The life story of Patrick Hardison from Mississippi is nothing less than a mind-blowing one. This man is the first American who has received a face transplant back in 2015 after his face and neck were left completely disfigured during a house fire.
Patrick’s life was a great one up until the day the tragedy struck in 2001.
He worked as a volunteer firefighter earlier in his life, so when he got called to help with a house fire, he didn’t hesitate. Sadly, once he entered the burning place, it collapsed on top of him and trapped him. He couldn’t move and his torso and face were severely burnt.
“[My mask] was melting to my face,” Patrick recalled. “My hose [was] already melted.”
“For somebody who does what we do for a living, I’ve never seen anybody burned that bad that was still alive,” friend and first responder Jimmy Neal told CBS News of seeing Patrick after the accident.
Patrick suffered third degree burns on his face and scalp. He also sustained burns to his head, neck, and upper torso. The fire also claimed his ears, lips, most of his nose, and even most of his eyelid tissue.
“I didn’t actually see myself until probably November. I got injured in September,” Patrick told Fox News. “They had cut a little pinhole in one of my eyelids because they had everything covered, skin graft. I looked in the mirror and all I could do, I said, ‘this is it? I can’t do this,’” he recalled.
Over the years, this man was forced to undergo over 70 surgeries, as well as other procedures. He couldn’t close his eyes and doctors were able to put together flaps of skin to protect his vision, but he was still facing the risk of going blind.
Patrick couldn’t eat without feeling excruciating pain. He just couldn’t get used to this life because he couldn’t look at himself in the mirror. Wherever he went, everyone starred at him, and he could barely stand being around people, even his children.
In order to hide and protect himself, Patrick wore sunglasses and a baseball cap all the time. He also had ear prosthetic.
“I had kids. It was just a tough time. I never got a day off from the injury. When you walk out in public, it was daily. And, you know, it’s just so — there’s no way to explain everything,” he told Yahoo! Sports.
“You go to the ball field, you have to prepare yourself for the kid that goes running off screaming.”
Years went by and Patrick lost hope of ever having a normal life. But then, French woman named Isabelle Dinoire received a partial face transplant after her face was severely disfigured by her pet dog. This procedure was revolutionary. It was the first ever of that kind. Surely, it gave a glimpse of hope to Patrick who at that point was truly struggling.
Patrick met doctor Eduardo D. Rodriguez from the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York who told him he would do the transplant surgery if they find a matching donor. It wasn’t easy, but one day, out of the blue, a donor appeared. LiveOnNY, a nonprofit that coordinates organ donations in the New York area, had found a match. The face Patrick was about to get belonged to 26-year-old David Rodebaugh who had sustained a massive head injury in a bike accident and had been declared brain dead.
This young man’s mother, Nancy Millar, decided to donate her son’s organs, including his face. “I said, ‘You better save his face. He has the face of a porcelain doll.’ And he’s a donor — we had talked about it,” Millar told People.
The thought of someone receiving her son’s face meant that David would continue to live on through the people whose lives he was about to save, including Patrick’s.
“When I met Patrick, I saw this strength, this strong, manly, burly kind of energy in him — that David had,” Nancy recalled.
“David wanted to be a firefighter, an I knew if this guy was a firefighter — he was willing to walk into a fire to save people and risk his own life — then he had the strength that David had.”
Finally, the day of the transplant surgery had arrived. The procedure lasted for 26 long hours and was performed by a team of 100 professionals.
The risk was enormous and Patrick was given a 50/50 percent chance of survival. Luckily, it was a huge success. Patrick received a new face, scalp, ears, and ear canals. He also received eyelids which allowed him to blink naturally and save his vision.
“Everything in life has a risk,” Patrick told Time Magazine.
“When it’s your time to go, you’ll go—whether you’re walking down the street and get hit by a car or you’re lying on the operating table.”
After he recovered from the swelling and he learned how to talk and swallow again, Patrick met his donor’s mother. Nancy only had one request, to kiss Patrick on the forehead.
“I said, ‘Can I kiss your forehead?’” Nancy said. “That’s the one thing I wanted to do because every night before David went to bed when he was little, I kissed his forehead.”
“I’ve been waiting a year to meet her. I’m just very grateful,” Patrick added. “Without her, it wouldn’t have been possible. It’s like she’s family. We connected that easily.”
Ever since the surgery, Patrick is taking anti-rejection drugs that prevent his immune system from rejecting the face, but he’s thriving. He didn’t only receive a new face but a new life too.
Today, he is divorced and is working on a book which he hopes would serve as an inspiration to anyone who believes there is no way out from the situation they have found themselves in. “Because I want to show the world that you can have hope. I wouldn’t want people that were like me years ago to think that’s it, I have to live like this. You don’t. You can accomplish anything,” Patrick says.
His survival and his recovery are dubbed miraculous. Thanks to Nancy, Dr. Rodriguez and his team, and Patrick’s strong will, today, he is a happy man.
I Finally Found Love in My 40s, but My Boyfriend Disappeared When I Needed Him the Most
At 42, Anya finally dares to love again, only to be met with silence from the man who promised to be there. He vanishes without a word when she needs him the most, leaving her questioning if love is worth the risk after all.
I’ve built a life most would call complete. A successful career as an architect, good friends, and a steady rhythm to my days.
Yet, I’d often feel so lonely in my quiet apartment. My friends would tell me it was about time I found a partner, but I’d never agree.
A woman sitting in her house | Source: Midjourney
“Anya, when was the last time you went on a date?” my friend Lisa teased one day.
“Oh, I think my soulmate must be my drafting table at this point.” I laughed it off, but deep down, her words struck a nerve.
She rolled her eyes. “Come on, seriously. Don’t you miss having someone around?”
I forced a half-smile. “I don’t think it’s in the cards for me. Too much history, too much… complication.”
A woman talking to a friend | Source: Midjourney
I was 25 the last time I was in love.
My high school sweetheart, Stephan, and I had dreams as big as the sky. But life happened. My mom passed away, and grief consumed me.
I still remember Stephan’s last words before he left.
“Anya, I can’t do this anymore,” he’d said in a cold voice. “You’ve changed. You’re just too sad, and I need someone who’s happy. I need someone who’s there for me. Not someone who just spends her entire day crying!”
A young man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
I couldn’t believe it. Instead of staying with me during the worst time of my life, Stephan chose to walk away.
I didn’t even ask him to stay back. I cried like a baby the night he left me.
However, I soon picked up the broken pieces of my heart and tried to distract my mind by focusing on my work.
As years passed, I told myself I didn’t need a man to be happy. I had a thriving career and became the strong, independent woman I’d dreamed of.
But deep down, I’d feel the ache for something more whenever I’d see couples on the street.
A couple walking on the street | Source: Pexels
Lately, though, it wasn’t just the loneliness bothering me. I’d feel worn down and fatigued and would often get headaches and spells of dizziness.
Lisa and some others nudged me to see a doctor, but I brushed it off as stress from work. After all, a few aches were nothing compared to what I’d been through, right?
A few weeks after Lisa’s pep talk, I found myself at a neighborhood charity event. It was one of those pop-up art galleries that featured local artists.
People in an art gallery | Source: Pexels
I was standing in front of a watercolor painting of a misty mountain when a deep, cheerful voice spoke beside me.
“Not bad, right? Although the brushwork here is, uh, interesting.”
I looked over, meeting the eyes of a man with a mischievous grin and an infectious energy that caught me off guard.
“I’d say unique,” I replied, raising an eyebrow. “I take it you’re an art critic in disguise?”
“History professor, actually,” he laughed. “Liam’s the name. And you?”
A man standing in an art gallery | Source: Midjourney
“Anya,” I said, trying not to smile too much. But something about him drew me in. I guess it was his intelligence.
As we talked, his sense of humor and insight made me feel instantly comfortable. I learned he was a history professor, just 35, but surprisingly mature for his age.
Unlike other men I’d known, he didn’t rush to impress or make advances.
He seemed genuinely interested in art, and in me, without any hidden agenda. There was something refreshingly steady about him.
A man talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney
I told myself he was just a nice guy I’d chat with once and then forget. But that turned out to be wishful thinking.
Over the next few weeks, we kept running into each other at different places. We even started meeting up on purpose.
I found myself looking forward to seeing him in a way I hadn’t felt in years.
One evening at the diner, we were talking over coffee when I asked him about his family.
A woman holding her coffee | Source: Pexels
“They, uh, they’re a bit different,” he told me. “And I don’t see them often.”
He didn’t elaborate, and quickly changed the topic. He rarely mentioned them after that.
It was strange, but I didn’t push. I understood the need to keep some things close to the chest.
Soon, our friendship blossomed into something deeper, something I hadn’t let myself feel in years. Every time I’d catch myself replaying our conversations in my head, I knew it was more than just companionship.
A woman standing in her kitchen | Source: Midjourney
Liam and I were together now. He was my boyfriend, though saying it out loud still felt surreal.
One afternoon, we met up for lunch at a small diner. In the background, the TV was showing a weather report.
Suddenly, I noticed Liam’s attention snap to the screen as the reporter announced, “Cosolia is expected to have a bout of bad weather. Prepare your umbrellas, folks, because this isolated town is sure to become even more closed off with the upcoming rain…”
Liam’s focus sharpened at the mention of the small town.
A man standing in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Meanwhile, I’d never heard of the place before.
“You know the place?” I asked.
“Oh, yeah, uh, I’ve been there a few times,” he said. “I didn’t know they were going to have rain right now. Anyway, what are we having for lunch?”
He quickly changed the topic, but it didn’t bother me. I thought it was just the historian in him who was fascinated with odd places.
A man looking away while talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney
After a wonderful evening with Liam, I found myself feeling unusually dizzy and faint. This was different. It was worse than the usual fatigue I’d brushed off as work stress.
My head felt heavy, and for a moment, my vision blurred. That was the day I finally decided it was time to see a doctor.
Sitting in the sterile waiting room, I kept telling myself it was nothing serious.
Just stress, just work, I thought. You’re gonna be okay.
But the doctor’s expression told me otherwise.
A doctor studying a report | Source: Pexels
He explained that the tests showed I had Multiple Sclerosis. The words didn’t sink in right away.
“It’s probably just stress, right?” I laughed weakly.
The doctor told me to calm down before he explained more.
He said words like “tests,” “rare”, and “serious,” but I have no idea what he told me. I could only feel my heart pound against my chest as I looked at him.
A woman in a doctor’s office | Source: Midjourney
At that point, I thought of Liam. He was the one person who’d brought light back into my life. Maybe he’d know what to say to make this all feel less terrifying.
As I left the doctor’s office, I felt tears stream down my cheeks. I quickly sat inside my car and typed out a message to Liam.
A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels
Liam, I need to tell you something. I was at the doctor’s today… they diagnosed me with Multiple Sclerosis. I’m so scared. I don’t even know where to start dealing with this. I thought I’d be okay, but I’m not. I could really use your support right now, babe. Please meet me.
I hit send, praying he’d respond quickly.
Hours passed, though, and my phone stayed silent. By the time night turned to dawn, I was nearly sick with worry.
Maybe he doesn’t want to deal with this, I thought.
A worried woman in her house | Source: Midjourney
Day one turned into day two, then day three, and still, there was no word.
He’s gone silent. Maybe he’s busy, but it’s been days. What if… what if he doesn’t want to deal with this? The thought hit me again, hard. I was alone again.
Memories of Stephan flooded back and his cold words echoed in my mind. “You’re just too sad, and I need someone who’s happy.”
Was I about to lose Liam the same way?
A worried woman | Source: Midjourney
Desperation took over, and I combed through his social media, looking for any sign of life. I called him repeatedly, but it went to voicemail. I even went to his apartment, but his neighbor told me he’d left suddenly.
“Why would he just leave without a word? Did my illness scare him that much?” I whispered to myself.
The pain of abandonment was too familiar. I was convinced Liam had chosen to walk away, just when I needed him the most.
On the fourth day, just as I was starting to accept that Liam had disappeared, my phone finally rang. His name lit up the screen.
A woman looking at her phone | Source: Midjourney
“Anya, I’m so sorry. I had to leave in such a rush,” he started, his voice sounding strained and exhausted. “My grandmother… she lives in Cosolia. She got really sick, and I just—”
Cosolia. That small town on the weather report, the one that had captured his attention at the diner. It all clicked, but the anger I’d felt these past days pushed through.
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“Do you have any idea what that did to me, Liam?” I interrupted. “You just vanished. I thought… I thought you were gone. Like everyone else.”
There was a pause, and his voice softened when he spoke again.
“I know, Anya. And I hate that I put you through that. I wanted to reach out, but everything went wrong. The storm knocked out all the power, the roads flooded… I couldn’t get to you.” His words poured out in a rush. “I couldn’t even find a working phone. The whole area was cut off.”
A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
Was he telling the truth? I wondered, feeling a flicker of doubt. Why hadn’t he ever mentioned this grandmother before? Or even that she lived in Cosolia? And what about all those times I’d asked about his family… why had he dodged my questions? Was he hiding more? My mind raced with questions, one after another. Should I trust him?
“Anya? Are you there?” His voice broke into my thoughts, pulling me back.
I took a breath. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about your family, Liam? Every time I asked, you brushed it off.”
A woman talking to her boyfriend on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“Because…” he sighed. “I was ashamed. My family doesn’t have much. They live in a small town, and I thought you’d see me differently if you knew. My life’s messy, Anya. I didn’t want you to see that part of me.”
I stayed quiet for a moment, letting his words sink in. The sincerity in his words felt real.
“Liam,” I said softly, “I’m not the kind of person who judges someone for where they come from or how much they have. I care about you for who you are.”
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“Thank you, Anya,” he said before taking a deep breath. “That… means everything to me. I’ll be back by tomorrow. And I’ll be here for you, for whatever you need.”
When Liam returned the next day, he came straight to my place. We sat on the couch and talked about everything. About my diagnosis, his family, and our fears.
And for the first time, I let down my walls completely.
“I don’t want to be a burden, Liam,” I said quietly, tears brimming. “You didn’t sign up for this…”
He took my hand and looked straight into my eyes.
A man holding his girlfriend’s hands | Source: Pexels
“Anya, life isn’t about ‘signing up’ for things. It throws us surprises. Good and bad. And I’m not going anywhere.” He squeezed my hand gently. “You don’t have to do this alone. I’ll be here with you, for as long as you need me.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I looked at him.
“I’m so sorry for putting you through this, Liam,” I managed to say between sobs. “I…”
He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. It was exactly the kind of hug I needed at that moment.
A man hugging his girlfriend | Source: Pexels
A few days later, Liam drove me to my next doctor’s appointment. He opened the door for me and held my hand as we entered the office.
For the first time in years, I had someone standing by my side during one of the lowest points of my life. Someone who wouldn’t leave if I cried too much. Someone who was ready to accept both the good and the messy sides of me.
I don’t know what I did to deserve a person like Liam. He’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.
A man smiling at his girlfriend | Source: Midjourney
If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: Inheriting her beloved grandmother’s house, Claire pours her heart into its renovation for her mom. But the unexpected return of her estranged sister, Emma, after fourteen years, with a demand for a share of the inheritance, throws Claire’s plans into turmoil. What will she do now?
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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