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A Waiuku woman who was subjected to a frenzied attack by her husband said "the love of her life" strangled her, attempted to break her neck and pulled a gun on her and her 28-year-old son before taking his own life.
Helen Thomson, 44, said she had been trying to leave Brian Charles Thomson, 45, when he "just snapped" and attacked her last weekend.
The attack, which Thomson said lasted for a number of hours in their Whiriwhiri Rd home, was stopped only when she jumped out the bathroom window to flee the man who had "become a complete stranger that night".
Thomson took his own life the following night. His wife is left with broken teeth and cuts and bruises to her body and face, but said she still loves the man who was her husband for 20 years, and she forgives him for attacking her.
"He had never abused me in any way before it was like he just snapped because he didn't want to be without me," she said.
"It came as a complete and utter shock to me, but I forgive him. I love him with all my heart. And my heart is broken now that he's gone."
On Sunday evening Thomson said she wanted to talk to her husband about their relationship. She said he attacked her when he got scared she was going to leave him.
"He tried to choke me five times and tried to break my neck a few times," she said. "I ran and jumped out of the bedroom window, screaming and screaming, but finally I went back into the house and he had calmed down.
"I eventually just went to sleep to escape the physical and emotional pain."
Her husband was gone by the time Thomson woke the following morning, but when he came home around 11am he was "out of character again".
"I had texted my brother to tell him what happened and he and my son Corey were there when Brian came home," said Thomson.
"He got angry and loaded a gun that he had and was threatening us with it, but he didn't use it.
"My son told me to run outside, so I did, and I called 111 from my cellphone. Brian followed me, but I went and hid by the shed. That was the last time I saw him."
Armed offenders squad members swooped on the house and cordoned off the street while trying to defuse the situation.
Thomson said her husband "was already basically dead" after realising the pain he caused during the attack.
"I know people will say he sounds like a monster, but we did have a happy marriage for the most part and he never laid a finger on me before," she said.
"I don't think he could live with himself after what he did."
