then, or seven years, tipton lived with a young woman named betty cox. she was 19 when they started their relationship. cox said they had a heterosexual relationship. betty remembered tipton as "the most fantastic love of my life." tipton kept the secret of his physical sexual characteristics a secret from betty with a story. tipton said that he had been in a serious car accident which had badly damaged his genitals and broken some ribs. he said he had to wear bandages protect his damaged chest. he told his female partners this story later in his life. tipton was never legally married, but several women had drivers' licenses naming them mrs. tipton.