Face of a Miracle
Connie Culp, after an injury to her face, left, and as she appears today. Culp's husband, Thomas, shot her in 2004. The blast shattered her nose, cheeks, the roof of her mouth and an eye. (AP Photo / May 5, 2009)
"When somebody has a disfigurement and don't look as pretty as you do, don't judge them, because you never know what happened to them," she said. "Don't judge people who don't look the same as you do. Because you never know. One day it might be all taken away." Connie Culp, Face Transplant Recipient
Being a news person, I see—and describe—many bad things that happen to people. Very often I’m asked if that gets me down. My answer is yes, it does. But it always picks me back up when I also witness what the human spirit can endure.
Connie Culp, for instance. Five years after taking a shotgun blast in the face, five months after undergoing the first face transplant in America, she presented herself publicly today for the first time, at the Cleveland Clinic where the operation was performed. One look will tell you she has much more healing to do before she begins to resemble a “typical” person (that’s the term used to describe non-special needs children in comparison to those with handicaps, so I’m borrowing it here.. seems better than “normal.”) But that’s also what impresses me about her.
After five years in the shadows—not even her name has ever been released before today—she chose to show herself to the world as she is. Rather than be shamed by her appearance, she’s using it, as you’ll see from the quote above, to be an example of how people mustn’t judge others based on their looks. In fact, she now sees it as her mission to foster acceptance of people who have been disfigured, through some misfortune or other.
That’s what I mean by being inspired by the power of the human spirit. This woman—who would have stayed anonymous to the world but for this tragedy, who endured years of what must have been horrible pain—emerges as something greater than she was before. And through her down-to-earth words, she’s teaching such important lessons about non-judgment, living in the present, and finding hope within tragedy. Let’s observe her strength and dignity tonight—as well as the incredible skill of the doctors who operated on her—and appreciate it fully, here and now. Because you never know. One day it might all be taken away.
| Search Blog
|
Comments: 16
God Bless her. I was so touched when I saw this on the news tonight. She's a great inspiration. There's so much I want to know about her and this story.
7 years for a gunshot to the face, 7 years for child molestation, 25 - life for dealing drugs. What's more important? You never ever cheat the government out of its taxes. Ask illegal number dealers; they invented legal numbers for them yet not a single citizen has benefited from employment in this line of work. At least illegal number dealers had a job in a field that went legal but left them jobless.
Perhaps if the rich thought they may serve the same time as the poor this poor unfortunate soul could possible have a "normal" face. She survived this life and will obviously reap rewards in the next life. Let her know that this will soon be a memory...a figment of her imagination.
May God Bless her. I pray for her. I don't see it fair that her husband got 7 years for what he did. He could have killed her. I pray for her. I wish her husband would've got more time for the messed up thing he did to his wife.
May God Bless her. I pray for her. I don't see it fair that her husband got 7 years for what he did. He could have killed her. I pray for her. I wish her husband would've got more time for the messed up thing he did to his wife.
Nicely said! I have an interest in facial transplant technology and the amazing advancements made in the field.
I was born with a facial deformity, and following years of feeling upset, cheated, different, and odd, I always thought that people should realize that how they are now can change in an instant by an unfortunate event.
Cherish what you do have now, and at the same time be sure not to judge others for looking different.
That is so true. Last year my brother found out that he had a brain tumor same day i found out I had Multiple Sclorosis. He was an EMT, helping people every day of his life;and one day it was all taken away. The doctors told him the tumor that started in his sinus cavity matastized to his brain. They said it was 2 1/2 centimeters when they removed it after a 8 1/2 hour surgery it was 9 centimeters and all calcified. This all happened at ground zero breathing in all those toxic fumes. He is 38 years old. Now all the people he helped are helping him. He can't work because they said he has breathing problems and the state says his brain don't function as well as it should. I personally think my brother is my hero but for him it's just another job and he would do it in a heartbeat again as an EMT and a New Yorker.
I think it's awesome that our technology has advanced to the place where she's going to be able to get another go, even though her moron husband tried to totally ruin her life.
Connie Culp should appear on Oprah.
Wow her husband shot her in the face with the intent to kill her, how does that go unpunished, 7 years is no punishment for a crime of this magnitude, the justice system is bull****
THIS MAKES ME VERY HAPPY FOR ALL THE ADVANCES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE WHEN SOMETHING SO
GREAT COMES OUT OF IT, KEEP GOING. GOOD BLESS HER
7 years for trying to take someone's life? Wtf? This has to be a joke.the system is a joke itself. I know she won't ever be able to forget the past, but hope she moves on and looks forward to better things the future holds for her. May God bless her!
The husband only got 7 years for shooting her? When he gets out maybe someone will do the same to him, what comes around goes around.
For connie if you read this, You are a hero for fighting this fight!My sister was hit by a train in 1962half of her face was laid to the side of her head, she still today hears people snicker and whisper behinder her. I say But for the grace of God go I, and the indian in mw says don't judge a person unless you have walked a mile in their moccisons Connie, I could not have survived what you survived. You are truley a hero
I think we should all remember this: " Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." I think Connie is a beautiful person considering all she had to endure. I am also reminded of the song," The impossible Dream," To go where the brave dare not go and to bare the unbareable sorrow. Truely Connie has done this and more.
It's funny how the face transplant is getting so much press in America even though China and France beat us to the punch. Man headlines read, "First Face Transplant." I understand that the article clarifies it, but the point of the matter is that Americans are so uniformed when it comes to scientific advancements else where in the the world, that the media outlets are able to trick them into believing the deceptive headlines.
As a nation, we need to wake up, stop watching Oprah and American Idol, and realize that medicine is advancing at a far greater pace outside of the U.S. For that matter the U.S. is falling behind in many field of science. Education system, FTL.
I THINK THAT ITS REALLY MESSED UP FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS ONCE LOVED HER TO DO SUCH A THING........I AM 13 YEARS OLD AND RIGHT NOW IN SCHOOL WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT WOMEN ABUSE AND THIS STORY IS REALLY SAD.IT DOESNT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME THAT HER HUSBAND ONLY GOT 7 YEARS IN PRISON..............THAT IS ATTEMPTED MURDER........UGH
I f y o u t h in k o u r w e b s i t e i s g o od , y ou c an p ut th is web sit e t o
book ma rks or ot her pl aces, ea sy t o fi nd ...