Jack El-Hai

In a gripping tale of redemption and resilience, an injured young man desperate for a second chance finds unexpected hope in the hands of a visionary medical team

For years, they came in on weekends to plan and practice—nearly sixty surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologists, preparing to harmonize in a vast medical symphony. For the team at Mayo Clinic, it was their most complex surgery to date: a face transplant.

At the heart of this event was Andy Sandness. He grappled with feelings of isolation and shame after a disfiguring suicide attempt but was determined to reclaim his future, to be seen as ordinary, and to belong again. Alongside him was Dr. Samir Mardini, a surgeon with an intense, unwavering desire to transform medicine and create a new life for his patient.

Their story—told over nearly two decades—is a poignant exploration of resilience, hope, and friendship, as well as an incredible account of medical breakthroughs and scientific discovery that reveals the strength of the human spirit and the courage to rise above our scars.

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