Firefighter has face transplant after third-degree burns & survives against all odds – see him now, 7 years later
Patrick Hardison received devastating injuries in a house fire as he attempted to rescue a woman he believed to be trapped in…
Patrick Hardison received devastating injuries in a house fire as he attempted to rescue a woman he believed to be trapped in the blaze.
This brave man was left with third-degree burns to his entire face and scalp – for years he wore a baseball cap, sunglasses, and prosthetic ears in public.
Patrick recalled children running away when they saw him, but his life changed again in 2015 when he underwent the most extensive face transplant ever.
Patrick Hardison, a Mississippi firefighter, suffered life-changing injuries in 2001 when a house fire left him with extensive burns on his face, head, and neck. The incident took his ears, lips, most of his eyelid tissue, and nose, making public life difficult as people stared or avoided him. Over 71 surgeries later, Hardison’s injuries still prevented him from living a normal life.
In 2015, Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez at NYU Langone Medical Center prepared a groundbreaking solution: the most extensive face transplant ever attempted. Hardison’s new face would include a scalp, ears, eyelids, portions of bone, and more. David Rodebaugh, a young man who had tragically passed away, became Hardison’s donor, and his mother donated her son’s face to give Hardison a new life.
With only a 50/50 chance of survival, the 26-hour procedure brought together over 100 medical professionals. Post-surgery, Hardison had to relearn basic functions like swallowing and speaking, enduring weeks of complications.
His recovery marked a turning point. He met Rodebaugh’s mother, fulfilling her wish to see her son live on in some way. Today, Hardison lives a new life, advocating for hope and resilience in those facing similar obstacles.
