He suffered devastating burns when he tried to rescue a woman trapped in a fire. For years, he was terrified to show his face to the world, and wore caps, sunglasses and prosthetic ears in public. A few years ago, Patrick got the most extensive face transplant ever. I was not ready for how he looks now, and you won’t be either 💔 😳👇 Check 1st comment

Patrick Hardison’s life was forever changed in a heroic attempt to save a stranger. As a volunteer firefighter, he rushed into a burning house to rescue a woman he believed trapped inside—only to suffer devastating third-degree burns across his entire face and scalp.

For years, Patrick hid behind a baseball cap, sunglasses, and prosthetic ears, enduring the heartbreaking reality of his scars. He recalls how children would sometimes run away in fear, unable to recognize the man beneath the injuries. But his story didn’t end there.

In 2015, Patrick underwent one of the most complex medical procedures ever performed—a 26-hour face transplant surgery, involving more than 100 medical professionals working in two teams. The odds were grim, with only a 50/50 chance of survival, but Patrick’s courage and the skill of the surgical team won out.

Today, Patrick Hardison is not only alive—he’s thriving. He enjoys life alongside his loving wife and children, embracing every moment with the family he cherishes.

A Medical Marvel: The Miracle of Face Transplants

Thanks to incredible advances in medical science, face transplants have become a life-changing reality for people with severe facial injuries. The first-ever face transplant was performed in 2005 on Isabelle Dinoire in France, paving the way for future breakthroughs. Patrick’s 2015 surgery was a milestone—it marked the first full face transplant in the United States.

The Firefighter’s Heroism and Tragedy

Patrick’s dedication to serving his community was unwavering. Like any devoted father, he loved attending his children’s sports games and spending quality time with his family. But during a 2001 house fire response, his life took a tragic turn. The blaze left him with extensive burns covering his face, scalp, neck, and upper torso. He lost his ears, lips, most of his eyelids, and much of his nose.

Today: A New Face, A New Beginning

Patrick’s journey from tragedy to triumph is a powerful testament to resilience, medical innovation, and the unyielding human spirit. His story inspires hope, reminding us all that even in the darkest moments, there’s a path forward—sometimes through the hands of remarkable people committed to healing.

It seemed Patrick was destined to live a life shadowed by fear and misunderstanding—children running away, whispers and stares from strangers. But everything changed in 2015, when the most extensive face transplant ever performed became a reality.

Facing just a 50/50 chance of survival, Patrick underwent a groundbreaking surgery that would completely transform his life. Today, he has an entirely new face—and the results are nothing short of astonishing.

Here’s the incredible story behind Patrick Hardison’s journey.

A volunteer firefighter from Mississippi, Patrick’s life took a tragic turn in 2001. While responding to a house fire, a devastating accident left him with severe injuries that would alter his future forever.

Disfiguring Injuries in a House Fire
Trapped inside a blazing home, Patrick Hardison’s world turned to chaos when the roof suddenly collapsed on him, causing devastating, life-altering injuries.

“My mask was melting to my face,” Patrick Hardison recalled. “My hose was already melted.”

In the chaos of the fire, Patrick managed to escape through a window, but his head and upper body were engulfed in flames. The injuries he suffered were horrific.

“For someone who does what we do for a living, I’ve never seen anyone burned that badly and still alive,” said Jimmy Neal, a friend and fellow first responder, recalling the moment he saw Patrick after the accident.

The father of three endured third-degree burns covering his entire face and scalp, as well as severe burns to his head, neck, and upper torso. The fire claimed his ears, lips, most of his nose, and nearly all of his eyelid tissue.

Patrick didn’t see his reflection until two months after the accident. “They had cut a little pinhole in one of my eyelids because everything was covered with skin grafts,” he told Fox News. “When I looked in the mirror, all I could say was, ‘This is it? I can’t do this.’”

A long, painful journey awaited him. Over the next several years, Patrick underwent 71 surgeries and countless procedures, yet he still struggled to form normal facial expressions. Eating, laughing—even blinking or closing his eyes—brought pain.

Surgeons managed to create skin flaps to protect his vision, but the threat of blindness loomed large.

As time passed, Patrick grappled with accepting his new reality. Simple moments, like spending time with his children or even being alone, became unbearable. People stared and pointed, and his own kids were often frightened.

Losing Hope for an Ordinary Life

For years, Patrick hid behind a baseball cap, sunglasses, and custom prosthetic ears — a shield against the world’s harsh gaze.

“I had kids. It was just a tough time,” he said. “I never got a day off from the injury. Every time I walked out in public, it was a daily struggle. There’s really no way to explain it all.”

He braced himself for the moments at the ball field when a child would suddenly run away in fear or scream.

The relentless pain and constant stares wore on him. Slowly, Patrick felt hope slipping through his fingers. He began to believe he was doomed to live with a face no one could accept—trapped in a life far from ordinary.

As medical science advanced, surgeons began developing new techniques for face transplants. In 2005, Isabelle Dinoire became the world’s first face transplant recipient—a breakthrough that offered hope to many. But for Patrick Hardison, hope had long faded. He had nearly given up on ever receiving the help he so desperately needed.

Then, fate intervened. A friend discovered Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez, a pioneering surgeon at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York who had already performed a face transplant. With Dr. Rodriguez on board, the search for a suitable donor began.

After a year, only two potential donors had been identified. The first was a good match physically, but the tissue profile wasn’t compatible. The second seemed promising—but the donor’s family ultimately withdrew consent.

Just as Patrick was preparing to accept that a transplant might never come, a new donor emerged.

LiveOnNY, a nonprofit organization coordinating organ donations in the New York area, found a match—a 26-year-old man named David Rodebaugh, who had suffered a catastrophic head injury in a bike accident and was declared brain dead.

David’s mother, Nancy Millar, made the selfless decision to donate her son’s organs—and his face.

“I told them, ‘You better save his face. He has the face of a porcelain doll,’” Nancy told People. “He was a donor—we had talked about it.”

Without hesitation, she agreed to the transplant, seeing it as a way for David’s spirit to live on through Patrick.

“When I met Patrick, I saw a strength in him—a strong, manly, burly energy—that reminded me so much of David,” Nancy Millar said.

“David wanted to be a firefighter, and I knew if Patrick was a firefighter—someone willing to walk into a fire to save others at great risk to himself—then he possessed the same courage and strength that David had.”

The Most Complex Face Transplant in History

With a profound sense of purpose, Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez gathered a dedicated team of 100 doctors, nurses, and medical specialists. Together, they prepared for what would become the most extensive soft tissue face transplant ever performed.

The groundbreaking surgery would last an astonishing 26 hours—a marathon of precision, skill, and hope.

A Life-or-Death Gamble: The 50/50 Chance

The medical team embarked on an extraordinary mission: to give Patrick Hardison a completely new face. They transplanted his face, scalp, ears, and ear canals, carefully reconstructing portions of bone from his chin, cheeks, and entire nose. Most importantly, Patrick received new eyelids—restoring his ability to blink naturally for the first time in years.

But this groundbreaking surgery came with immense risk. Due to the procedure’s complexity, Patrick faced a daunting 50/50 chance of survival.

“Everything in life has a risk,” Patrick told Time magazine.
“When it’s your time to go, you’ll go—whether you’re walking down the street and get hit by a car or you’re lying on the operating table.”

Before the surgery began, Patrick shared a deeply emotional moment with his family—what could have been their final goodbye.

Patrick’s eldest daughter, Alison, once wondered why her father was so determined to go through with such a risky procedure.

“He told me, ‘I won’t have to wear a ball cap and sunglasses anymore. I’ll look normal when I walk you down the aisle,’” Alison recalled.

“And right then, that pretty much sealed the deal for me.”

Fortunately, the surgery was a success—but it was just the beginning of a long and challenging road ahead. In the critical first week after the operation, Patrick faced frightening moments with unstable blood pressure and a fragile airway that kept doctors on alert.

His new face meant relearning basic functions—how to speak, how to swallow—and coping with intense anxiety and frustration. Swelling was so severe that he couldn’t even close his mouth.

“They Have Given Me a New Life”

Despite the challenges, the surgery was nothing short of life-changing for Patrick. Beyond the joy of simply seeing his family’s faces again, he had the chance to meet Nancy Millar—the mother of his donor, David Rodebaugh.

Their first meeting after the surgery was deeply emotional. Nancy had just one special request.

“I said, ‘Can I kiss your forehead?’” she recalled.
“That’s the one thing I wanted to do because every night before David went to bed when he was little, I kissed his forehead.”

Patrick was touched beyond words.
“I’d been waiting a year to meet her,” he said.
“I’m so grateful—without her, none of this would have been possible. It’s like she’s family. We connected that easily.”

It’s been seven years since Patrick Hardison underwent his groundbreaking face transplant—and in that time, his life has changed in countless ways. Though he and Chrissi divorced a year after the surgery, ending a decade-long marriage, Patrick’s journey toward healing continued.

His new face healed remarkably well, with swelling finally subsiding. While he must take anti-rejection medications for life to prevent his immune system from attacking the transplant, the procedure gave him something priceless: a second chance at life.

“I am deeply grateful to my donor and his family,” Patrick shared in a heartfelt statement.
“Even though I didn’t know who they were, I prayed for them every day, understanding the incredible sacrifice they made to help me.”

“I hope they see in me the goodness of their decision. I also want to thank Dr. Rodriguez and his amazing team. They gave me more than a new face—they gave me a new life.”

Patrick Hardison Today – A Message of Hope

Today, Patrick Hardison, a proud father of five, uses his incredible journey to inspire others facing life’s toughest challenges. His story is a testament that it’s never too late to hold on to hope—and that recovery and a full life are possible, no matter the obstacles.

“I’ve bought my own place and I’m working on building a house,” Patrick shared with Fox in 2021.
“I’m also working on a book because I want to show the world that you can have hope.”

“I wouldn’t want anyone who’s in the position I was years ago to think, ‘That’s it, I have to live like this.’ You don’t. You can accomplish anything.”

Patrick Hardison’s recovery is nothing short of a miracle. We’re deeply inspired by the incredible skill and dedication of Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez and his entire medical team—true heroes who gave Patrick a second chance at life.

If Patrick’s story moved you, please share this article on Facebook with your friends and family to honor the amazing medical professionals who made his recovery possible.