A man with the world’s first successful face and double hands transplant has shared a beautiful photo celebrating his engagement.
Joe DiMeo, from New Jersey, has found a huge social media following after opening up about his life after a horror accident.
He’s inspired many with his journey, accumulating over 219,000 TikTok followers and more than 17,000 Instagram fans.
Now his followers are rushing to congratulate him after hearing news of his engagement.
One person writes: “Congratulations to you both.”
Another adds: “Sending all my very best wishes.”
“So excited for your new journey,” somebody else says. “God bless you.”
A fourth person pens: “I am so happy for you, beautiful couple.”
DiMeo, who has undergone multiple operations, first made headlines in 2020 when he underwent a historic face and double hands transplant.
The procedure reportedly lasted 23 hours and required 16 surgeons working with 80 staff in six medical teams.
During an appearance on Good Morning America, DiMeo said: “When I saw my face for the first time, it didn’t hit me. It didn’t seem real at first.”
He also expressed his gratitude to the donor, an unidentified man, and said he would like to meet his family one day.
DiMeo’s transplant is so remarkable as it’s the first time a face and double hand transplant from the same donor has been a success.
Isabelle Dinoire became the world’s face transplant recipient in 2005. She died 11 years later from cancer, per the BBC.
In 2011, a woman mauled by a chimpanzee underwent a face and hands transplant from the same donor. Sadly, her body rejected the hands and they had to be removed, via the BBC.
Doctors estimated DiMeo had just a six percent chance of finding a match compatible with his immune system, in addition to finding someone with the same gender, skin tone, and hand dominance, reports MailOnline.
Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez told Good Morning America: “The possibility of us being successful based on the track record looked slim.”
DiMeo’s face and double hand transplant followed a devastating accident in 2018.
The New Jersey man fell asleep at the wheel of his car after working a night shift. The vehicle veered off the road and burst into flames – he only survived as people rushed to rescue him.
The accident reportedly left DiMeo with burns across 80 percent of his body, resulting in more than 20 skin grafts and reconstructive surgeries.
He told Newsweek: “I was in hospital for four months, and around half of that I was in a coma. Then I spent some time coming back to my feet somewhat quickly, and by the fourth month I went to rehab.”
DiMeo has never given up on living a normal life, despite everything he’s gone through.
In the years following his transplant, he’s focused on moving his face – learning to blink, raise his eyebrows, and move his lips again. He’s also been determined to gain as much mobility in his hands as possible.
And most special of all, he’s found love.
Nurse Jessica Koby came across DiMeo’s inspirational story in 2021 and decided to reach out through Instagram.
Koby told Newsweek they ‘hit it off right away,’ adding: “I was just drawn to the way that he carried himself in his interviews. He’s a very hard-working person, so despite being disfigured, he was just ready to go back to work. I think that his ambition was what intrigued me the most.”
The couple has unfortunately found themselves the target of mean comments since documenting their relationship on social media.
While DiMeo receives cruel words about his appearance, social media users often question Koby’s motive.
The nurse told Newsweek she’s often called a ‘golddigger’ or is accused of ‘using’ DiMeo, however, she puts this down to jealousy.
But the couple aren’t letting the haters get them down, and have now announced the next step in their relationship.
DiMeo took to Instagram and shared a sweet photo of him and Koby in a forest with their two dogs, alongside the caption: “Big things going down on December 5th,” alongside a bride and groom emoji.
The heartwarming snap has quickly garnered thousands of likes and comments.
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