7. Carmen Blandin Tarleton
On a tragic day, Carmen Blandin Tarleton was attacked by her ex husband. This attack wasn’t in the realm of typical domestic abuse, though: Carmen’s ex boyfriend doused her in lye. Miraculously, she survived the attack. However, the majority of her body was desecrated. 80% of her body no longer functioned properly as burns impaired natural processes.
Carmen underwent facial surgery and now has the ability to close her lips and speak clearly. She struggled with her identity as her face is no longer hers, but rather a blend of hers and that of a deceased woman’s. Searching for answers, she sought out the daughter of her face’s donor. The two women maintain a friendship and find solace in each other.
Carmen reports that she has forgiven her ex husband. In her own words, “I learned that … forgiveness doesn’t condone anything he did and it’s not about him – it’s about forgiving him, it’s forgiving myself, it’s allowing myself to move forward and not getting stuck in the tragedy of that night.”
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