Viewers got their first glimpse of chimp attack victim Charla Nash on Wednesday -- and the pictures are disturbing.
Nash, 56, was disfigured in February when Travis, her friend's 200-pound chimp, attacked her in Stamford, Conn.
We know it was a brutal attack. She lost her nose, eyes, lips and hands but, until now, all updates on her condition have come through her family and attorneys.
This week she sat down with Oprah Winfrey to tell her own story, free of any bandages.It was the first time she's been seen in public without her bandages or the veil she uses to cover her face.
Nash shared a few of the difficulties she's faced during her rehabilitation:she musteat everything through a straw and can't breathe through her nose. But she isn't in pain and often goes for walks, Nash told Oprah.
It feels like "patches of tape or gauze" are covering her face and she doesn't remember anything from the animal's attack, she said.
The segment has aired in Chicago, but not yet on the East Coast.
Oprah spoke with the media on Tuesday about the interview and choked up as she relayed the experience.
“She’s a good mother and, like all good mothers, she’s worried about her daughter,” Oprah said. “She worried about whether her daughter is going to choose the appropriate prom dress and worried that she won’t be there for that. I have to tell you, it’s one of those stories about the resilience of the human spirit that makes us all take a look a different look at our lives.”
And that story of resilience seems to be whatOprah's viewers are taking away from the interview.
Twitter user JustALetta wrote, "It is absolutely astonishing how strong the human spirit can be. Charla is truly the most inspiring person out there!"
FAQs
After a chimpanzee savagely ripped her apart, Charla Nash was given a new lease on life when doctors offered her the chance to undergo a face transplant.
What happened to the woman who was attacked by the chimpanzee? ›
In the end, her heart, which had been broken so many times before, could take no more." On May 28, 2011, Charla underwent transplant surgery performed by a team led by Bohdan Pomahač at Brigham and Women's Hospital, receiving a donated face and hands.
What are the most horrific chimp attacks ever recorded? ›
James and LaDonna were attacked by two young male chimpanzees named Buddy and Ollie: they had escaped their enclosures. In the ensuing attack, LaDonna lost her thumb, and St. James was brutally mauled, resulting in permanent disfigurement and missing extremities.
Why did Travis the chimpanzee attack? ›
Herold speculated that Travis was being protective of her and attacked Nash because she had a different hairstyle, was driving a different car and held a stuffed toy in front of her face to get the chimp's attention.
What killed Lucy the Chimp? ›
Lucy's life began in 1964, in a roadside zoo in Florida. It ended in mysterious circumstances a few years after Carter's departure; she was likely killed by a poacher.
Who was the girl who had a relationship with a Chimp? ›
The Antwerp Zoo says it has asked Adie Timmermans to stop her weekly visits to its chimpanzee enclosure, where she claims to have been carrying on a “relationship” with an ape named Chita for the last four years.
What is the lifespan of a chimpanzee? ›
The average lifespan of a chimpanzee in the wild is about 40 years. However, chimpanzees that live in captivity can survive even longer, and some have been known to live for more than 70 years. Little Mama was a chimpanzee who lived in captivity.
Why are chimps so aggressive? ›
The first is that aggressive behaviour in chimpanzees is a naturally evolved behaviour that resulted in a competitive advantage and better reproductive success.
Why do chimps rip faces off? ›
Why do chimps attack the face? Aggression is a common part of the chimpanzee behaviour, whether it's between or within groups. They can show tremendous mutilation. They go for the face; they go for the hands and feet; they go for the testicles.
Has a chimpanzee ever killed a human? ›
Wild chimpanzees are usually fearful of humans and will keep their distance. However, there have been recorded incidents of chimpanzees attacking and killing people. This usually happens when humans move into and destroy chimpanzee habitats, reducing their access to food.
In February 2009, Charla Nash was viciously mauled by Travis the Chimp, leaving her clinging to life and in need of a full face transplant.
Why was Travis the Chimp given Xanax? ›
Police have said that Herold told them that she gave Travis Xanax earlier on Monday to calm him because he was agitated. In humans Xanax can cause memory loss, lack of coordination, reduced sex drive and other side effects.
What is the difference between a gorilla and a chimpanzee? ›
Mountain gorillas are larger in size than the chimpanzees, normally two times or three times larger. Mountain gorillas have more pronounced arms, muscles and chests compared to the chimpanzees whose arms, muscles and chest are less pronounced. The gorillas' faces are black and the chimpanzees' faces are pink.
What is Charla Nash doing now? ›
These days Nash lives on her own in a small apartment close to Brigham and Women's. She has an aide to help her Monday through Friday, but manages on her own on the weekends — which is very important to her. “I've always been independent,” she said. “So I just wanted to go back to what I had.
Is Wounda the chimpanzee still alive? ›
Wounda enjoying her new life on Tchindzoulou Island
Rebeca Atencia who saved her life, as a response to being released onto this island, as she is one of the fifty who now call it home. These isolated island forests provide a more natural home safe from poachers, disease transmission and wild chimpanzees.
What happened to Charla Nash's friend? ›
Charla Nash said one of her brothers told her that Sandra Herold had died alone and friendless of an aortic aneurysm in her Connecticut home. Herold was 72.
Who was the lady who looked after chimps? ›
Goodall first went to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania to observe its chimpanzees in 1960. She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and the Roots & Shoots programme, and she has worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare issues. As of 2022, she is on the board of the Nonhuman Rights Project.