Connie Culp became the first full face transplant patient in December 2008, after being shot in the face by her husband five years ago.
Connie lost the bone that supported her face, had no nose, and was unable to eat or breathe on her own.
On May 5, the 46-year-old Ohio woman addressed the world for the first time since her 23-hour surgery in which surgeons removed the skin from her face, the bone structures underneath, the nerves, facial muscles, lower eyelids, and attached the donor face.
“Well, I guess I’m the one you came to see today,” Connie said at a press conference at the Cleveland Clinic, where a team of surgeons performed the surgery five months ago. “While I know you all want to focus on me, I think it’s more important you focus on the donor family that made it so I could have this Christmas present, I guess I should say.”
Doctors are currently waiting to see how much function Culp will regain as the nerves continue to regenerate.
After shooting his wife, Thomas Culp turned the gun on himself, but survived and went to prison for seven years.
View Connie’s press conference video and before and after pictures below.
Connie Culp, left, before the injury that destroyed most of her face in 2004. Center, a CT scan shows the extent of the damage inflicted by a shotgun blast. At right, Ms. Culp after her December 2008 surgery.