A man who underwent the world’s first face and double hand transplant has shared his sweet engagement photos online.
In 2018, Joe DiMeo fell asleep at the wheel of his car after working a night shift. The car crashed after he hit a curb and erupted into flames.
The New Jersey-based 26 year old only survived because two onlookers pulled him out of the fiery explosion. By the time he arrived at the hospital, 80 percent of Joe’s body was covered in third-degree burns.
He was in a medically induced coma for two months then underwent more than 20 reconstructive surgeries before his doctors finally found a match for him to receive a face and hand transplant.
In August 2020, Joe underwent a grueling 23-hour transplant surgery, which had just a six percent chance of success.
After reading about the tragedy, Jessica Koby, 33, was inspired by Joe’s positive outlook on life and sent him a message on Instagram.
The pair began exchanging messages every day, eventually going on romantic outings and falling in love.
Now, the lovebirds have taken their relationship to the next level as Joe recently got down on one knee and asked Jessica to spend the rest of her life with him.
Jessica shared the update on their romance on her Instagram account.
Jessica and Joe posed up a storm following their engagement.
The nurse boasted her sparkling diamond ring while donning a black dress and matching heels.
Joe opted for a chic yellow top and a pair of black pants.
Joe and Jessica cozied up to each other as they celebrated the next step in their relationship.
The image was captioned, ‘Always my love.’
People on the web flooded the comments section and shared their support for the lovely couple.
One person said: ‘Beautiful couple, outfits and ring. Love you guys.’
Someone else wrote: ‘Congrats!’
Another user added: ‘The ring!’
‘So freaking precious,’ commented another person.
When they first met, Joe and Jessica bonded over their shared love of Boston Terrier dogs.
Jessica previously gushed about their romance, she said: ‘We developed a relationship initially long distance and then I moved from southern California to be closer to him and it has been great ever since.
‘He is a pretty quiet guy so at first when you’re just getting to know him he keeps to himself and just observes his surroundings.
‘He is very knowledgeable and anyone he talks to he can carry a conversation with.
‘I really like that about him because I think that someone who is educated and speaks well is very attractive. I love that he is gentle, kind and he is so courageous.
‘For everything he has gone through, he remains so positive and such a light.
‘I love Joe inside and out because he is a funny guy, he knew what he wanted in life and was very mature for his age.’
Joe’s surgery was a miracle for his family and the health industry, as doctors had initially given the procedure a six percent success rate.
He is the first in the world to successfully receive a new face and both hands from the same donor – an unidentified man in Delaware.
Isabelle Dinoire became the world’s first face plant recipient in France in 2005. She died 11 years later from cancer.
It has been attempted twice before; first in Paris in 2009 but the patient died from complications a month later.
In Boston in 2011, a woman who was mauled by a chimpanzee received hands and a face from the same donor but her body rejected the hands and they were removed.
Thanks to extensive therapy, Joe has slowly started gaining his independence back and is now even driving again.
Following the life-changing accident, Joe says he learned the hard way who his real friends were.
