After her 18-year-old boyfriend ended their relationship, Katie Stubblefield’s entire life took a drastic turn. The adolescent tragically shot herself, but amazingly, she lived.
At the age of 21, Katie became the 40th person to ever have a face transplant and the youngest recipient in the United States. The young woman was given a second chance at life after the surgeons performed an amazing job, even though it took more than thirty hours.
After the surgery, Katie’s appearance is simply amazing.
It’s simple to gripe about the little things in our daily life. Perhaps the bus was running late, your morning coffee was a little cold, or the TV program you watched the night before wasn’t as enjoyable as you had thought.
We all lead diverse lives, thus it’s acceptable to be unhappy about things. However, it’s important that occasionally we take a moment to be grateful for what we have, even if we haven’t yet realized the ideal situation we may be working toward.
I’ve made the decision to think of Katie Stubblefield anytime I’m feeling down about the little things in life or lack the motivation to do a simple chore, like washing the dishes or taking out the trash.
Katie attempted suicide by shooting herself in the face when she was only eighteen. She miraculously lived, but she had to have a face transplant because she had lost her face.
We would be delighted if you could tell others about her inspirational tale!
Katie Stubblefield was in a great position. While she was in her sophomore year of high school, her family relocated from Lakeland, Florida, where she had spent her whole life, to Owensboro, Kentucky. Her parents started teaching at a nearby Christian school when the family relocated to Oxford, Mississippi, just a year later.
Stubblefield, Katie
In the words of her older sister Olivia, Katie was “fearless” and “a lot of fun.” She was very helpful and has a wonderful sense of humor. But as Katie grew older, Olivia became aware of a difference.
Olivia remarked, “She wanted to be the best in all these sports that she had never even tried before.” “She studied for hours on end because she wanted to be the best academically.”
Katie attended the same school where her parents were teachers, and she quickly fell in love with a classmate. Soon after, the two started talking about getting married; according to Katie’s sister Olivia, their relationship was very serious.
However, Katie’s life would take a permanent turn during her final year. She had already had surgery and long-term digestive issues at that point. Her gallbladder had also been removed due to problems after the operation of her appendix a year prior.
Furthermore, things were far from ideal in the home environment. Both of Katie’s parents had lost their jobs at the school.
Katie discovered texts from another girl on her boyfriend’s phone on March 25, 2014, her 18th birthday. He stopped their relationship after she confronted him about it.
attempted suicide
Heartbroken, Katie made the decision to end her life at that very moment. She was obviously upset when she got to her brother’s place after driving there.
“What are you doing coming home from school?” I asked. Stubblefield Robert clarified. I called my folks and said, “Hey, just so you know, she’s at my house right now.”
Alesia, Katie’s mother, came to Robert’s residence with the intention of consoling her daughter. Robert and Alesia walked outside to talk about what had happened after Katie claimed she didn’t want to chat.
The sound of a door slamming was then abruptly heard. The restroom door was locked and closed as Alesia and Robert rushed inside.
“I attempted to unlock the door,” Alesia remembered.
“Katie?” I asked. And nothing. “Katie,” I said after that. ‘Are you okay?’ I asked. I started to feel my heart palpating after the third time I said, “Katie.”
Her brother Robert continued, “I smelled gunpowder at that point because it was obviously indoors and you can smell it.” “And I realized exactly what had transpired at that moment.”
Katie had stabbed her own face. At first, family members and emergency personnel thought Kate was dead, or at the absolute least, unsalvageable. But as it happened, there was still hope. Thankfully, Katie was still able to speak and had a pulse. The girl was taken to the emergency department in a hurry.
“Tell my mom and dad I love her — love them,” she stated when she was in the emergency room. “I apologize,” her father said to ABC. “A lot of strength was required.”
“I was unaware of the existence of a face transplant.”
Katie’s nose, sinuses, forehead, and most of her mouth—aside from the corners of her lips—were gone. She also lost the bones that comprised her jaw and the front of her face. She still had her eyes, but they were badly injured.
Despite their uncertainty about Katie’s survival, doctors started to rebuild her deformed face. Medical staff informed Katie’s family on the first night of her hospital stay that a face transplant was her best shot at leading a life that was somewhat normal.
“This is the worst wound I’ve ever seen, and I believe a face transplant is the only thing that will give her any kind of life again,” he said. “Stubblefield said.” “We had never heard that term before that.”
Nothing from the day she lost her face comes to mind for Katie. She admitted that she doesn’t recall much of the entire year. She was, however, as surprised as her relatives to learn that a face transplant was feasible.
Katie admitted, “I didn’t know what a face transplant was.” “I was thrilled to have a face and function again after my parents helped me understand everything.”
Katie was horrified when her parents had to break the news to her.
She recalled, “I just didn’t know how to handle it after hearing about it because I never thought of doing that ever before.” “I felt terrible and so guilty for causing my family such suffering.”
After being admitted to a hospital in Oxford, Mississippi, Katie was transported by air to a facility in Memphis, Tennessee. She was put on a waiting list for a donor and told that her recuperation would take a long time.
A year later, a donor was located. Adrea Schneider’s family decided to donate after she passed away at the age of 31. After being moved to Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, Katie would have her face transplanted there.
31-hour procedure
Katie’s complete facial tissue was replaced, according to the clinic, by transplanting her scalp, forehead, upper and lower eyelids, eye sockets, nose, upper cheeks, upper jaw and half of the lower jaw, upper teeth, lower teeth, partial face nerves, muscles, and skin.
The major procedure was started on May 4, 2017, by 11 surgeons and a number of specialists, with some assistance from virtual reality. Despite taking thirty-one hours, it was a great success.
Shortly after the procedure, Katie remarked, “I’m grateful there has been a road – and Cleveland Clinic has been the vehicle to help drive me along.” “To reach this point of recovery has often times been a difficult road to travel,” she continued.
“I will always be appreciative of the support this hospital has provided and still provides to me during my recuperation and rehabilitation process. It would be an understatement to say that my doctors, nurses, surgeons, and caregivers are world-class. Additionally, words cannot convey how grateful I am for this amazing gift from my donor and her family. I express my sincere gratitude to everyone who helped make this possible for me.
After the procedure, Katie still had a long way to go. She had a two-and-a-half-page list of daily drugs, and her parents became her nursing staff, there to assist her around-the-clock.
She worked with a personal trainer twice a week, went to occupational therapy once a week, and went to physical therapy twice a week. In addition, Katie had speech therapy four times a week and braille instruction two or three times a week.
For Katie, the speaking portion was very challenging. Only her soft upper palate and upper lounge were left after the surgery; she had the donor’s mouth.
Following her facial disfigurement, Katie Stubblefield
Even her parents occasionally had problems hearing her, although they were helpful in translating what she was saying. Her palate issues have now resulted in a powerful, nasally voice. Her voice sounded “like a frog,” according to Katie.
Katie realized she was lucky to be alive, despite the fact that she had many mountains to conquer.
Three significant revision procedures had been performed by Katie’s doctors fourteen months following the face transplant. These were also meant to enhance her eyelids, lessen scarring, and slim her face.
“It feels great to be able to touch my face now,” Katie told CNN.
The various parts of our faces—the bone, tissue, muscle, and everything else—are taken for granted, but when they are gone, you realize how much they are needed. You are incredibly grateful after receiving a transplant.
Katie intends to enroll in an online college program with hopes of pursuing a career in motivational speaking and counseling. Very appropriate given that she is someone who truly changed her life and is now an example to many people all around the world.
That Katie was given another opportunity at life makes us very happy.
Please celebrate the incredible medical staff who assisted her by sharing this moving story on Facebook with your loved ones. They are true heroes!
