A heartwarming reunion took place recently between a Tennessee mom who survived being stabbed, beaten and burned alive by her husband and the neighbors she credits with saving her life. The mother, Tessa Trotter, was brutally attacked by her husband Zachary Mowel, who stabbed her multiple times, beat her and then doused her with gasoline, setting the house on fire before leaving her for dead.
Trotter shared her harrowing experience with NewsNation’s “Banfield,” where she recalled how her husband told her that she would die in the burning house slowly while their two young sons watched in horror and screamed for mercy. Despite being convinced that she was going to die, Trotter’s thoughts were solely focused on her children and what would happen to them if she didn’t survive.
Their nightmare took a turn for the better when Ralph Grayson and his son Clay heard the commotion from across the street and rushed into Trotter’s house to save her. Both of these brave men were brought on via video chat during their interview with Trotter, who immediately broke down in tears upon seeing them.
Trotter expressed her gratitude towards her rescuers and how grateful she was for their intervention that saved her life and allowed her the chance to be there for her children. The Graysons were equally supportive, telling her they were glad to have played a role in saving her life and wished her well on her recovery journey.
As a result of the attack, Trotter suffered multiple injuries including nine stab wounds, broken ribs, third-degree burns on her right leg, and paralysis from the waist down. Her sister started a GoFundMe page that has raised nearly $70,000 to help with medical bills and living expenses as Trotter continues her recovery.
Zachary Mowel was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated arson, aggravated assault and domestic assault by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
