In a miraculous turn of events, 22-year-old Joe DiMeo, survivor of a fiery car crash two years ago, has become the world’s first recipient of a groundbreaking double hand and face transplant.
After the crash, which left him with 80% of his body burned, DiMeo endured 20 surgeries over two years. Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, leading the medical team, expressed the daunting challenge, saying, “We knew that it would be a needle in a haystack.”
A potential donor was found in Delaware after an extensive nationwide search, defying a mere six-percent chance. In August 2020, the sixteen-surgeon team at NYU Langone Health Center embarked on a 23-hour procedure, involving 80 staff members across six teams and two operating rooms.
Six months post-surgery, DiMeo publicly revealed his transformed face and hands, expressing profound gratitude. DiMeo shared, “I’m grateful for them to give this gift to me – I don’t know how to thank someone that gives you a second chance at life.” His father, John, joyfully attested, “That’s him now,” marking a remarkable journey from a near-fatal accident to a life-changing medical marvel.
