Physical Wellness

‘Most Extensive' Face Transplant Ever Recorded Give Mississippi Firefighter New Hope

By Jenn Loro | Update Date: Nov 16, 2015 09:04 AM EST

Mississippi firefighter, Patrick Hardison, dared to undergo what has been said as the 'most extensive' face transplant performed by a plastic surgeon at the New York University Langone Medical Center despite warning that his body may reject the new tissue later on that can lead to his death.

"I can live with the pain," Hardison told New York Magazine according to CNN.

New York plastic surgery surgeon, Eduardo Rodriguez further related that the operation to have the late the donor's face, Brooklyn biker, David Rodebaugh's on Hardison has proved to be very challenging as the firefighter lost a lot of blood. Also, Hardison's jugular face is not a perfect match for Rodebaugh's.

You have to understand: If it were to fail, there is no bailout option," surgeon Eduardo Rodriguez. You would likely die. This is a procedure that is all or none," surgeon Eduardo Rodriguez explained the 50-50 chance Hardison had to face in choosing the operation as reported by New York Daily News.

Despite these challenges, Hardison survived but have to take a lot of medicines for his body not to reject his new face.

Previously, it has been reported that five out of 30 patients died who went full facial reconstruction surgery.

This is not Hardison's first ever reconstructive facial surgery. Since his had been consumed by the fire in a fire accident brought by a rescue operation he had participated in, he had underwent 70 surgeries and had endured the discriminating comments from other people about his face.

Since then, the rescuer has also been living with painkillers that have devastated his relationship with people around him including his family.

"Kids ran screaming and crying when they saw me. There are things worse than dying," Hardison told Steve Fishman who wrote his story for the NY Magazine as mentioned in The Guardian.

It was on September 5, 2001 when Patrick Hardison survived from a rescue operation in a house on fire in Senatobia, Mississippi. His first operation was a reconstructive facial surgery that used tissues from his thighs.

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