Man Receives Life-Changing Face Transplant After Surviving Suicide Attempt

Rochester, Minnesota – Nearly ten years after surviving a suicide attempt that left him severely disfigured, Andy Sandness is embracing a new life, thanks to one of medicine’s most complex procedures: a full face transplant.

In 2006, Sandness, then 21, attempted suicide with a gunshot, resulting in the loss of his nose, jaw, and teeth. Years of reconstructive surgeries followed, but his physical and emotional wounds remained deep.

In 2016, a 56-hour face transplant at the Mayo Clinic changed everything. A team of 60 specialists gave Sandness a new face, donated by Calen “Rudy” Ross, a young man who had died by suicide. Ross’s pregnant widow, Lilly, honored his wish to be an organ donor, allowing Sandness to regain his appearance without resembling the donor exactly.

A Second Chance at Life

Now 32, Sandness is thriving. With ongoing therapy and follow-up surgeries, he can eat, speak, and smile again. “I’m just another face in the crowd now,” he says—living proof of resilience, recovery, and the power of modern medicine.