JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After nine difficult years, a former Jacksonville woman is trying to start a new family after losing her 5-month-old twins and father to her ex in 2015. Megan Hiatt shared with Action News Jax how her faith, husband, and mission have given her a second chance at life.
“I loved him. I was very sad at what he did. And I still have love for him,” Megan Hiatt said.
She is speaking about her ex, Gawain Wilson. On November 13, 2015, Wilson used an AR-15 to kill Hiatt’s father and their twins, Hayden and Kayden, before taking his own life.
“I prominently remember him saying ‘I’m going to kill your dad and I’m going to make you watch. I’m going to show you what over is,’” said Hiatt.
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At just 22, Hiatt laid on the floor with bullet wounds while cradling one of her twins. She sought forgiveness from her father in his final moments.
“My dad said ‘it’s okay. Where are the girls?’ I told him they were gone.”
Despite being shot, her father got back up several times.
“Then I asked him why he kept getting back up,” she said. “That’s when he told me he wanted to make sure there were no bullets left. That was the last thing I heard him say.
Read: Friend recalls victim in triple murder-suicide as loving, caring father and grandfather
“I decided to fight for my life that day. I knew I needed to be an advocate for domestic violence education and to enjoy life again.”
Now, nine years later, Hiatt is thriving.
“Next week, I celebrate my four-year wedding anniversary with my amazing husband. I’m now working in international advocacy.”
After undergoing more than 40 surgeries since the shooting, she and her husband, Joseph Johnson, hope to try for motherhood again.
“I realized I had healed enough to be a mom again a few weekends ago at my niece’s first birthday.”
Hiatt offers this advice to anyone suffering from domestic violence:
“You leave everything else behind. It is not worth the time.”
Hiatt attributes her resilience on that tragic day to her faith.
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