Burned firefighter feels normal again after face transplant
Posted August 24, 2016 7:00 am
NEW YORK (AP) - A Mississippi firefighter who received the world's most extensive face transplant after a burning building collapsed on him says he feels like "a normal guy" for the first time in 15 years.
Patrick Hardison said Wednesday that he can eat, see, hear and breathe normally a year after his surgery. He even has a full head of hair.
Hardison told reporters at NYU Langone Medical Center that he now doesn't "worry about people pointing and staring, or kids running away crying."
Hardison was a volunteer firefighter in Senatobia, Mississippi, when the building collapsed on him in 2001. He had 71 reconstructive surgeries before the transplant.
The 42-year-old father of five no longer needs a feeding or breathing tube.
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.