I have brain damage and a stutter after my boxer fiancé raped and beat me over my birthday weekend.

Sobbing, Alana Rose-Huntingdon, 27, texted her best friend: “He’s done it again, but this time it’s worse.”

Collapsed in a pool of her own blood, her face swollen to twice its size, Alana didn’t know if she would survive.

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Every blow to the face from her muscular fiancé, a professional boxer, had nearly killed her.

Only for Alana to discover later that night that he had beaten her so brutally that it left her with a brain injury and a stutter.

Alana had been controlled, mistreated and raped by her fiancé, Jake McHanon, 32, from Stockport during a year-long campaign of violence.

On one occasion, the brute nearly murdered Alana, breaking her nose, ribs, and eye socket and leaving her with a hemorrhage on her brain.

Now, McHanon has been incarcerated for 21 years and Alana is bravely speaking out to Fabulous to raise awareness about survivors of domestic violence.

Jake left me with a stutter, vision loss, and permanent brain damage.

Alana Rose Huntingdon

Wellbeing coach Alana says: “Jake left me with a stutter, vision loss and permanent brain damage.

“But the mental trauma is much worse and I am receiving therapy for my crippling PTSD.

“I thought I was going to be just another statistic; Another woman murdered by domestic violence. But I survived.

“To any other women who suffer in silence like me, please leave. They will never change and you will lose your life.”

In June 2021, Alana met McHanon at a house party in Merseysidewhere the couple instantly clicked.

Alana says: “At that time, I was very vulnerable and struggling with a lot of things. Jake made me feel safe and heard.

“We were inseparable and he felt like my twin flame.

“As Jake was a professional boxer, he was 6 feet tall and had strong, muscular arms. “I fell madly in love.”

The couple had a whirlwind romance and moved in together after just a week.

But McHanon’s behavior soon changed and he began monitoring Alana’s phone calls.

He forced me to put my calls on speakerphone so I could hear them. I thought it was because we came as a couple and it was romantic.

Alana Rose Huntingdon

Alana says: “He made me put my calls on speakerphone so I could hear them. I thought it was because we came as a couple and it was romantic.

“But he also started checking my messages. Then he didn’t give me my phone at all, preventing me from talking to everyone. I isolated myself.

“After a while, Jake stopped me from leaving. I couldn’t even go to the stores to buy food. I would become a recluse.

“Since he controlled everything, I told myself it was for love.”

But McHanon also began spitting vile names at Alana, calling her trash and constantly making her cry.

After six months together, in December 2021, McHanon proposed to Alana, which she accepted in hopes that it would be a new beginning.

But after the engagement, he continued to control her every move and belittle her at every opportunity.

The following year, in February 2022, a woman called him on the phone and when Alana confronted him about cheating, he became enraged.

She says: “He jumped on me and punched me punch after punch in the face and stomach.

“Because Jake was a boxer, every punch to the face almost killed me.”

I didn’t want to be alive anymore. But I believed him when he promised to change.

Alana Rose Huntingdon

She continues: “I crawled towards the door. But he grabbed my legs and dragged me inside.

“Then it hit me again and I finally passed out. Days later, he apologized and promised never to do it again.

“I didn’t want to be alive anymore. But I believed him when he promised to change.

“After that, I was constantly black and sad. If I ever tried to leave him, he would threaten to kill himself. “I gave him one chance after another.”

At night, he also started forcing me into bed.

Alana Rose Huntingdon

She says, “At night, he also started forcing himself on the bed.

“They were abusing me in every way possible, but I didn’t see a way out.”

Meanwhile, Alana’s family was very worried, but she was living a double life, constantly lying to protect her fiancé.

Later that year, in June 2022, the couple went on vacation to a hotel to celebrate Alana’s birthday.

Alana says: “At the hotel, Jake punched, kicked and punched me everywhere, worse than ever before.

“He repeatedly hit my head against the floor, while I screamed for help from the hotel staff. “I thought I was going to die.”

He repeatedly hit my head on the floor while I screamed for help from the hotel staff. I thought I was going to die

Alana Rose Huntingdon

She says: “Finally a cleaner heard and knocked on the door. After Jake went to sleep that night, the hotel manager called an ambulance and I was blue-lighted to the hospital.

“The doctors told me I had a brain hemorrhage. “I wanted to cry, but I kept losing consciousness again.”

It took Alana days to recover, and when she did, doctors informed her that they had fortunately stopped the brain hemorrhage.

His body and face were black with bruises, and he discovered that he also had a bruised eye socket, a broken nose, and broken ribs.

Horrifyingly, the brain injury also left her with a permanent stutter.

Alana says: “I was lucky to be alive, but I still couldn’t face Jake’s complaint. I was terrified and I still loved him.

“After healing at home, I escaped to a shelter. But Jake bombarded me with non-stop calls.

“I kept going back to him, believing his lies and false promises. He had so much control over me.”

I was lucky to be alive, but I still couldn’t face Jake’s complaint. I was terrified and I still loved him.

Alana Rose Huntingdon

In August 2022, it was taken out of Alana’s hands after police arrested McHanon.

Alana, fearing for her life, finally found the courage to tell the police everything.

While awaiting trial, he struggled with extreme post-traumatic stress disorder and was terrified of leaving the house.

In November 2023, Jake McHanon, 32, was found guilty of one count of ABH, one count of GBH, two counts of rape, and one count of Controlling and coercive behavior. v Alana at Liverpool Crown Court.

He was sentenced to life in prison and had to serve a minimum of 21 years.

Alana says: “In court, I heard Jake shout insults at me from the docks. But I stayed strong.

“After hearing his sentence, I felt shocked, relieved, upset, guilty; all the emotion possible.

“But I knew he had to be locked up. Now, I am left with a stutter, vision loss, and permanent brain damage.

“I’ve been doing therapy and even started boxing, which helps me relieve stress.

“Anyone who suffers domestic violence, their partner will promise the world, but they will not change.

“Reach out to a loved one or call a domestic violence helpline. They will believe you and you will not have to fight alone.”

You have chosen to waive your right to anonymity.

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