4. Charla Nash – Chimpanzee Accident
In 2009, Charla Nash visited her employer’s Connecticut property as she typically did. One day, her life changed forever when her employer’s 200 pound chimpanzee mauled her. Coming close to death, she survived but lost part of her face and hands.
Initially Charla was devastated, as anyone would be. However, as she regained her health and began to recover, she also gained hope. The U.S. military offered to pay for a facial transplant that would cost upwards of $300,000. Although Charla never served in the U.S. armed forces, the military offered to help her recover under the pretense that she could be studied, so that future soldiers with severe facial injuries could possibly undergo facial transplants, too.
Charla accepted the charity and the conditions that she open herself to research. Her facial transplant was a success. However, along with the facial transplant, doctors attempted to give her transplanted hands, too. Her body unfortunately rejected the hands.
Charla won redemption in her survival with her participation in a new scientific discovery, and in a lawsuit against her employer. In the end, Charla walked with $4 million dollars.
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