Tyler West gets emotional as he reveals he attempted suicide after witnessing a murder at the age of 14 which still haunts him to this day

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Tyler West shared that he tried to end his life after seeing a murder when he was 14 years old, an event that continues to deeply affect him.

The 29-year-old TV presenter described how a violent attack that day dramatically altered his life, leading to persistent PTSD and a constant struggle with negative thoughts that he experiences daily.

Tyler shared with Paul C. Brunson on the ‘We Need To Talk’ podcast that the difficult experience continues to impact him.

He started by saying he saw a murder, and it’s incredibly difficult to discuss. Just saying the word brings him right back to how he felt as a fourteen-year-old.

Tyler recalled coming home from school to find some people with alcohol problems arguing outside his house, something he often witnessed growing up in his neighborhood.

The TV personality described witnessing the attack from his bedroom window. He said one of the attackers used a twelve-inch kitchen knife to cut the victim’s throat, and the victim collapsed onto the road.

Tyler explained that his mother was on the phone with the police for about seven or eight minutes. During that time, the attacker relentlessly continued to slash and stab, and Tyler was completely frozen with fear. He vividly remembers the ongoing attack.

My mum, being a nurse, immediately offered help and grabbed some towels before rushing outside. I then saw two men leaving the apartment and quickly pulled her back inside the house.

I saw a man lying in front of me wearing a completely red England shirt – it was just covered in red and didn’t seem real. It felt like a scene from a horror movie.

Honestly, it all happened so fast. One minute I was right there, the next the police arrived and quickly took two men into custody – there was even tear gas involved, it was pretty chaotic! Then, thankfully, I heard my brother calling out to me from down the street.

My mum was incredibly upset when she called my brother after speaking with the police. She was so hysterical that my brother mistakenly believed it was me who was in trouble.

My brother was yelling at the police, begging them to let him go, saying it was his brother they were dealing with. He then ran up the road and, seeing the person involved, was relieved. He came back inside and told me, “Ty, you’re okay.” Meanwhile, I was on the couch, having a panic attack.

I have no memory of what happened between seeing the man on the floor and suddenly finding myself on my sofa. It was the most difficult moment of my life, and it completely changed everything.

Tyler reflected on how the experience had affected him, explaining that it led to some unusual behaviors. He specifically mentioned being unable to bring himself to open his blinds.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always believed in the power of small routines. For me, making my bed every single morning wasn’t just about tidiness – it was a necessity. I genuinely felt like something terrible would happen if I didn’t! It sounds a bit odd, but it extended to other things too. I had a real aversion to knives and forks, and honestly, anything resembling an action movie scene involving a blade? Forget about it. It was a deeply ingrained feeling, and that simple morning task really grounded me and kept me feeling safe.

Even now, my partner Molly still tries to comfort me and make sure I’m okay. It’s still incredibly painful, and I’ve realized I’ll never be able to forget what I saw. I have to live with that image every day.

I avoided walking on the side of the street where it happened. You could still see a clean patch where the blood had been washed away, a stark contrast to the rest of the pavement. There was a lot of cleaning up done there.

Whenever I was around alcohol or drugs, I’d instantly become tense and on guard. I always expected something bad to happen – either a serious fight or someone getting hurt.

I believe I was dealing with unresolved trauma that I couldn’t shake. It unexpectedly made me the peacemaker, the one who always intervened to prevent conflicts from escalating, because I didn’t want things to get out of hand.

Years after the murder, Tyler’s mental health suffered because he had kept his trauma to himself.

He explained that a major event creates a chain reaction. It’s similar to dropping a pebble into a pond – the impact isn’t limited to those directly involved; it extends to the entire community.

The whole thing started over a small amount of cocaine – just a twenty-pound bag. It’s shocking how quickly life can change, and I really didn’t want to discuss what happened.

Looking back, my biggest mistake was shutting down and refusing to talk about what happened. I thought ignoring it would make things better, like sweeping it under the rug, but it actually made the situation much worse until it became impossible to avoid dealing with it.

Everything suddenly overwhelmed me, and it got to the point where I attempted suicide. It was an incredibly difficult time.

Tyler remembered being woken up during the night and going for a walk that led him to a bridge, where he found himself standing.

He couldn’t recall how long he’d been standing on the bridge, or much of anything else. His phone had died, and it was probably around 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning. He felt lost and didn’t know what his next step would be.

I was feeling really down and couldn’t stop dwelling on things. I just needed a moment to relax and clear my head.

A single car drove by and honked. I immediately reacted, telling myself there was no way they were going to try whatever they were implying. I kept repeating, ‘You can’t do that!’

I just… went home. Got into bed, and then just went through the motions of the day. But it’s during those quiet, low moments that my mind always drifts back. I start replaying everything, especially my childhood – that constant feeling of being abandoned, watching people I cared about just… disappear. It really stays with you, you know?

Thinking about past experiences really motivates me and helps me keep moving forward. In fact, reflecting on those moments – and talking about them – is what gives me the most strength.

If this story has upset you, support is available. You can contact the Samaritans by calling 116 123 or visiting their website at www.samaritans.org.

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2025-12-23 13:51