Charla Nash was the woman who survived one of the more terr!fy!ng attacks on animals in U.S. history.
She is sharing her story 16 years ago, after a chimpanzee t0re her face off, and the way a revolutionary transplant provided an opportunity to regain her face to live a normal the future.
On February 9, 2009, Charla, who is now aged 71, was visiting her friend Sandra Herold in Stamford, Connecticut, in the United States, when her beloved chimpanzee Travis attacked her with a brutal, non-provoked assault.
In a struggle for her life, the 200-pound beast damaged Charla by chopping off her nose, eyes, and lips in addition to her fingers, according to PEOPLE.
Herold, in dire need of assistance, attempted to stop Travis by striking him with a shovel and slashing at him with a knife, but the beast would not let up. Police shot the chimp to de@th as soon as they got there to look into it. In a critical condition, Charla was brought to a hospital for treatment.
A year later, in the year the year 2011, Charla had a face-to-face transplant complete at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. It was the only third such procedure ever carried out there. Even though she lost her eyesight because of an infection caused by this attack, the face transplant was medically successful.
In a recent 60 Minutes Australia interview, Charla discussed how the surgery has altered her lifestyle. Words cannot convey how grateful I am for this amazing thing,” she said. “This was my chance to live a better life.
Charla, who lives in an assisted living facility, is undergoing regular treatment for her speech and rehabilitation. She is slowly recovering some facial sensation and is starting to eat solid foods again, which she was once afraid she’d never try.
“I can feel my cheek and forehead,” she said to her host, Liz Hayes. The nose and upper lip aren’t there yet. But slowly, it’s returning. I aim to eat normally again.
Despite the serious injury and the long-lasting consequences, Charla remains hopeful. Things are improving. It’s not easy, but it’s better than nothing, she added.
Charla’s face transplant was financed through the U.S. military, which sought to research advanced procedures for reconstructive surgery that could benefit wounded soldiers.
According to the Daily Mail, Charla receives frequent medical examinations in exchange, including MRIs, CT scans, and nerve function testing, to monitor the progress of the transplant.
Even though her body did not accept hand transplants that she received during the same procedure her facial graft has been able to stand the test of time.
The doctors continue to monitor her recovery, including the functioning of her eyelids, as well as scar tissue growth and blood circulation through her rebuilt arteries.
Before the attack, Charla was a seasoned horse jumper and barrel racer, known for her strength and determination. After the incident, her attack caused her to be unable to care for herself, a situation she has admitted to being emotional and difficult.
“I’ve lost so much independence,” she said to The Boston Herald in a past interview. “I could change my truck’s tire. But now I’m not able to cook myself.”
But she doesn’t want to think about the past. Charla imagines living in a small town,, perhaps on a farm,, after her medical tests are completed.
Travis, the chimp that was able to attack her, was taken care of by Herold, much like a human child. He was a drinker from glasses, ate food at tables, was dressed, and even utilized computers.
The illusion of domesticity was shattered when he tried to escape by taking the car keys, resulting in a tragic incident, PETA said.
Credit: MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images
According to investigators, Travis might have mistook Charla for an intruder because he was perplexed by her most recent hairstyle. Xanax, a human anti-anxiety medication, was also administered to Travis, which might have exacerbated his anger.
Herold, who died in 2010, had been using Travis as a stand-in son.
Charla Nash decides to concentrate on healing, fortitude, and the future despite the tragedy. Her fortitude and recuperation have turned into a potent illustration of both the human spirit’s tenacity and medical progress.