Dear Drexel MFA Alumni,
It is with profound sadness that we share news of the passing of our beloved classmate, Tyler Duggan (MFA Class of 2022), who passed away on June 28th, 2025, at the age of 38. He is survived by his wife, Jessica, and their three-year-old daughter, Nora. Tyler was living in East Providence, Rhode Island, but passed away at UPenn hospitals in Philadelphia where he was receiving the best care possible in the country.
Many of you may know that Tyler was very open about his lifelong battle with a congenital heart condition and its long-term impact on his health. He spent the last few months in the hospital, initially in Boston, and then at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where he had undergone his initial Fontan procedure as a baby. Tyler had a deep affection for Philadelphia and the dedicated staff at CHOP. He faced an incredibly challenging uphill battle, with the prospect of a double organ transplant for his heart and liver, contingent on surviving a lymphangiogram to resolve his plastic bronchitis.
In the wake of his passing and the significant medical expenses incurred, his family could greatly benefit from our support. If you are able to contribute, please consider donating to the GoFundMe campaign set up to assist them:
We are also actively working on establishing a long-term memorial scholarship fund to support future Drexel MFA students. This fund will honor Tyler's unique spirit and his love for crazy, whacky surrealist writing. We will share more details about this memorial fund as we finalize details, so please stay tuned.
After completing his MFA, Tyler's writing found a passionate outlet in movie reviews. Even during his final months in the hospital, he continued to share his insights on Letterboxd, posting reviews from his hospital bed.
Tyler will be deeply missed by all who knew him during his too short time with us. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.
Sincerely,
Juliet Del Rio & Jaime Grookett