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Mitch HunterAn American who underwent a face transplant
Country:
 USA |
Content:
Biograhy of Mitch Hunter
Mitch Hunter, an American who underwent a face transplant, is a former soldier who lost his face in a terrible accident. Now 35, Mitch Hunter crashed his car into an electrical pylon at the age of 21. He bravely pushed a woman who had come into contact with the electrical wires out of harm's way and took the full force of the current himself. Within a moment, a nearly lethal current traveled up his leg and reached his face. In order to restore his appearance, Hunter underwent 20 corrective surgeries, during which skin from his hands, legs, and back was transplanted. However, children on the street would still scream in horror when they saw him... Desperately wanting to return to a normal life, Mitch, a resident of Indiana, agreed in 2011 to be one of the first people in the world to undergo the complex procedure of a face transplant. Five years later, Hunter, a 35-year-old father of three, decided to share his incredible journey of recovery. He claims that he has never felt better. "I feel as healthy as I was at 21," said the American. "I feel great." His son and twin daughters were born before Mitch received his new face. Hunter continues, "I view my past as something that made me stronger. Of course, I would like to have my leg and my old face back, but without what happened, I wouldn't be who I am today."
The Accident
On the fateful day, Mitch was in the car with his friend and his friend's girlfriend. They were driving along a highway in North Carolina before the driver lost control and crashed into a pylon. A young woman jumped out of the car and became trapped. The fallen power line posed a deadly threat. Acting instantly, Hunter pushed the woman out of harm's way and took the full impact himself. For five minutes, Mitch's body was pierced by a 10,000-volt electric current. The shocks exited through his hands and face. The victim claimed not to remember those horrifying 300 seconds.
The Search for a New Face
At first, Mitch and his girlfriend tried to maintain their relationship and find a way to restore his face. However, at that time, doctors only practiced skin grafting as a treatment option. Hunter, who underwent numerous surgeries, eventually realized that he needed better treatment. Additionally, his girlfriend, Katarina, became pregnant, and the thought of their child's reaction to his face terrified him. Mitch began searching for cutting-edge technologies in the medical field.
The Face Transplant
At the time, there had only been two successful face transplants in America and only ten in the world. After undergoing a series of medical tests, Hunter finally became a candidate awaiting his turn for the innovative face transplant. When a suitable donor became available, around 30 procedures had to be rescheduled for the completion of the operation. Mitch needed microvascular surgery to connect the two main arteries to the new face so that blood could flow to the transplant. A team of 30 doctors worked tirelessly for over 14 hours to fully attach the new face. During the operation, Hunter's lips, nose, eyelids, facial muscles, and nerves with motor, sensory, and parasympathetic fibers were replaced. It took about five months for the post-operative swelling to subside. Gradually, the features of his face began to emerge. After five years, Mitch managed to grow a beard. There are still minor physical imperfections around his eyes. Doctors continue to work on restoring their patient's face.
Mitch said, "Now it is much easier to go out in public." He appears happy. "I am delighted to feel the wind on my face." "Heat, cold, pain, tickling, scratching my beard, someone kissing my face - I feel all of it." "I think I've been through incredible changes, and my journey wasn't strewn with rose petals." "I want to tell people not to worry about trivial things. Just live." Hunter adds, "Tell your loved ones how much you love them, because at any moment, you can lose that opportunity."
