Connie Culp: America’s First Face Transplant Survivor and Her Powerful Comeback

In 2008, Connie Culp, a 46-year-old Ohio woman, made medical history as the first face transplant recipient in the United States. The life-changing surgery followed a horrific 2004 incident where her husband shot her with a shotgun, destroying much of her face.

The blast left Connie without a nose, cheeks, upper jaw, and one eye. Over five years, she endured 30 reconstructive surgeries before undergoing a groundbreaking 22-hour face transplant at the Cleveland Clinic, led by Dr. Maria Siemionow. The procedure replaced 80% of her face using tissue from a deceased female donor.

Though her facial movement remains limited, Connie can now smile, speak, eat, and smell again. Her gratitude runs deep:

“Focus on the donor family. They made this possible,” she said.

She also advocates for empathy:

“Don’t judge people just because they don’t look like you.”

Today, Connie is reclaiming her life with her children and grandchildren, serving as a beacon of resilience, innovation, and human compassion.