TRUMANN, Ark. — Tyra Johnson was laughing and joking with a nurse. Then, suddenly, her heart stopped.
Her fiancé, Abraham Casas, remembers how quickly an ordinary moment in a Memphis hospital room became a fight to save the woman he loves.
“It went from her laughing and goofing off with the nurse and stuff to, ‘Hey, she flatlined,’” Casas told us. “I was in shock.”
Tyra survived. But the weeks that followed brought life support, amputations of both legs and the loss of the twins she was carrying.
Now, the family outside Trumann is facing the long work of recovery while grieving losses they never could have prepared for.
“It’s been difficult,” Abraham said. “I never lost hope nor faith.”
What initially appeared to be a viral illness developed into a life-threatening medical crisis. According to the family’s fundraiser account, Tyra’s condition was identified as myocarditis.
Tyra was initially treated at NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro before being airlifted to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. Abraham said she had been experiencing seizures and was transferred for neurological evaluation. He recalled periods when she was unresponsive and struggling to recognize the people around her.
But after arriving in Memphis, there was also that moment when she was talking and joking with a nurse. Abraham was there as staff prepared her for testing.
About three hours after her arrival, according to the family’s account, her heart stopped.
Abraham said the family was told she had a 15% chance of surviving and making it out of the hospital. He credited Dr. Precious Macauley with continuing efforts to revive her for approximately 30 minutes before bringing her back.
“It went from almost losing her to a miracle,” he said.
In the weeks that followed, Tyra remained on life support and underwent multiple procedures. Her care included ECMO, an Impella device, dialysis and a breathing tube, according to the fundraiser account.
During her medical crisis, she lost blood flow to both legs and had to undergo amputations. She also lost the twins she was carrying.
Abraham estimated Tyra spent 74 days at the Memphis hospital. Rehabilitation followed, but her recovery has continued to involve hospital care.
When we interviewed Abraham, Tyra was back at NEA Baptist in Jonesboro for additional testing. He had stepped outside the hospital to take our call.
“The journey’s not done yet,” he said. “It’s still in and out from the hospital.”
Tyra’s daughter, Abraham’s stepdaughter, wants to support her mother through her recovery, he said. And Abraham is working to keep their household going through his business, Casas Renovations, which provides commercial and residential construction services.
Before Tyra became ill, theirs was a two-income household. Now, it is down to one.
The everyday bills have continued through the hospital stays. Living expenses remain. Their home needs modifications so Tyra can move around more easily and work toward greater independence.
These needs will continue as she recovers, through rehabilitation and the adjustments that await at home.
A fundraiser has been established to help with bills, everyday living expenses and disability-related home modifications. One-time donations can provide immediate help, while recurring gifts can offer steady support for the ongoing costs.
Tyra has survived a fight for her life. She and her family are now facing everything that comes after—grieving their twins, navigating recovery and learning how to move forward together.
For those who have wondered how to help, this is a place to begin. A donation can ease some of the financial burden. Sharing the fundraiser can help it reach someone else who is able to give.
❤️ Donate to help Tyra Johnson and her family
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