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A man whose face was severely disfigured by a gunshot has revealed his remarkable transformation following a life-altering face transplant surgery. Andy Sandness, now 40, shares his journey of recovery and newfound hope after the groundbreaking procedure.
The Incident and Initial Recovery
At the age of 21, Andy Sandness, grappling with depression, attempted suicide, aiming a gun at his chin just days before Christmas in 2006. The gunshot caused extensive damage, obliterating his mouth, nose, lips, and a significant portion of his lower face. Miraculously, the bullet narrowly missed his brain due to the force causing his head to recoil.
Extensive Reconstructive Surgeries
- Over four months, Sandness underwent 14 initial surgeries to reconstruct his face.
- Due to the severity of the trauma, he was left with a mouth barely an inch wide and only one tooth.
- He struggled to eat and had no sense of smell.
A Decade of Stares and a New Hope: Face Transplant
For nearly a decade, Sandness, working as an electrician, faced constant stares and struggled with his appearance. Then, doctors at the Mayo Clinic offered him a face transplant, a pioneering procedure for the hospital.
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The Groundbreaking Procedure
- The transplant involved a grueling 56-hour operation with nearly 30 doctors and nurses.
- A donor face was meticulously transplanted onto Sandness from below his eyebrows.
Life After the Transplant: A Remarkable Transformation
Since the 2016 transplant, Sandness has revealed how his new face has profoundly transformed his life, enabling him to find love, marry, and start a family.
Finding Love and Building a Family
‘One of the main reasons why I did it was to get a wife, have kids, and have my own family one day,’ he shared in his new book, Face in the Mirror. ‘I never expected that to happen in my whole life,’ he said, later adding: ‘I don’t have to live in fear anymore. I can go out and be myself. I’m allowed to be myself again.’
Regaining Sensation and Movement
Following the successful surgery, Sandness regained feeling in most of his face, experiencing touch, hot, and cold sensations. He also recovered approximately 70 to 75 percent of his facial muscle movement, allowing him to:
- Smile
- Pucker his lips
- Furrow his brow
The Impact of Original Features
‘The thing that helps the most is I have my original eyes and my original eyebrows,’ he said, ‘so that stuff never changed, and that allows a lot of movement.’
A New Normal: Dating, Marriage, and Children
After the surgery, Sandness embraced his extroverted personality, enjoying social activities without the burden of constant stares. In August 2017, he began dating Kim, a Mayo Clinic nurse he met at the hospital.
Building a Future Together
- The couple married in May 2020.
- They welcomed their first child, a son named Wyatt Lee, in October 2020.
- They later welcomed a daughter, Grace Catherine.
The Role of the Transplant in Their Relationship
When asked if the facial transplant played a role in their relationship, Sandness said, ‘”My wife, she says 100 percent we would have gotten married without it,’ he said, ‘and that’s sort of how I met her, too. But for me, I’m not so sure.'”
The Surgeon’s Perspective
His plastic surgeon, Dr. Samir Mardini, commented, ‘”We helped him become normal… When I see him, I can’t believe what he looks like. I look at the movements in his face and the emotions he expresses – they appear so natural and effortless.
‘I think about the miracle that these movements of a face that once belonged to someone else, and that person is no longer with us, but this face is living the life of another person.'”
Overcoming Past Struggles
Before the surgery, Sandness faced immense challenges. People stared, children questioned his appearance, and his prosthetic nose was problematic. His limited mouth size made eating difficult.
The Long Road to Recovery
- He became reclusive, spending time hunting and fishing.
- Corrective surgeries offered limited improvement.
- Despite the difficulties, Sandness held onto his desire to live.
The Call That Changed Everything
In May 2012, Dr. Mardini’s call suggesting a face transplant marked a turning point, leading to years of assessments and eventual approval in January 2016.
Finding a Match
In July 2016, a potential match was found in Caden ‘Rudy’ Ross, 21, who had chosen to donate his organs. Ross, who had died by suicide, was survived by his pregnant wife, who approved the transplant.
The Unveiling and Meeting the Donor’s Wife
After the surgery, Sandness eagerly awaited the unveiling of his new face and expressed that it ‘far exceeded my expectations.’
Meeting Lilly Ross
In November 2017, 16 months post-surgery, he met Lilly Ross, Caden’s widow, who found that he didn’t resemble her late husband. Ross expressed pride in seeing the positive impact on Sandness’s life.
Reflections on the Journey
Sandness reflected on the impact on his family and the relief they felt after the transplant. He shared a poignant anecdote about a child’s reaction, highlighting the success of the procedure in restoring normalcy.
A Symbol of Success
‘That’s when I knew that it was successful, that we’ve gotten most everything that we wanted.’