Firefighter suffers third degree burns – this is him 7 years later
The courageous firefighter endured third-degree burns across his entire face and head - forcing him to wear a cap, dark glasses, and artificial ears whenever he went out.
Patrick remembered how children would flee at the sight of him, but his situation improved dramatically in 2015 when surgeons performed the world's most extensive facial reconstruction surgery.
Reports indicated Hardison had equal odds of living or dying during the transplant operation. The procedure lasted 26 hours and required over 100 medical professionals working in dual teams, but proved successful. Currently, Patrick enjoys life with his cherished spouse and kids.
This remarkable journey deserves attention - particularly how Patrick appears today.
Medical science has advanced tremendously. Healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, and surgeons are genuine heroes who strive to heal patients. The life-saving capabilities of modern medicine are astonishing, with surgeons now able to replace vital organs like hearts and kidneys.
Patrick's Facial Transplant Journey
Medical expertise now enables complete facial reconstruction for those requiring it. Facial transplants have existed since 2005, when Isabelle Dinoire received the first such procedure. In 2015, Patrick Hardison became the first American recipient of this groundbreaking surgery.
Patrick, a devoted father, regularly attended his children's sports events and treasured family time. As a volunteer firefighter, he constantly sought ways to assist his community.
In 2001, a single day transformed his family's existence forever.
While responding to a house fire, Patrick suffered massive facial burns affecting his upper body, head, and neck. The flames destroyed his ears, lips, most of his eyelid tissue, and the majority of his nose.
Patrick faced a future where children ran away from him while parents whispered and pointed. However, in 2015, surgeons completed the most comprehensive facial transplant ever attempted.
The complex procedure gave Patrick only 50/50 survival odds. Today, he has a completely new face and looks remarkable. Here's the extraordinary story of Patrick Hardison.
The Mississippi native previously served as a volunteer firefighter. In 2001, while responding to a house blaze, a terrible accident occurred.
Devastating Fire Injuries
Hardison became trapped when a burning building collapsed on him.
"My mask started melting onto my face," Hardison explained. "My hose had already melted."
Patrick escaped through a window, but flames had already engulfed his head and upper body, causing horrific damage.
"Working in our profession, I've never witnessed anyone with burns this severe who survived," friend and emergency responder Jimmy Neal stated after seeing Hardison's condition.
The family man suffered third-degree burns covering his entire face and scalp. He also experienced severe facial burns extending to his head, neck, and upper torso. The inferno destroyed his ears, lips, most of his nose, and significant eyelid tissue.
"I didn't see myself until around November. The injury happened in September," Hardison explained to Fox News. "They had created a tiny pinhole in one eyelid because everything was covered with skin grafts. When I looked in the mirror, all I could say was, 'this is it? I can't live like this,'" he remembered.
Hardison faced a completely altered existence. He underwent 71 operations and numerous other treatments, yet still couldn't form normal facial expressions. Patrick experienced pain when eating or laughing, and couldn't blink or close his eyes properly.
Doctors eventually constructed skin flaps to shield his vision. Nevertheless, he remained at constant risk of gradually losing his eyesight.
As time passed, Patrick struggled to accept his appearance. Simply being around his children – or even alone – became torturous. People pointed at him, and children were terrified.
Abandoning Hope for a Normal Existence
Patrick constantly wore a cap, dark glasses, and custom-designed artificial ears.
"Having children made everything harder. The injury gave me no breaks. Going out in public meant facing it daily. There's simply no way to describe everything," he explained.
"At sports fields, you must mentally prepare yourself for children who run away screaming."
For years, Patrick endured physical pain and public stares during everyday outings. He began losing all hope for an ordinary life, believing his disfigurement might be permanent.
However, as years passed, medical professionals developed new face transplant techniques. In 2005, Isabelle Dinoire became the first person to receive a face transplant. By then, Hardison had abandoned hope of receiving the treatment he desperately needed.
Then unexpectedly, a friend discovered Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. Rodriguez had previous face transplant experience, so they began searching for a suitable donor for Patrick.
After twelve months of searching, Hardison had found only two potential donors. The first candidate matched well, but had an incompatible tissue profile.
Patrick Hardison – Face Donor David Rodebaugh
The second potential donor showed great promise. Unfortunately, the man's relatives withdrew their consent.
Hardison began resigning himself to the possibility of never receiving a facial transplant. Then, unexpectedly, another matching donor appeared. LiveOnNY, an organization coordinating organ donations throughout the New York region, discovered a compatible match. The face belonged to David Rodebaugh, a 26-year-old who had suffered a severe head trauma in a cycling accident and was pronounced brain dead.
Following David's death, his mother, Nancy Millar, opted to donate her son's organs, including his liver, heart, and kidneys. Crucially, she also decided to donate his face.
"I told them, 'Make sure you preserve his face. He has features like a porcelain doll.' And he's registered as a donor—we had discussed it," Millar told People magazine.
She didn't hesitate when informed about Patrick and the possibility of a facial transplant. For Nancy, this represented an opportunity for David's legacy to continue.
"Upon meeting Patrick, I recognized that same strength, that masculine, rugged kind of energy that David possessed," she recounted.
"David always wanted to become a firefighter, and I knew if this man worked as a firefighter—someone willing to enter burning buildings to rescue others while risking his own safety—then he shared David's courage."
Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez assembled a team of 100 physicians, nurses, and additional medical staff to prepare for Hardison's operation. This became the most comprehensive soft tissue facial transplant ever performed—the procedure lasted an extraordinary 26 hours.
Equal Chance of Surviving the Operation
The surgical team provided Hardison with a new face, scalp, ears, and ear canals. They transplanted selected bone portions from the chin, cheeks, and the complete nose. Additionally, Patrick received new eyelids, restoring his natural blinking ability.
The surgery carried substantial risks. Due to the procedure's extreme complexity, Patrick faced only a 50% chance of survival.
"Every aspect of life involves risk," Hardison explained to Time Magazine.
"When your time comes, it comes—whether you're walking along the street and get struck by a vehicle or lying on an operating table."
Before the surgery, Patrick gathered with his family for what might have been their final meeting.
His oldest daughter Alison questioned why her father so desperately wanted to undergo this dangerous procedure.
"He explained, 'I won't need to wear a cap and sunglasses anymore. I'll look normal when I walk you down the aisle,'" Alison remembered Patrick saying.
"That statement essentially convinced me completely."
Luckily, the operation proved highly successful, though it marked merely the beginning of Patrick's lengthy recovery journey. During the initial week post-surgery, he experienced frightening nighttime episodes involving blood pressure fluctuations and breathing difficulties.
The transplanted face required him to relearn basic functions like speaking and swallowing, while he battled anxiety and frustration throughout this process. His face swelled so severely that he couldn't close his mouth properly.
"They've Granted Me a Fresh Start"
Despite these challenges, the surgery transformed his life completely. Patrick not only rejoiced at seeing his family again but also had the opportunity to meet David Rodebaugh's mother, Nancy Millar. Their first post-surgery meeting was filled with emotion, and Nancy had one special request.
"I asked, 'May I kiss your forehead?'" Millar explained. "That was my one wish because every night when David was small, I would kiss his forehead before bedtime."
"I've anticipated meeting her for an entire year. I feel incredibly thankful," Patrick expressed. "Without her decision, none of this would have happened. She feels like part of my family. We bonded immediately."
Seven years have passed since Patrick's facial transplant. His personal life has seen significant changes – he and Chrissi ended their ten-year marriage just one year after the procedure.
Patrick's facial healing progressed well, with swelling gradually subsiding. Although he must take immunosuppressive medications lifelong to prevent rejection of the transplant, the surgery has given him another chance at living fully.
"I feel profound gratitude toward my donor and his relatives," Hardison stated in an official release.
"Even before knowing their identities, I prayed for them daily, understanding the challenging choice they would face to help someone like me."
"I hope they see their decision validated through me. I also extend my thanks to Dr. Rodriguez and his exceptional team. They provided me with more than just a new appearance. They gave me renewed life."
Patrick Hardison Today – Current Images
Currently, the father of five aims to use his experience and recovery to convey that persistence always matters. Patrick embodies optimism and wishes to support others dealing with life-altering injuries.
"I've purchased my own property and am planning to build a house. I'm also writing a book," Hardison told Fox in 2021.
"I want to demonstrate to everyone that hope exists. I wouldn't want people in my former situation to believe they must continue living that way. You don't have to. You can achieve anything you set your mind to."
