Patrick Hardison, a volunteer firefighter from Mississippi, was the first man to receive a face transplant in 2015. He suffered severe burns in 2001, including a 3rd degree burn on his face and scalp, head, neck, upper torso, and lips. Over 70 surgeries were required to repair his damaged skin, but he was unable to close his eyes and was at risk of going blind. Patrick had to wear a baseball cap, sunglasses, and ear prosthetics to protect himself and his appearance.

However, a French woman named Isabelle Dinoire received a face transplant after her dog disfigured most of it. Patrick met with doctor Eduardo D. Rodriguez from the NYU Langone Medical Center and was promised a successful face transplant if a matching donor was found. LiveOnNY, a nonprofit that coordinates organ donations in New York, found a match for David Rodebaugh, who sustained a severe head injury in a bike accident and has been declared brain dead. His mother, Nancy Millar, decided to donate her son’s organs, including his face, hoping that her sons would be able to live a normal life.