"There are no more stares, no more frightened children running away from me. I'm pretty much just a normal guy."
These are the words of 42 year old Mississippi firefighter Patrick Hardison, one year on from the most extensive face transplant ever attempted.
![Mississippi firefighter Patrick Hardison underwent a full face transplant after being burnt in the line of duty in 2001. ...](/web/20160829113248im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/2/w/i/7/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gr2vo1.png/1472359083214.jpg)
Mr Hardison suffered horrific burns in the line of duty in 2001 that destroyed his ears, lips, eyelids, hair and most of his nose.
In August of 2015, Mr Hardison was given the chance to undergo the most extensive full facial transplant yet attempted.
He underwent 71 surgeries in the hope of reconstructing his face to allow him to regain something approaching a normal life.
In a 26-hour procedure, a team of elite surgeons at New York's NYU Langone Medical Center attached a new scalp, ears, nose, and eyelids as well as facial bones and muscles, all taken from a 26-year-old man named David Rodebaugh, who had died in a bicycle accident.
The surgery was a success, but Mr Hardison was not out of the woods yet.
He has had several follow up surgeries to adjust his new eyelids and lips, and to remove a feeding tube from his abdomen and a breathing tube from his trachea.
![Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez led the team of over 100 medical professionals who performed Mr Hardison's face transplant.](/web/20160829113248im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/2/v/o/i/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gr2vo1.png/1472359083214.jpg)
Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez led the team of over 100 medical professionals who performed the transplant and says Mr Hardison's body has not attempted to reject the new face—an unprecedented achievement.
"We are amazed at Pat's recovery, which has surpassed all of our expectations. We believe this has much to do with the methodical approach we took in the matching process to ensure that Patrick's donor provided the most favourable match. Doing so also has allowed us to reduce the levels of certain medications that Pat takes to prevent rejection," Dr. Rodriguez said.
![Pat Hardison driving in July 2016.](/web/20160829113248im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/2/x/2/z/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gr2vo1.png/1472359083214.jpg)
Mr Hardison has since been able to take his kids on a holiday to Disney World and was able to swim and play in a pool with them - something he hadn't done for fifteen years.
"The surgery has truly given me back my life. I go about my day just like everyone else. It's allowed me to do things with my family that I had not been able to do. I can't tell you what a sense of freedom it is to even drive my kids to school," Mr Hardison said.
"Now, I want to help others to pursue this type of surgery, especially fellow firefighters and members of the armed services. There definitely is hope."