
Woman Whose Face Was 'Mauled' by Her Friend's Chimpanzee Shares Transplant Results That Brought Her 'Life Back'
Years after surviving a horrifying chimpanzee attack that left her without a face or hands, the 55-year-old woman is revealing the results of a groundbreaking face transplant, one she says gave her more than just a new appearance: it gave her life back.
In February 2009, Charla Nash, a single mother, was called to her friend Sandra Herold's home in Stamford to help coax her pet chimpanzee, Travis, back indoors. But within seconds, the 240-pound animal turned on her.

Charla Nash before the gruesome attack on her face, lips, eyes, hands and legs, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
Travis the chimpanzee knocked Nash to the ground and launched a frenzied assault on her. The animal "mauled" her, ripping off her eyelids, nose, lips, hands, and much of her scalp.

Charla Nash after the gruesome attack by Sandra Herold's pet chimpanzee, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
Her friend tried desperately to stop the attack, beating the chimp with a shovel and stabbing him with a butcher knife. Nothing worked.

Travis's owner and Charla Nash's friend, Sandra Herold, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
By the time police arrived, Travis was attempting to open a patrol car door while his face and body were covered in Nash’s blood. Officers shot but he escaped into the bush.
"He's killing my friend! He ripped her face off! He's eating her!" Herold screamed in a chilling 911 call.

Sandra Herold on a chilling 911 call after she stabbed her pet chimpanzee but failed to stop him from attacking Charla Nash, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
As a group of officers searched for him in the woods, the chimpanzee scampered unnoticed into the house where he knuckle-walked through the kitchen, and into his bedroom before grasping his bedpost and died.

A photo of Travis the chimpanzee during his attack on Charla Nash as seen during the interview with 60 Minutes Australia, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
Nash was barely alive when help reached her. She had lost nearly half her blood and was unrecognizable. But in an extraordinary turn of events, she survived and began a medical journey that would make history.

Charla Nash is barely alive as she's being wheeled into an ambulance after Travis attacked her, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
An interview with 60 Minutes Australia revealed that, in 2011, Nash underwent a pioneering 20-hour surgical procedure at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, led by Dr. Bohdan Pomahac.
A team of more than 30 doctors and specialists worked to transplant her entire face, including her upper palate and teeth, as well as attach two donor hands.

A team of surgeons working on Charla Nash during her face transplant surgery, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
Surgeons used powerful microscopes to reconnect the complex network of blood vessels and nerves. It took six hours to attach just the hands.
Nash's daughter, Brianna, remembered the moment doctors proposed the surgery, "The possibility of having a face transplant was phenomenal. It just...I hadn't...I wouldn't have even thought of it," she said.

Charla Nash's daughter, Brianna during her interview with 60 Minutes Australia, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
Unfortunately, while Nash's face transplant was successful, her body rejected the new hands after she developed pneumonia and sepsis. Doctors were forced to remove them.

Charla Nash's newly reattached donor hand that became septic, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
Despite the setback, Nash expressed gratitude for the opportunity to live a new life:
"It's a wonderful thing, and words can't express the gratitude, but I had this opportunity to live a better life. [sic]"

Charla Nash expressing gratitude during her interview with 60 Minutes Australia, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
When the interviewer asked Nash if the surgery gave her more than just a face, she agreed and added, "It brought my life back."
Today, Nash lives in an assisted care facility, undergoing daily rehabilitation and speech therapy. She's preparing for another double-hand transplant and hopes to receive a second prosthetic eye.

Charla Nash at a speech therapy session, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
But more than anything, she dreams of one day riding a horse again, a passion she held before the attack. Meanwhile, Herold died from a brain aneurysm 12 months after the attack.

Charla Nash on a horse with her daughter standing beside her, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
Now, Nash is suing the state of Connecticut, alleging it failed to act on warnings about Travis's behavior. With her medical bills continuing to mount, she hopes the lawsuit will help cover long-term care and future surgeries.
In a moving appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, as shown on ABC News' YouTube channel, Nash removed the hat and veil she wore to conceal her disfigurement. Viewers were warned that the images could be upsetting.

Charla Nash during her interview with Oprah Winfrey as shown on ABC News, dated November 11, 2009 | Source: YouTube/ABCNews
"So the veil is lifted," Winfrey said gently, as Nash calmly revealed her new face. "Many people around the world want to see you," she continued. Nash simply replied, "I did hear that."

Oprah Winfrey takes off Charla Nash's veil as seen on ABC News' YouTube channel, dated November 11, 2009 | Source: YouTube/ABCNews
According to PETA, Nash's story has been revisited in media, including the docuseries "Chimp Crazy," which explores the dangers of keeping wild animals as pets.
PETA further reported that Travis the chimpanzee had long shown signs of instability. In 2003, he escaped and ran loose for two hours. Animal control warned Herold then that the chimpanzee posed a public safety risk, but no official action was taken.

Travis and his owner, Sandra Herold, interacting with each other, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
By 2009, Travis was morbidly obese and largely confined indoors, drinking wine, eating junk food, and watching TV, far removed from the life nature intended.

Travis weighed 240 pounds when he was obese before he was killed, dated June 11, 2025 | Source: YouTube/60MinutesAustralia
Nash's story, though deeply tragic, is also one of extraordinary resilience. From the brink of death to the frontlines of medical science, Nash's journey continues to inspire.
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