Latest news with #JoeDiMeo
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Car crash victim, 26, who received face transplant from 47-year-old man reveals what he heard while in a coma
A man who underwent the world's first face and double hand transplant has revealed what it was like being in a three-month coma after his major operation. Joe DiMeo, 26, from New Jersey, suffered third degree burns across 80 per cent of his body when he crashed his Dodge Challenger in July 2018. Over the following months, he endured 20 reconstructive plastic surgeries and skin grafts, before having the breakthrough transplants in August 2020, in a 24-hour operation. Joe spoke about being in a coma to PEOPLE as part of its I Survived YouTube series. In July 2023, Joe appeared on This Morning with his then-girlfriend (now wife) Jessica, where he spoke about the accident. He said: 'I was clocked out [after his night shift] just driving home from work and fell asleep at the wheel.' His car hit a curb, before flipping over multiple times, and catching alight. According to Joe: 'I woke up three months later from a coma with third degree burns all over my body.' Following the crash, he was unconscious, though he says he remembers being able to hear people in the hospital speaking around him. He says he also remembers having bad dreams while undergoing the initial burn treatment. Discussing having the bandages removed from his wounds, Joe said he could feel the pain - although the staff are of course not trying to hurt the patients. This, he revealed, led to dreams about being in pain. Joe has been asked about if he ever had an experience with the afterlife: something he has shared a memory about. He told PEOPLE: 'The only thing I experienced is me walking my dog. He passed away in 2012, 2013. I was like, "Oh, this is it. I'm assuming this is the afterlife, just me walking my dog down an endless hill".' After spending more time in the burns unit, he returned to his parents' home, having previously said that after the accident, he was 'basically living on [his] parents couch', after having his fingers amputated. Joe told PEOPLE: 'My mom did my laundry, cooked, cleaned, all that stuff, and I just laid on the couch with my dog. That just wasn't for me. It sucks I got into the accident. I lost 80 percent of my skin, and I have someone else's face and hands on me.' However, he added that if he had not endured the accident, he wouldn't have found his life partner Jessica. He noted that he would 'probably still be a cocky 26-year-old', adding that while he would prefer not to have sustained his serious burns, he 'likes his life now, just because I have Jessica around.' The couple met after Jessica followed Joe on Instagram, and he sent her a DM after realising they both had Boston Terrier dogs. Jessica came to meet Joe, and they became a long distance couple, with Jessica eventually moving from southern California to New York so they could be closer together. This led to a love story so awesome, so life-enhancing that hundreds of thousands of people around the globe have been drawn to follow it. Today the couple have more than 240,000 followers on their joint Instagram and about 255,000 on Facebook. Joe, meanwhile, has nearly 226,000 followers on TikTok and Jessica more than 370,000. In November last year, the Daily Mail reported their joyous engagement when Joe went down on one knee outside a New York steak house. Just months into their marriage, in March this year, the remarkable couple sat down to discuss the ups and downs of their relationship and their exciting plans for the future. After enduring his life-changing injuries, Joe beat the odds and his world-first procedure and long road to recovery attracted international attention online and on social media. Jessica heard about his ordeal and was among those rooting for him from afar, following him on Instagram. Then, in 2021 he messaged her on Instagram about her Boston Terrier, Kirkland. He said he had been going through his followers and saw Jessica's cute little dog - the same breed as his own pet Buster. In the midst of a grueling recovery and battling to regain his independence, Joe could never have foreseen the consequences of that simple DM. 'I was kind of just focused on myself after the surgery, and then Jessica came along,' Joe says, his love for her evident in his voice. 'Because when you're not looking for love it comes at you randomly and that's usually when it's true love. The right person takes time to find.' 'The first time he reached out to me, I was a little bit nervous to be honest,' Jessica admits. 'I got the feeling you get when you're like "huh, this is interesting''.' After three weeks of easily-flowing text exchanges and Facetiming nearly every day, the spark between them was apparent. They decided to meet in person. Jessica, who was working in Cleveland, planned to visit a nursing student friend in Philadelphia for a weekend. She and her terrier Kirkland then took a 90-minute drive to Joe's parents' house, where he was living. 'That was a little bit awkward, you know. At that point I was 30 and I'm driving to this guy's house and he's eight years younger than me,' Jessica says. 'The first thing I said to her was "you're a lot smaller in person,"' Joe recalls. But her reservations faded as they enjoyed the sunny April afternoon together with their dogs playing in the backyard. 'We played pool, we got Italian food, we hung out with the dogs,' Joe says. 'We talked, we hugged, we kissed,' Jessica adds. Jessica says she was hooked by Joe's confidence and thoughtfulness. He was impressed with her determined, generous and selfless character. Before returning to Cleveland, Jessica visited Joe to say goodbye. 'It was really hard…..That kind of solidified my feelings for Joe. I remember the first time we hugged, I just felt so comfortable. I like people that are gentle, not demanding or pushy. I feel like some men can be that way.' Joe had remembered Jessica's favorite chocolate - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - and gave her some for her seven-hour drive home. It had been a weekend that exceeded all her expectations and Jessica arrived home eager to tell her roommates about Joe - but she was met with skepticism. 'The [roommate] was like "that's pretty childlike that he would give you chocolate" and I was just thinking, "oh, you're such a b*tch!" [because] that was such a nice gesture,' she laughs. 'Not all men are thoughtful like that.' Her family were onboard with her decision to see Joe romantically from the start. 'They were super-excited. My grandpa's always been into science. We would always watch autopsy videos together,' she says. 'So, when he found out about Joe, he couldn't stop talking about him. They really like Joe a lot.' And Joe's family feels that same way about her. Their love continued to grow and they began planning their lives together. Jessica got job in New York City and she and Joe moved into an apartment in New Jersey. In October 2023, they bought a 'fixer-upper' house with a spacious backyard and settled in a quiet neighborhood in West Orange. 'I never thought I would own a home,' Joe reflects wonderingly – and it really is a home, filled with happy photos from their travels and sentimental knick-knacks, including a baseball they were gifted at a Mets game that Jess wrote 'J + J' on. They joke about their neighbors not knowing their extraordinary story, saying some may think they are making 'naughty videos' when they see the camera crews who frequently visit to record the latest updates on Joe's progress. With their house purchased, Joe started saving up for an engagement ring. He popped the question in front of the Peter Luger Steak House in NYC in September 2024. A video posted online of the proposal, taken by Joe's mother, showed him getting down on one knee in front of a smiling Jessica. In December 2024, Joe and Jessica flew to Hawaii - their favorite vacation spot - to tie the knot in an intimate ceremony at Magic Island, a stunning beach in Honolulu. It was really an elopement, Joe explains laughing. 'It was just us two and then we streamed it online so all the family members [who live on different coasts] could watch it.' Jessica's wedding ring was Joe's great-grandmother's - and it fit perfectly. Returning to real life after the honeymoon hasn't been an issue for either of them. 'I don't think there are any challenges to being married…. for us nothing really changed,' Joe says. 'I'm just chilling.' Jessica laughs and rolls her eyes. 'Nothing new there,' she quips. Peter Luger has become one of the couple's favorite restaurants (pictured: Joe sitting in the restaurant on Valentine's Day) The couple's garage has become a workshop for Joe's fashion company 80 Percent Gone Joe and Jessica both concentrate on the positive and believe their mission is to spread joy by working to overcome adversity. And certainly, the majority of feedback on social media reinforces that. 'I've had a stomach, bowel and pancreas transplant and feel isolated because it's such a difficult conversation for people that I feel the need to keep it to myself,' one individual wrote in response to a video the couple posted on Instagram. 'Seeing what you're going through reinforces my understanding that we all have our battles and we deal with it day by day and that I should be grateful that I have the opportunity to hide my health, but you can't really. 'So, you're an incredibly brave and generous person to be sharing your journey with us all.' An accolade that no doubt Joe believes Jessica is deserving of too.
The Sun
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I married the man with the world's first face transplant – trolls say I'm just a gold digger or have a fetish
ONE fateful night in July 2018, Joe DiMeo was driving home after working a night shift when he dozed off at the wheel. His car veered off the road and erupted into a fireball, changing the then-20-year-old's life forever - he would need a full face and hand transplant after suffering burns to 80 per cent of his body. 11 11 Joe, from New Jersey, said he was 'grateful to be given a second chance' - and it wasn't long after the transplant that he met the love of his life, Jessica DiMeo. Jessica, 34, a nurse from Ohio, admits that, like most people, she had a strict checklist when dating but after meeting Joe in 2021, none of that mattered anymore. She tells Sun Health: 'Before I met [Joe], I had a list of things I wanted in a partner – from a college degree to physical characteristics. 'I once went off a guy because I didn't like his shoes! 'I love Joe for who he is. With Joe, I've realised that when you really love someone, nothing like that matters.' The pair got married in Hawaii last December. But their relationship hasn't come without its own challenges. Jessica has had to deal with people questioning her motives for being with Joe. "Online we've had people criticise our relationship and question why I am with him, saying it must be for money and that I am a gold digger, which is not true and is just offensive," she says. 'People would repost our photos, claiming Joe was a millionaire and I was some sort of gold digger. 'Even worse, they'd accuse me of having a fetish or just straight up insult Joe's appearance. Joe doesn't let it bother him, but I struggle not to get upset.' Though Joe has come a long way from where he started, he still faces challenges in his dexterity and health. The couple have to work together when it comes to basic tasks, like cooking and dressing Joe. Jessica says: "He struggles with things like chopping vegetables, buttoning shirts, zipping jackets, and putting on socks. Even putting something away that's slightly out of reach can be tough. "His hands still feel raw a lot of the time, and even a small cut can cause severe pain. They don't quite feel like his own yet, and the healing process is much slower than most people realize. "I help him with a lot of day to day things, getting dressed, opening packages, preparing meals, and helping with anything that requires fine hand coordination or a strong grip. It's really a team effort at home. 'Joe loves to cook but he can't really chop up vegetables safely, so I chop them up in advance and then he does the rest. He's perfected his grandmother's tomato sauce recipe!' After finishing her degree in 2012, Jessica worked on a transplant unit, salvaging organs from donors who'd passed away. But, finding it "depressing", she transferred to working with transplant recipients - much like Joe - in 2021. A few months into her placement, her supervisor recommended a short documentary about a man named Joe DiMeo, the first patient in the world to receive a face and double-hand transplant. After his accident, in which the car flipped over and burst into flames, he was rescued by two passers-by. By the time he reached the hospital, he had third-degree burns over 80 per cent of his body and was put into a medically-induced coma for three-and-a-half months. His fingers were amputated, he had no lips or eyelids - and even after 20 reconstructive surgeries, his injuries limited his ability to lead an independent life, according to NYU Langone hospital. Here, he met Dr Eduardo Rodriguez, in March 2019. Dr Rodriguez believed Joe would be the perfect candidate for a double hand and face transplant, which had failed on the previous two - and only - attempts. 11 11 While there had only been three successful full-face transplants. He had been given a six per cent chance of finding a suitable donor. But 10 months after waiting, someone was found. BUILDING A NEW LIFE Jessica says: "We don't know much about the donor, only that he was a 47-year-old man from Delaware who passed away from a stroke. Joe wrote a letter to his family, but they never responded. He's found peace with that and respects their privacy. He knows they lost someone they loved deeply. "The hands and face were from the same donor, which helped reduce the risk of rejection." Joe had his 23-hour surgery in August 2020, led by Dr Rodriguez with a team of more than 140 medical professionals. After watching the documentary, Jessica was captivated by his story – so much so that she reached out to him on Instagram. Jessica says: 'It worked for him and I found myself so moved by the end of the documentary. I was so impressed by his resilience that I followed him on Instagram. 'Soon after, he sent me a message complimenting a photo of my dog. 'It turned out that he loved Boston Terriers as much as I did, and soon we were chatting every day. 'I don't usually like speaking on the phone, but I couldn't get enough of talking to Joe.' The pair lived eight hours apart, with Jessica in Ohio, and Joe in New Jersey. He told me I could leave him if I wanted, which was heartbreaking to hear. There was no way I would ever leave him. Jessica Three weeks after they started messaging, Jessica was due to visit an old friend in Philadelphia, and she suggested visiting Joe at the same time. It was October 2021 - eight months after 26-year-old Joe's life-changing transplant- that the pair finally met for the first time. Jessica says: 'I was nervous on the way there, but when he gave me a hug I felt immediately comfortable. 'We hung out in his back garden with the dogs, played pool and got Italian food. 'Saying goodbye was hard. That sort of solidified my feelings for Joe. 'He was so confident despite everything that had happened. 'He told me he always thought he might end up with a nurse after his accident – and now it was coming true!' In 2023, Joe and Jessica bought a house together and were excited for the future. Jessica says: 'Joe's injuries meant that he still needed frequent medical attention and had certain limitations, but we figured out what worked for us. 11 11 Jessica loved hiking, dog-walking and trips to the beach, but Joe had to be careful about exposing the skin on his face and hands to sunlight. He takes immunosuppresants - "it's something he'll likely need to be on for the rest of his life to prevent rejection," Jessica says. "His skin is extremely sensitive, and exposure to the sun can trigger complications." However, the two have found a compromise, as Jessica says: 'We can't go to the beach in summer, so we go in winter instead, which is fine by me. 'It's much less crowded which is actually really nice.' Not long after they moved in together, Joe suffered an injury to his face where the graft skin had split, which didn't heal because of the immunosuppressants he was taking. Jessica says: 'He was in hospital for six months. He told me I could leave him if I wanted, which was heartbreaking to hear. There was no way I would ever leave him.' With the help of Jessica's nursing expertise, they were able to treat the wound without surgery. It made the couple stronger than ever, and in September 2024, Joe popped the question in front of their favourite steakhouse. 'Our families live on opposite sides of the country so we decided to get married just the two of us,' Jessica says. 'We wed in a private ceremony in Hawaii – it was December so Joe would be OK in the sun!' The pair are happily married and are excited about their future together, taking comfort from the positive messages they receive on their socials. 'People like to see that Joe can still have a normal romantic life," says Jessice. "I've had messages from mums saying they hope their disabled sons can find true love the way we have. "That makes the nasty comments worth it.'
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man, 26, Who Received Face of 47-Year-Old Donor, Reveals What He Heard During His 3-Month Coma (Exclusive)
In 2018, Joe DiMeo got in a car crash that left his body 80 percent burned. Two years later, he received a historic face and double hand transplant at age 22. His donor was 47 years old Immediately after the accident, Joe was in a three-month coma. In a video for PEOPLE's new 'I Survived' series, he recalls feeling the pain of early burn treatment and having bad dreams while unconscious After his transplant in 2020, Joe met his now-wife, Jessica. She first learned about Joe before they met, when she was studying to become a nurseIn 2018, Joe DiMeo was involved in a car accident that burned 80 percent of his body, changing the trajectory of his life in an instant. However, his resulting medical journey spanned years, beginning with the three months he spent in a coma. Joe, now 26, explains all that led to his historic face and double hand transplant in 2020 in PEOPLE's "I Survived" YouTube series. Though he was unconscious in the immediate aftermath of the crash, the New Jersey resident does remember being able to hear people around him in the hospital. He can also recall the "bad dreams" that accompanied the pain of his earliest burn treatment. "When they take you into the tank room — where they wash you off, take off all the bandages — that's not fun. You can feel the pain. So you're dreaming about pain," he says in the newly released video. 'They're not meaning to torture you, they're just taking off the bandages, but it still hurts.' He was 18 years old at the time of the accident, which occurred early in the morning, just after Joe worked a night shift at his job. He fell asleep at the wheel of his Dodge Challenger and woke up months later in a burn unit. People often ask Joe if he experienced an encounter with the afterlife, and he can describe a memory that resembles the concept. "The only thing I experienced is me walking my dog. He passed away in 2012, 2013," he tells PEOPLE. "I was like, 'Oh, this is it. I'm assuming this is the afterlife, just me walking my dog down an endless hill.'' After a couple more weeks in the burn unit, he moved to a burn rehab facility. Then he returned to his parents' home, where he longed for a sense of independence. Speaking to PEOPLE in February 2025, he remembers feeling like a "20-year-old baby again." "My mom did my laundry, cooked, cleaned, all that stuff, and I just laid on the couch with my dog," said Joe. "That just wasn't for me." In 2019, he met NYU Langone's Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez, who deemed Joe a good candidate for a face and double hand transplant. They knew it was a risky operation from the start; it was unsuccessfully attempted on two previous patients. "The first one passed away on the table, and the second one the hands failed," Joe explains in PEOPLE's "I Survived" segment. "But going into any surgery, you can die, so that didn't bother me at all." According to a press release issued by NYU Langone, more than 140 medical personnel were involved in the surgery, which took 23 hours to complete. Both his hands and face came from a 47-year-old donor. "It's not a perfect surgery, and I was making it a perfect surgery in the beginning. But then I realized, you know what, let me be real," Joe says, reflecting on his recovery. Not long after his surgery, Joe met a woman who would later become his wife. Jessica DiMeo heard about him from one of her professors in nursing school, and she watched a documentary made about his transplant. "I remember looking at the picture of him, before and after, and thinking, 'Dang, that sucks. He was a handsome guy.' But that's all I thought," she tells PEOPLE. They connected on Instagram in 2021, when Joe sent Jessica an Instagram message. At first they were involved in a long-distance relationship, but they eventually found themselves in the same place and moved into a home in New Jersey together. The couple — who eloped in Hawaii in December 2024 — regularly deal with judgment from others, especially as they've shared their story with millions of viewers on TikTok and Instagram. But Joe leads with an especially positive outlook, knowing that the worst part of his life led to the best. "It sucks I got into the accident. I lost 80 percent of my skin, and I have someone else's face and hands on me," he tells PEOPLE in his video interview. "But then I also found my life partner, and if I wouldn't have had the accident, I'd probably still be a cocky 26-year-old. I would prefer not to be burned, but I like my life now, just because I have Jessica around." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man, 26, Who Received Face of 47-Year-Old Donor, Reveals What He Heard During His 3-Month Coma (Exclusive)
In 2018, Joe DiMeo got in a car crash that left his body 80 percent burned. Two years later, he received a historic face and double hand transplant at age 22. His donor was 47 years old Immediately after the accident, Joe was in a three-month coma. In a video for PEOPLE's new 'I Survived' series, he recalls feeling the pain of early burn treatment and having bad dreams while unconscious After his transplant in 2020, Joe met his now-wife, Jessica. She first learned about Joe before they met, when she was studying to become a nurseIn 2018, Joe DiMeo was involved in a car accident that burned 80 percent of his body, changing the trajectory of his life in an instant. However, his resulting medical journey spanned years, beginning with the three months he spent in a coma. Joe, now 26, explains all that led to his historic face and double hand transplant in 2020 in PEOPLE's "I Survived" YouTube series. Though he was unconscious in the immediate aftermath of the crash, the New Jersey resident does remember being able to hear people around him in the hospital. He can also recall the "bad dreams" that accompanied the pain of his earliest burn treatment. "When they take you into the tank room — where they wash you off, take off all the bandages — that's not fun. You can feel the pain. So you're dreaming about pain," he says in the newly released video. 'They're not meaning to torture you, they're just taking off the bandages, but it still hurts.' He was 18 years old at the time of the accident, which occurred early in the morning, just after Joe worked a night shift at his job. He fell asleep at the wheel of his Dodge Challenger and woke up months later in a burn unit. People often ask Joe if he experienced an encounter with the afterlife, and he can describe a memory that resembles the concept. "The only thing I experienced is me walking my dog. He passed away in 2012, 2013," he tells PEOPLE. "I was like, 'Oh, this is it. I'm assuming this is the afterlife, just me walking my dog down an endless hill.'' After a couple more weeks in the burn unit, he moved to a burn rehab facility. Then he returned to his parents' home, where he longed for a sense of independence. Speaking to PEOPLE in February 2025, he remembers feeling like a "20-year-old baby again." "My mom did my laundry, cooked, cleaned, all that stuff, and I just laid on the couch with my dog," said Joe. "That just wasn't for me." In 2019, he met NYU Langone's Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez, who deemed Joe a good candidate for a face and double hand transplant. They knew it was a risky operation from the start; it was unsuccessfully attempted on two previous patients. "The first one passed away on the table, and the second one the hands failed," Joe explains in PEOPLE's "I Survived" segment. "But going into any surgery, you can die, so that didn't bother me at all." According to a press release issued by NYU Langone, more than 140 medical personnel were involved in the surgery, which took 23 hours to complete. Both his hands and face came from a 47-year-old donor. "It's not a perfect surgery, and I was making it a perfect surgery in the beginning. But then I realized, you know what, let me be real," Joe says, reflecting on his recovery. Not long after his surgery, Joe met a woman who would later become his wife. Jessica DiMeo heard about him from one of her professors in nursing school, and she watched a documentary made about his transplant. "I remember looking at the picture of him, before and after, and thinking, 'Dang, that sucks. He was a handsome guy.' But that's all I thought," she tells PEOPLE. They connected on Instagram in 2021, when Joe sent Jessica an Instagram message. At first they were involved in a long-distance relationship, but they eventually found themselves in the same place and moved into a home in New Jersey together. The couple — who eloped in Hawaii in December 2024 — regularly deal with judgment from others, especially as they've shared their story with millions of viewers on TikTok and Instagram. But Joe leads with an especially positive outlook, knowing that the worst part of his life led to the best. "It sucks I got into the accident. I lost 80 percent of my skin, and I have someone else's face and hands on me," he tells PEOPLE in his video interview. "But then I also found my life partner, and if I wouldn't have had the accident, I'd probably still be a cocky 26-year-old. I would prefer not to be burned, but I like my life now, just because I have Jessica around." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Man Who Had Face and Double-Hand Transplant Gets Married
A beautiful wedding in Hawaii was a sight Joe DiMeo, owner of 80 Percent Gone ( wasn't sure he would ever get to see. DiMeo was burned on over 80% of his body after his car flipped over and caught fire. During a 23-hour operation, he became the first person in the world to successfully undergo a transplant of both his face and hands from the same donor. Years later, he formed a special relationship with Jessica Kolby, a nurse from Ohio. After nearly four years of dating, DiMeo proposed to Kolby.
