Earlier, a burned fighter received the world’s most extensive facial transplant to date. Surgeons at NYU Langone Medical Center performed the transplant, including the volunteer firefighter’s face, ears, scalp and eyelids.

Plastic surgeon Eduardo Rodriguez was among the team of surgeons who performed facial transplant of Patrick Hardison, firefighter, who was injured about fourteen years ago when he was trying to rescue an individual believed to be inside a burning house. It was first facial transplant of Cuban immigrants’ son Rodriguez. Before the surgery, he met Hardison and promised that the brave firefighter is going to be normal again. He talked to Hardison said a new face will be given to him.

A BMX cyclist David Rodebaugh was the donor. Rodebaugh died in August after an accident in which his bike collided with a pedestrian. At that time, Rodebaugh was helmet-less, which became the main cause of his death. After the young guy’s death, his family decided to donate his face to Hardison. Now, three months after the death, Rodebaugh’s face belongs to Hardison.

According to reports, “Hardison lives with pain and always will; and he knows that someday, despite daily immunosuppressant drugs, his body will reject the face. At that point, doctors will treat him with massive amounts of drugs and steroids and hope for the best”.

All in all, Hardison has a new face. It was like a new life for the burned firefighter. After the surgery, Hardison saw his face, and he was in tears, but he was smiling.