The woman who underwent the first face transplant in the United States has passed away at 57.
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According to the Daily Mail, Connie Culp received the surgery in 2008 after recovering from being shot in the face by her then-husband Thomas Culp. Dr. Frank Papay, the doctor involved in her surgery and recovery, confirmed Culp’s death in a statement but did not reveal her cause of death. He says, ‘Connie was an incredibly brave, vibrant woman and an inspiration to many. Her strength was evident in the fact that she had been the longest-living face transplant patient to date. She was a great pioneer and her decision to undergo a sometimes-daunting procedure is an enduring gift for all of humanity.’
Culp made the news back in 2004 when Thomas shot her in the face with a shotgun in a failed murder-suicide attempt. She had over 30 corrective surgeries before undergoing face transplant surgery. The surgery took 22 hours to complete.
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Her cause of death was not revealed by Dr. Papay.