so much that she lost count. Both infants were struck in the back of their heads, and their cries stopped. 

Megan was hit a total of 7 times in the face, wrist, midsection, and leg.

Despite being shot 7 times, Megan managed to crawl through the blood of her children to reach her father, who was barely clinging to life. 

He reassured her of his love and promised to watch over the family from heaven. 

Megan lay on top of her father to stop the heavy bleeding, but he eventually passed away.

Rush killed himself after leaving a trail of tragedy. 

Megan survived and managed to call the police.

Recovery and advocacy

Megan became an advocate for domestic violence victims, urging people to leave their partners during the first couple of red flags. 

She also attempted to sue the Navy, believing that she could have prevented the incident. 

They were aware that Rush had two previous criminal charges against him for domestic offenses against other women and attending anger management classes but still allowed him to maintain his title.

Despite her efforts, the court ruled against Megan, stating that “a party has no legal duty to control the conduct of a third person to prevent that person from causing harm to another.”

Megan now lives with a prosthetic eye and PTSD. 

She visits the cemetery where her father and daughters are buried and is working through physical therapy to regain her strength.

Final thoughts

The tragedy that Megan Rose Hiatt experienced serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of domestic violence and the importance of recognizing the warning signs. 

It’s a heartbreaking story of loss and survival, of the toll that abuse can take on individuals and families.