Man, 24, who underwent world’s first face and double hand transplant reveals he’s found love five years after horror accident covered 80% of his body in third degree burns
- Joe DiMeo, 24, has also now revealed that his donor face is twice his actual age
- Read More: Car crash victim, 22, has the world’s first successful face and double hand transplant from the same donor
A man who underwent the world’s first face and double hand transplant has revealed he’s found love five years after his horror accident.
Joe DiMeo, 24, from New Jersey, suffered third degree burns across 80 per cent of his body when he crashed his Dodge Challenger in July 2018.
In the months that followed, Joe underwent 20 reconstructive plastic surgeries and skin grafts.
He then subsequently spent 23 hours having the pioneering transplants in August 2020. Joe’s face was donated by a stroke victim who died at the age of 48.
After reading about his extensive surgeries, Jessica Koby, 32, was inspired by Joe’s positive outlook on life and sent him a message on Instagram.
Joe DiMeo, 24, from New Jersey, pictured with his new girlfriend Jessica Koby, 32. The nurse moved from California to start a new life with Joe
Joe pictured before his life-changing accident in July 2018. Joe fell asleep at the wheel of his car after working a night shift. The car crashed after he hit a curb and exploded
The pair bonded over their shared love of Boston Terrier dogs and have slowly been getting to know each other over the past two years.
Jessica – who works as a nurse – said: ‘We developed a relationship initially long distance and then I moved from southern California to be closer to him and it has been great ever since.
‘He is a pretty quiet guy so at first when you’re just getting to know him he keeps to himself and just observes his surroundings.
‘He is very knowledgeable and anyone he talks to he can carry a conversation with.
‘I really like that about him because I think that someone who is educated and speaks well is very attractive. I love that he is gentle, kind and he is so courageous.
‘For everything he has gone through, he remains so positive and such a light.
‘I love Joe inside and out because he is a funny guy, he knew what he wanted in life and was very mature for his age.’
Joe pictured and his girlfriend Jessica. She says she fell in love with Joe as he is ‘gentle, kind and so courageous’
Left: Joe DiMeo pictured before his accident in July 2018. Right: Joe DiMeo pictured before he underwent the transplant
Thanks to extensive therapy, Joe has slowly started gaining his independence back and is now even driving again.
He explained: ‘When I was burnt I was not looking for love but I was always confident it would happen eventually because I am the same on the inside.
‘Nothing has changed besides my skin. Now it’s really just amazing getting independence again.
‘After surgery I was like at 0% – I couldn’t really do anything. Now I feel like I’m at 50%. I can cook, clean, do laundry and I can move my phone better.
‘I can drive again. I just drive my girlfriend’s Subaru Crosstrek. I don’t have my own car yet.
‘I didn’t really think I could motivate people until someone DM’d me saying ‘you saved me from suicide’.
Joe and his dog Buster, a six-year-old Boston terrier. He bonded with his nurse girlfriend Jessica over their shared love of dogs
After Joe’s eyelids were burned during the horror crash, he said: ‘It was like looking out of a chain link fence.’
‘I never thought I could do that with my story and that has pushed me to share it more and more.
‘I have had a couple of burnt people hit me up about how to cope. I just tell them to just keep acting how you’ve always acted.
‘You’ll find out who your real friends are doing that. It’s way easier said than done, and I always say that too.’
In 2018, Joe fell asleep at the wheel of his car after working a night shift. The car crashed after he hit a curb, then exploded and he only survived because people pulled him from the flames.
Joe continued: ‘I was 80% burnt. They had to amputate my fingertips to the second knuckle and then they had to suture my eyelids because they were burned. It was like looking out of a chain link fence.
‘I was ready for the transplant when it was offered to me. I didn’t want to live how I was living.’
Pictured: Joe poses for a school photo before crashing his car at the age of 18 following a night shift
Joe DiMeo and his plastic surgeon Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez pose for a portrait in January 2021 following the successful transplants
Joe DiMeo seen using his new hands to grasp a knife and fork to cut some modeling plastic during an occupational therapy session
For the first time since his transplants, Joe has spoken about his donor – who passed away when he was double Joe’s current age.
He said: ‘It didn’t feel weird being given the face of someone nearly twice my age because I was just completely ready to start my life again.
‘This is who I am now and I came to terms with that quite quickly really […]
‘My donor was a 48-year-old stroke victim from Delaware who died two days before my surgery.
‘That’s literally all I know because the doctors flat out refused to tell me any more.
Pictured: Dr Rodriguez (left) and DiMeo demonstrate gripping with Joe’s new hands in February 2021
Joe’s hands had to be amputated to the second knuckle after he suffered third degree burns during the crash
FACE TRANSPLANTS EXPLAINED
A face transplant is a medical procedure in which part, or all, of the face is replaced with tissue from a deceased donor. The transplanted material may can also include the blood vessels, bones, fat, musculature and nerves that underlie the face.
The procedure itself may last anywhere between 8 hours and 3 days — and necessitates a revolving team of specialist medics — and calls for a 10–14 day in-hospital recovery period following the surgery.
Potential complications after face transplant surgery include the risk of infections which can damage the transplanted tissue.
In such cases, reconstruction with skin grafts — or even a second transplant — may become necessary to restore the face.
The procedure can improve the lives of those whose faces have been disfigured as a result of burns, disease or physical trauma — as well as those with birth defects and certain genetic disorders.
Transplant can provide a more aesthetically appealing end outcome than its main alternative, facial reconstruction — which sees tissue from elsewhere on the patient’s body moved to the face over the course of multiple operations.
As with other forms of tissue transplantation, each recipient faces the risk that their body’s defenses will reject the ‘foreign’ tissue — and they must therefore take medications to suppress their immune system for the rest of their life.
Unfortunately, such drug regimens increase the risk that one will suffer from potentially fatal infections and other conditions like kidney damage or cancer.
Alongside endeavoring to select a donor as to minimize rejection risk, surgeons must also consider other factors including age, sex and skin color.
‘I’ve never had any contact from his family or friends or anyone who knew him. I even wanted a guy or a girl just to make the process faster.
‘I told my doctor I would prefer a girl’s face just so I wouldn’t have to shave all the time!
‘They took the skin and then the muscles, the tendons, the nerves and all the little veins that are attached to it to get the blood to flow to the skin.
‘It was really intense when I came round. As soon as I woke up I had nurses and occupational therapists on me instantly.
occupational therapists on me instantly.
‘It was super difficult. For the first couple of weeks I wasn’t physically able to even move my fingers.
‘They would have to move them for me just so the muscle memory could get there.
‘I was trying to get muscle memory by pinching each finger and then pretending to pick up foam cubes and trying to grab a water bottle.
‘When people saw me for the first time, my parents were happy and everyone was happy for me.’
Following the life-changing accident, Joe says he learned the hard way who his real friends were.
He explained: ‘When I had the accident, I lost a lot of fake friends.
‘It was sad to see my fake friends all go but then you realise who your real friends are and you appreciate them more.
‘So all I had left was my real friends and they have always supported me in whatever I wanted to do.
‘People look at me, which doesn’t bother me. I’m 6’1’ and wide and then on top of that I wear short sleeves a lot of the time so you can see my burnt arms.
‘So I don’t mind people staring because I would stare too. I could do a pity party but that’s just not me.
‘I’m writing a book so I want to get that out, we’re looking at houses because our apartment is just too small for us right now, and I’d like to get my own car.
‘I’ll be on medication for the rest of my life. I take like 15 pills a day.
‘The main three just prevent my transplants from being rejected and the rest are just electrolytes that all the transplant meds take away.’
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