Rebekah Aversano has found herself mourning with brother’s death sometime three years ago.
As she get to face the man who received the face of her dead brother through the result of transplant procedure, she was emotionally reminded by someone she loved.
Richard Norris was severely disfigured in a shooting accident. He had undergone several operations in attempt to put his life back to what it used to be. But nothing worked out, leaving him dejected and suicidal.
But Aversano’s family gave Norris a chance as he received Joshua’s face, who died after he was run over by a minivan.
It was a complex breakthrough in the history as the team from University of Maryland medical Centre successfully transplanted teeth, jaw, tongue, muscles and nerves which took 36 hours.
Aversano and Norris met fort the first time as it was filmed by 60 Minutes in Australia.
In a meeting, Norris, now 39, thanked Rebekah. And the emotional sister could not resist the feeling of being reminded by her brother.
“Wow this is the face I grew up with.” Rebekah said after she reached out her hand to Norris.
In an interview, Joshua’s mother said donation was the right thing to do.
“We can definitely see our son in him”, she said.
Watch video here:
H/T: The Guardian; 60 Minutes in Australia
