A New Jersey man who received a face transplant after being severely burned in a car wreck shared his engagement photos this week to an overwhelming outpouring of support.
Joe DiMeo, 26, and his fiancée Jessica Perez, 32, shared a preview of their engagement photos on their joint Facebook account, where the snaps quickly garnered over 2,000 likes and hundreds of loving comments.
“A strong, amazing, lovely couple who inspire others and will change the world for the better! You already are doing it!” said one commenter.
“Beautiful!!! Y’all are soooo inspiring!!” said another.
The joyful milestone marked yet another victory for DiMeo, who was left with burns covering 80% of his body after he fell asleep at the wheel in July 2018, causing his car to swerve off the road and burst into flames.
“I was in hospital for four months, and around half of that I was in a coma,” he told Newsweek early this year of the grueling recovery process. “Then I spent some time coming back to my feet somewhat quickly, and by the fourth month I went to rehab.”
About two years later, DiMeo became the first person to receive a successful face and double hand transplant, according to NYU Langone, where the 23-hour surgery was performed.
DiMeo explained to Newsweek that he has about 45% use of his hands and is getting better at using his face to blink, raise his eyebrows and move his lips – something that most people take for granted.
It was during his recovery from the transplant that DiMeo connected with Perez, who saw his story in the news and reached out over Instagram.
The pair “hit it off right away,” Perez told the outlet, and quickly dived into a long-distance relationship.
“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,” she recalled.
“I always hoped that I’d find someone like Joe, and I always imagined that it was possible,” she said. “Obviously, I didn’t expect it to be with someone who had a transplant, but that’s fine because it doesn’t bother me. I just always wanted it to be possible to find a person like him.”
The couple eventually moved in together in DiMeo’s native New Jersey, and Perez sticks by his side through the ups and downs of life post-transplant – including a six-week hospitalization over the summer.
Together, they share DiMeo’s story and advocate for organ donation over social media.
They often hear from people who say DiMeo’s journey inspired them – including one woman who told him that he was the reason she did not take her own life, DiMeo told Newsweek.
“I just wanted to help Joe put his story out there, and it really does help a lot of people,” Perez said.
“Awareness for organ donation is hugely important. I think a lot of people aren’t educated enough about it, so it’s been fun to educate others and bring awareness to Joe’s transplant.
“Hopefully, in the future, people will know Joe’s story and won’t be afraid to donate a loved one’s body part because of him.”
The couple also grapples with online haters – including those who compare DiMeo’s appearance to horror movie villains and question Perez’s motives for being with him.
“People call me a gold digger, they say I have a fetish, that I’m cheating on him, or that I’m using him, and that is so far from the truth. We love each other, but they can’t handle that. I just let them go on because they’re jealous,” she shrugged.
DiMeo – a horror movie lover – said he manages to laugh when people compare him to Michael Myers in “Halloween” or “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
He also understands why his appearance sometimes attracts stares in public.
“That negative stuff doesn’t bother me, it’s just words, and it’s only online. It doesn’t really affect me in person, but I would stare at me if I saw myself. I understand people are curious,” he told Newsweek.
DiMeo and Perez got engaged in September, with Perez sharing a video of the special moment on Instagram.
They plan to elope in Honolulu on Dec. 5, according to their wedding website.
Looking ahead, DiMeo and Perez will continue to renovate their new home together and grow their brand, 80 Percent Gone, which sells merchandise featuring DiMeo’s designs.
“We’re a normal couple,” Perez told Newsweek.
“We just bought a house and we’re working on it together. We’re just trying to spread Joe’s story and raise awareness.”