At 18, Katie Stubblefield lost her face. At 21, she became the youngest person in the U.S. to undergo the still experimental face transplant surgery.
Our face conveys who we are, telegraphing a kaleidoscope of emotions. It’s our doorway to the sensory world, allowing us to see, smell, taste, hear, and feel the breeze.
Just before the surgery, the surgeon said a silent prayer and looked at the face, a donation from a woman who died. It’s an amazing thing, he thought, what some people will do for others—to give them a heart or a liver, even a face.
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