Joe DiMeo: World’s First Successful Face and Double Hand Transplant - The Journey Continues

What does it take to rebuild a life when 80% of your body is burned… and everything you once knew is gone? In this deeply moving episode of Conversations That Make a Difference, host Teresa Velardi sits down with Joe DiMeo for the second time. Joe is the world’s first successful recipient of a face-and-double-hand transplant. They explore his story that will shift how you see resilience, identity, and the human spirit.

At just 20 years old, Joe fell asleep at the wheel after a late-night shift. What followed was a catastrophic accident, a fire, and a fight for survival that left him in a coma for months. Years later, after a groundbreaking 24-hour transplant surgery, Joe is not just alive… he’s thriving.

This conversation goes far beyond the headlines.
Joe shares:

• What it was like waking up after a 3-month coma
• The emotional reality of seeing himself after the accident
• How mindset, gratitude, and upbringing shaped his resilience
• The truth about living with a transplant
• How he found love, purpose, and a new identity
• Why he says: “Be comfortable being uncomfortable”

Now, the author of “Eighty Percent Gone – One Hundred Percent Strong,” Joe, is using his story to inspire others to rise, no matter what life throws at them. 

Resources from this Conversation:
For Joe DiMeo’s book, t-shirt, or to invite him for a speaking engagement: https://www.80percentgone.com/
myFace: Supporting the Craniofacial Difference Community https://www.myface.org/
ACPCA=American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association - a nonprofit association of healthcare professionals specializing in treating cleft lip, cleft palate, and other craniofacial conditions. https://acpacares.org/

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Welcome to Conversations That Make a Difference. With your host, the rest of the Lord. We believe that authentic, meaningful, and diverse conversations together. Join us for conversations filled with creditors, values, abundance, authenticity, and you're the host of our show, the Rita Villar.

SPEAKER_04 0:55

Hey everyone, and welcome to another edition of Conversations That Make a Difference. My guest today is Joe DeMeo. We're going to introduce him in just a minute. But as you know, we usually start off with a prayer, and we'll do that now. We'll say the serenity prayer. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. And it is by God's grace that we are fabulous, blessed, highly favored, living in our greatness, using our gifts and talents to make a difference in the lives of others. And all of God's great universe is conspiring in our favor. And together we say, Amen. Amen. Joe the Mayo, welcome to Conversations That Make a Difference again. You've been here before, and it's a pleasure to have you now. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Doing good. Nice to be on here again. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 1:49

You're welcome. Let me um give you some background for those who have never met you before, have not seen you on my show, or have not don't know anything about you. I want to say that Joe DeMeo is in fact the world's first successful face and double hand transplant. Successfully, he has been carrying, he's been going through life with a new face. In July 2018, when Joe was 20 years old and planning his future, one fateful morning after working extra late night shift, he fell asleep at the wheel. And is and his on his way home, his car rolled several times before it burst into flames. He suffered third-degree burns over 80% of his body. And after undergoing a nearly 24-hour surgery in 2021, he is indeed the first successful face and double hand transplant. Joe's been my guest previously, and you can watch that um that show if you want to go back after this one today and listen to it. It's on my YouTube channel, Teresa Villardi. Uh feel free to go and um and watch there. We're here today in celebration of Joe's book, 80% gone. 100% strong, rebuilt with resilience. And this is his story. Welcome, Joe. It's so good to have you here. Um, Joe, your story. Let's talk, let's talk a little bit about um who you how you lived your life before this tragedy that you suffered. And um, and let's get a picture for what life was like prior to the day that you said yes to that shift and then had the the uh the car accident and the fire.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

Yes, I grew up in like I grew up in New Jersey, uh mom and dad at home. I had a sister, I thought I talked about that in the book a little bit in the beginning. Uh so I grew up with a sister and then uh I had like typical, like my dad told me you go to college or you're gonna go to work. And then so I I chose the work uh work side of it because I you know what did not like college at all, or I like school to begin with. Uh maybe it was the teachers, I don't know, but I wasn't a fan of learning. But uh so he taught me how to work and he made me like do a lot more, a lot more chores outside and all that junk. So like I had to do a lot of chores outside. So I learned like landscaping, carpeting, uh like used to remodel homes together. Uh we built like perbolos and just like odd jobs around the house to build things and but like ironically, like never worked on a car with him, which is like ironic because I'm like we're we're a car family, but never worked on a car together.

SPEAKER_04 4:48

Yeah, so like you love cars, you have a passion for cars, don't you?

SPEAKER_02 4:52

Yeah, I do, and then like he had a passion for cars too, and so my mom. So it's just it's just like funny how I never worked on a car, like an engine with him or anything. But like I know how to take apart engine, like and put it back together and all that, and then change tire and all that stuff. Um but like yeah, that was just funny, but yeah, and then like you know, I had my fun with my friends and went out a lot, so like he was strict, but also like he like didn't like hold a leash to me. And uh, so I was also like out a lot too with my friends. So I had like a pretty really good upbringing, uh, no helicopter parents, and then I moved out at 18. I got a job at a lab testing food products like magnesium, potassium. Uh, those are like the two big ones that I can remember is like a lot more smaller ones, like, but those are like a lot more like details I forgot about. And like, you know, I'll just test like the details for them. And then like I was actually golfing with my dad, which we never did growing up. He just picked up that uh hobby as an adult with his friends, and I just helped him practice, you know, when he's not hanging out with them. So I was just playing golf with him, and my job called me, and I picked up the overtime shift because I wanted more money from like my car. And like uh, it was a typical like five hours of sleep I got, which at that time I just turned 20, so I thought that was normal. Like on 20 years old, I can handle you know five hours of sleep. I pulled all nine before and worked the next day. Yeah, I worked two shifts in a row and then only got three hours of sleep and came back that same night. Yeah. I I done it, so I was like, yeah, whatever, I could do it again. Uh so I just I did my shift and then like uh then I just you know I was driving home, fell asleep at the wheel, and I woke up three and a half months later from a coma.

SPEAKER_04 6:57

Yeah, okay, let's stop there for a second. Let me just let me just read your preface here because this really gives an account of what happened. Falling asleep at the wheel for just seconds, my Black Dodge Challenger RT took flight, flipping three times, smashing a telephone pole, and throwing me like a rag doll with fire and flames engulfed the when fire and flames engulfed the cab. I crashed onto the roof, trapped me as flames erupted, leaving me mere seconds from death. The raging fire burned me alive, melting my lips, skin, hands, fingers, and face before plunging me into a dark, silent world completely burned from head to toe. And that moment, suspended between life and death, a good Samaritan who you do not know, right? You still have not met them. We'll talk about that a little bit. He shattered the window, rescued me from the fiery wreckage, and cried out, Oh my God, oh my God, can you hear me? Braving the heat, smoke, and broken glass, he pulled my limp body out of the driver's side window and onto the dirt, rough dirt road. There I was on the side of the highway, helpless, blind, and with charred skin, clinging in tattered pieces. I'm Joseph DeMeo, and this is my story. That's the preface to this book. And if that doesn't intrigue somebody to read further and look at your life, I don't know what does. So my question to you is did you remember being transported to the hospital? And do you do you have any recollection of anything that happened after being pulled for that car? And you just said you were put in a coma for three months. Talk to me a little bit about um what you learned or what was the um what were your first thoughts when you came out of that coma?

SPEAKER_02 8:57

Uh so like uh well, I don't remember nothing from the accident, but like a lot of it's from police reports. Uh so I don't I don't remember clocking in that same night. I just remember like that golfing story because I had a picture on my phone. And then when I woke up from the coma, uh, I just asked my mom how are there rooms in my car? And like, where's my my belt? Because like I knew something happened, but I didn't know like details or like the severity of it, or like not even like what happened to my body. Uh I woke up and everything like is like a blur because my eyelids were sewn like a certain way. So like my uh eyeballs went dry out.

SPEAKER_04 9:42

Wow. Wow. So during that time period, I have I have such a fascination with um things that people experience when they have what they call a near-death experience. What was there anything that happened that you can remember while you were in the coma, or everything is just blank until you awaken and realize where you are?

SPEAKER_02 10:05

Oh look, I had coma dreams, so like uh they medically put me in a coma uh to do all my skin graphing. So I'm assuming I was still like talking or whatever, my body like my brain just kind of clicks it out, I guess, or blacks it out. Which I mean, I kind of I want to know what would have you know happen in the Amazon that were telling me all that stuff, but uh I guess my my mind doesn't want me knowing that. Well uh yeah, just uh I just had coma genre, and like one of them that I uh remember a lot because the longest one for me was like walking my my dog that passed away in like 2011, 2012 when I was like in uh like a fresh year of high school. And uh I just remember walking him up my childhood hill. And I was like, well, I guess I guess this is it because I had no coma. I thought this was it. So uh I just had that dream for like the longest time ever.

SPEAKER_04 11:01

Wow. Interesting, interesting. I I find that fascinating that um people that have gone before us show up in situations and circumstances where we feel like we we need them most, even if it's not in conscious method, conscious way. I think that that's that's a miracle that happens for us to get us through whatever it is that we're we're in. Would you agree that that had something to do with your um your you literally were fighting for your life with the whole time, I'm sure, and didn't even know that you were because they had you in medical coma, yes, while they did the grafting.

SPEAKER_02 11:39

Oh yeah, uh yeah, so you're interested. The nurses were like telling my parents like talk to me uh while I'm in the car because I can hear things. Uh so I'm assuming they were talking to me about my dogs when I was growing up. Uh, because I just got Buster at that time, so like he was probably like uh nine months old when I got into the accident.

SPEAKER_04 12:02

So uh and so Buster is your what breed is your dog?

SPEAKER_02 12:07

Uh Buster's uh my Boston Terrier, he's brown and white. Okay, and I got him randomly because I was like, I walked into a pet store just randomly and I was like, oh a Boston tear. I don't I you never see them there at all. It's kind of hard to get a Boston Terra. I don't know why. Uh but I was like, I can't leave him now, so I got him. And then I got yeah, I got to access. So I'm guessing they're getting updates on him and how he's doing. And I'm guessing my brain wasn't like fully like remembering Busters, so it it had Skipper, which is my old dog's name, like pop up. Because and he skipper was also a Boston Terrier.

SPEAKER_04 12:49

Oh nice.

SPEAKER_02 12:50

So, like, yeah, I grew up with you know Boston Terrier. So it's just so I'm assuming my brain just throws him, so I was like, Oh, well, I guess I'm just walking him up the rest of my life now.

SPEAKER_04 13:01

Yeah, well, he ends up to be a really important part of your life because he um he was one of the reasons that you have your beautiful wife in your life. You want to talk, you want to tell our listeners a little bit about how you and Jessica met and um and and the dog?

SPEAKER_02 13:17

Uh yeah, so like uh after my transplant, I I DM'd her uh because people were just following me. And then so I was just you know I looked into my followers and then I'm bored, and uh she said she was with uh Kirkland, her black and white boss interior. And I just DMed her like her dog, and then I like your dog, and then uh we just started talking from there and got a lot more and more, and then we exchanged phone numbers, and then she went to go visit one of her professors from uh Philadelphia as she went to school. And I'm like in my parents' house, it's like an hour and twenty from Philly, so she just drove up and saw me. Uh we played pool, had Italian dinner, and then she left the night, and then uh the next morning she came back and we had uh pizza, uh like afternoon. We had pizza, and then uh and we just kept talking after that, and then she did a travel nurse job in New York City, uh, because she's a nurse, so she did a travel assignment in New York City, and then like she's like I'm gonna get an apartment, and so we got an apartment in Jersey. And uh, I think we lived in an apartment for about three years you lived in, probably two and a half, three years. And then we bought a house together, and uh we fixed it up the best that we could. Uh it's not it's not our permanent home. We want we would like to get another home, but because it's I don't know how people lived in the 1950s, but things are like a lot like because the house was built in 1950s, uh-huh. And like it's kind of tiny for us, because like I'm guessing things are a lot smaller back then, or it's just I don't know. Because just like with a couch in our the living room like takes a lot of space, and then adding two dogs is kind of gets uh like clustered in a way. Yeah, so then so we're like we would like to get a bigger house, but you know, but after we clean our house, it's like eh, we don't really need a bigger house. It's like a weird double-edged sword. Like you like the small house for the cleaning aspect, but the bigger house for the roominess.

SPEAKER_04 15:39

Yeah, and now you have another puppy, you've got Ranger, right?

SPEAKER_02 15:43

Yeah, so we got Ranger uh well on the 21st of 10 months. Uh so we got one when he was six weeks old. We went to uh Niagara Falls for just like a little like getaway, like a long weekend. Yeah, uh, I think it was a holiday weekend, and on the way back we stopped in Scranton and picked him up from like a a breeder I think we found online. We just we just typed in like blue nose pitbulls and a one popped up in Scranton. I was like, Oh, that's pretty cool. Yeah, and so we just got them at six weeks, which I think is a little too early. Because thank God I have I stay at home all the time because he would pee in the house like every five minutes. So I was like, Yeah, so like geez, like I don't know how people do that.

SPEAKER_04 16:33

Puppies, puppies, puppies, they do that. So you got him in in Skrent, Pennsylvania, right in my neighborhood, I'm sure. So yeah. Um so so a lot of people, I know that you you have a big presence on social media, and a lot of people ask whether or not Jessica met you um as because she is a nurse, whether she met you um as because of your surgeries and whatnot. She's an OR nurse. Um she's a she's an incredible woman. She really is an incredible woman. She's um uh she's sweet, she's tough, she's kind, she and she she loves, love, loves you. And the dogs are what brought you together, but she didn't have anything to do with your medical procedures or anything, right?

SPEAKER_02 17:18

You want to oh no, no. Uh she married after the transplant. Uh I don't think I would probably date one of my nurses if I because like they see me in some pretty bad uh situations with like line pinging out of me, and I was like, I don't want someone thinking of that looking on the couch at home, you know. Yeah, like so like that, and then like it's actually I think it's illegal if like a patient and had their side of a thing together. Uh so like she doesn't go like you know, she's not my she wasn't my nurse. A lot of people say that too.

SPEAKER_04 17:53

Yeah, that's what I'm that's why I want you to clear it up.

SPEAKER_02 17:55

So I was gonna say like she was never a nurse at my hospital that I got the surgery, right?

SPEAKER_04 18:00

Mm-hmm. No. No. And I want to I want to also talk about, I want to read part just a few sentences from the introduction to your book. First of all, I want to uh ask people go to 80% gone. That's Joe's website. 80% gone. You'll see it come across the screen too. Get a copy of his book. This tells his story from his standpoint, his point of view, what his life was like, what his life is like, and and everything that happened in between with the with the accident. So, um, and you say this. They say the mind is a powerful thing. Well, let me tell you, after being burned over 80% of my body, I know just how powerful and how fragile it can be. Waking up in that hospital bed wrapped in tattered bandages with tubes running in and out of me was like waking up in a slow nightmare. Only I wasn't a bad, it wasn't a bad dream. It was my reality. The physical pain was excruciating, but it was the mental anguish, the emotional roller coaster that tested me. Imagine seeing yourself in a mirror and what's left or what's left of you, and everything you knew about your face and your smile was gone, erased. That was me. And no matter how strong I am, after waking up to a face and body melted, burned beyond recognition, everything changed forever. I couldn't help but feel broken and lost. And in that darkest moment, I never believed I'd be whole again. Yet, Joe, you are you're whole, and you are um an inspiration to so many people. Um, and I I am grateful and honored to be able to have uh met you personally um uh a couple of years ago and to keep in touch with you. But I wanted how do you I want to I wanted to read this because these are your words, you the anguish and the and the mental stuff that goes on, but but yet you maintain um a level of positivity that most people living a regular life, not having gone through anything that you've gone through, they can't do that. What keeps you in this positive state of mind pushing forward and living the best life you can possibly live today?

SPEAKER_02 20:17

I think I was I was kind of I was born like nasty positive, like I had I also had my my down days. Uh I also think it had to do with my upbringing too, because even though my parents like had their like typical parent fights and uh back and forth, they never showed like them being sad or they always had like a positive mindset, my parents, and like I think that's what I I saw them always, they're always positive. Uh like the things they have now is is not what we had back then. Like I only grew up with like one pair of shoes for this for school year, and only you know, I grew up with just exactly what I needed to grow up with. Uh and then like the the that school year was the next was like my play clothes for you know the next year, and then I got new school clothes. So like it does sound privileged, but like that was like the next yeah, that was you know then what I needed, and like at that time it's like yeah, I got me fun of in school because I wore the same shirts every every other week, you know. So like the kids saw the same things. But my parents always showed me like, oh no, it's like you gotta still be positive about it, you know. At least you have something to wear. So like I think that like just the the positive upbringing, even though we weren't living luxury, but we had like we had everything I needed. Right. And even though, like, can I ask my mom, like asking my mom recently, like, how did you do it? Like with two kids, and we still went to Hershey Park for like a uh a vacation, for Memorial Day weekend or something. So y'all just that took years to save up. We just Told you how to save it up, or you know, there's some nights there was like a lot of time we only had like chicken thighs, cream beans, and uh and like rice for dinner, and that's that's great nutrients. But that's a kid doesn't want that every day for seven days of the week. But that's what they did in order for us to go to Hershey Park to have that, like had that big turkey leg, which you know, I'm still talking about till to this day, and you know, uh so like just always had like a positive mindset, and that's I think that's what helped me.

SPEAKER_04 22:34

And and I think it into shine with what you said, there's a bit of gratitude, a lot of gratitude in there, and gratitude that you had food on your table at all, right? Um, and that you could your parents thought enough to your mom thought enough to take you, set some money aside, still feed you well, set some money aside, and give you an experience that you might not have had had she not been a little bit thrifty, right?

SPEAKER_02 22:58

Yeah, like I didn't have a cell phone or I didn't have a laptop until like senior year of high school. Like, try explaining that to a teacher. Like, no, you have to have a laptop. Like every school kid has a laptop. You don't like like my dad like got a printer like 10 years ago.

SPEAKER_08 23:14

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

Yeah, like uh, like I didn't have I I bought my own phone for the first time uh when I was 16, and you know, so it's like I you know my parents didn't pay a phone bill for a while, and that we just use landlines. And if my parents want to get contact me while I was out with my friends, they will call their moms and they would text them and say, all right, so you have to go home now. And then they would tease me about that. So it's like and they make fun of you, and so it's like uh but I had an Xbox, so I was very happy without that one.

SPEAKER_04 23:51

So the the thing is is that you know, I and I'm I'm a lot older than you, so uh we didn't have cell phones, we didn't have, you know, we didn't have any of this computers. Um computers weren't a thing when I was growing up. Um, but you know, we and we made we made our own outside playing all the time and and whatever. And if we were at somebody's house and it was time for dinner, we got the phone call the same as your mom called somebody else's mom. We had the same thing go on.

SPEAKER_02 24:21

Or uh if you can't can't contact with the kid's mom or anything, it'd you better be home by the streetlights come on.

SPEAKER_04 24:27

Oh, yeah, exactly. This is better be home by the time the street lights come on, exactly. Yeah, or uh for us, for us it was that was the after dinner stuff. But before dinner, if you didn't get in the house before dinner was on the table, my father would whistle. He had this loud whistle, and no matter where we were, we could be two blocks away, and then we would hear him and it was time to go in. And if we didn't get there, we were in trouble. Yeah. So, but those are the old days. But today, the day of technology. Thank goodness for technology when when people have stories like yours, that we can we get the opportunity to broadcast them out and make people aware of um things that can be done, miracles that have happened. You you were you're alive today and and are able to have this conversation with me because somebody else made a choice to donate be an organ donor and um and give you their the body parts that you were necessary for you to have when you uh got into the horrible accident of your life. So um, yeah, and you have a big social media presence. So you have a lot of people. I know you have a lot of people asking questions. What's the biggest question, the first question that people ask you?

SPEAKER_02 25:45

Uh I mean a lot once the swanga are gonna go down. Uh because like they see other face transplants and like you know, they could take a couple months, and a lot of people take years. It's just uh I'm the only one that's taking years that's on social media. So like uh I just explained, like, which I understand, like uh I don't get angry or or mad or like upset or sad about it, but um, they do ask me uh because you know, I don't you know it's understandable, like they're curious, curious. Uh so it's just because of my burns, it's an 80% burn. My lip my lymphatic system's all like messed up, and so uh that's why the the swelling is taking a little bit longer, but yeah, the past like half a month or like a year, it's been coming down like a lot frequently, which is interesting. I don't know why.

SPEAKER_04 26:38

Yeah, I would imagine that your body has to have there, you know, you hear about transplants and um the body uh always tries to reject what's been added. Yes. And I'm sure that a lot you've experienced a lot of um symptoms, if you will, from the body trying to get used to your new face and your hands, right?

SPEAKER_02 27:02

Yeah, a lot of symptoms. I would say the one the one symptom I can see a lot is uh my my prenatone uh side effect. Which is uh like mood swings, uh moon face, and then like I try to not I try not to make prenazone uh the excuse for like weight gain because like a lot of people gain like a lot of people shoot out like 40-50 pounds on prenazone, which that is that's noticeable, but like I'm slowly increasing my weight, so that's that's on me, that's not prennozone.

SPEAKER_04 27:37

But uh you like to cook too, right? And what Italian doesn't like to eat, hello?

SPEAKER_02 27:46

So I try not to make an excuse. So I do see like if I do take like my pills on empty stomach, which happens sometimes, uh like sometimes like on vacations or just on a I just don't have like something to eat at the house in the morning, or my hands hurt, and I can't like mix something together, I'll take like my medication and then my hands will start to calm down and then I'll eat something. Uh but usually when I eat on the stomach, I only see the side effects.

SPEAKER_04 28:14

Yeah, yeah. I would admit a lot of medications do that to you, not just the um the prednisone. But I want to also go back to your book for a minute. Um, there are in in the center of the book, you'll see that there are pictures of Joe and his family before the accident, and then you will see um his car, and of course, his dog.

SPEAKER_02 28:40

And the guy with the no shirt on is a good Samaritan.

SPEAKER_04 28:44

The guy that uh the guy with the no shirt on?

SPEAKER_01 28:48

Yeah, he's a good Samaritan.

SPEAKER_04 28:50

Nice.

SPEAKER_01 28:51

The one that registered is my co-worker.

SPEAKER_04 28:55

Yeah, and these uh all the information about the um about the accident and what happened. And these are some pictures of the aftermath of the accident. Um and and you after um the after your transplant. And this is Kirkland, right? That's Jessica's dog.

SPEAKER_01 29:16

Oh, that's Buster. That's Buster.

SPEAKER_04 29:20

Buster, oh that's Buster. Oh, sorry.

SPEAKER_01 29:22

Yeah, it kind of looks black and white here.

SPEAKER_04 29:24

Yeah, it does look black and white. That's why I thought it was Kirkland. But there's some good pictures in here that go along with the story where people can actually get the visual of um of you know your journey. But uh last year, is it last year that you took the big step of your life and you um you got married? You want to talk a little bit about your wedding?

SPEAKER_02 29:46

Oh, yeah, we got married uh December 5th, 2025. Uh, we got married in Hawaii uh and Magic Island. Uh, because the reason why we got married over there is uh Justin's family lives in LA and my family lives in Jersey. And instead of doing like two separate things or having one side go to one other side of the country, we're like, you know what, let's just do it at our favorite place, which is Hawaii, and they can just like watch it online and just tune in. My mom wasn't too fond of it, she wanted to go to Hawaii, but uh no one was allowed to come, it was just us two. Uh and like, you know, and then so like no one could say like no one can pull at her arms or nothing. And so it was just us, and we we liked it a lot.

SPEAKER_04 30:34

Yeah, and it was beautiful. I actually um when you send out the link, I actually watched it and you can see um the picture of them right there at their wedding on the beach. Beautiful. So yeah, you're an inspiration, Joe. You're an inspiration. You and Jessica, um, you inspire me. And I'm sure that even though there are a lot of people who ask a lot of questions to get a negative, you know, or or post negative things, and and I know that it's hurtful and it's um it takes a lot of strength to rise above all of that. And you and Jessica do that really well. So kudos to you. Um, inspiration. And you know, you know about the Daily Gift Book series, right? We have um, yeah, yeah. I'm gonna talk about that for just a minute because we have we're working on the next one. And I I'm not gonna ask you to write. If you want to, you're welcome to. If you want to write something about your story, you know I will always receive what you have to say, and we'll actually help you do it if you want to. But one of the things that um I want to say about inspiration, people need people like you to inspire them through tough times. I have somebody in my life right now who had a horrible, horrible loss. And getting through this is um really, really um difficult with a capital D. And so when I see what what they've gone through and what you go through, I think that you know, having having a positive attitude, having um, I don't know what your spiritual belief is, but believing that God will make things right somewhere, you know, it this two shall pass and God doesn't God doesn't make junk and he takes care of us. Um, I think that that's um inspiring. So for people who are having a hard time getting through uh circumstances and situations, unforeseen or foreseen that they they just can't handle for whatever reason, um, I think that people like you can lift them up and be an inspiration. So I want to say thank you for being somebody who will speak out and share your story and let people know that really you can get through anything, right?

SPEAKER_02 32:54

Yeah, that's why I put my story out there because like I'm also accepting of it too. Um, I can if I wasn't accepting of it, I don't think I would be posting it. Yeah, so I just I think I kind of accept it and I was okay. Uh and I'm also myself online too, because you see me in a shop, right? You're gonna get the same Joe you see online. Yeah, a bubbly personality online, and then in in the stories, you get this monotone Joe. You know, like that, that's why I say don't meet your your actors in person, because you know Leonardo is you know, Leonardo Capital isn't you know Jack from Titanic all the time. Uh yeah, that's the top of my head, but like uh yeah, so that's also another thing. Like I'm happy I could do that because it's just interesting how just some guy from a small town in Jersey just could be that like positive inspiration for people.

SPEAKER_04 33:52

Yeah. Yeah, well, you make a difference, and that's what this, that's what this show is about, making a difference. And um, for people who um who need to hear a conversation like this, um, they need to have, we need to have continue having guests like you who are making a difference not only for themselves, you know, you I mean you had a lot of people, you had a lot of people who stepped in in order so that you would be able to actually be here and have this conversation today. You know, if there were if the Good Samaritan didn't pull you out of the fire, um, you know, if if that you didn't have the proper team to help, you know, put you literally put you back together, um, you know, it would be a whole different story, but it's not. And and you've maintained um an incredible attitude, and you are an incredible gift to me and to a lot of people who hear and learn of your story. I I truly believe that. So if you don't write something for daily gift of inspiration, I'll ask you for permission to write something about you. We'll talk about it, but but I just want to let people know this series, daily gift of in daily gift book series, gratitude was first, hope was second, kindness came next, a daily gift of peace. We talked about that last week with Andy from um Voice Against Trafficking, a daily gift of friendship. And now we are putting together our daily gift of inspiration. And if any of you who are listening would like to know more about that, just go to daily giftbookseries.com. The information is there, so you can look for it there. So, what would you consider to be a gift for today, Joe?

SPEAKER_02 35:38

Uh I don't know how to Uber Eats is a good gift today for me. Uh I dropped my food this morning. I was I was like looking forward to it, and I dropped it right when I was about to put on the stove. Oh, instead I got a cop salad.

SPEAKER_06 35:54

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 35:55

Yeah, I think that was a good gift.

SPEAKER_04 35:59

Yeah, great. It's something to be grateful for.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

Um like like nothing like but like actually like an actual gift, like working out. Um because my mom made these hand hooks to like work out because I can't lift heavy, uh, with just like my bare hands anymore. Uh so she like customized these hook things so I can have cushion on my wrist.

SPEAKER_06 36:21

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 36:22

So I can lift like somewhat heavy, not to my liking, but uh, I just have to be more careful with the weights. So I think that's a good gift today, it's just being able to like lift weights again.

SPEAKER_04 36:33

Mm-hmm. Yeah, and the and the fact that you have the ambition to do so is is a gift. Um, do you have a do you have a daily gratitude practice? Do you practice gratitude every day?

SPEAKER_02 36:46

Uh I think I don't know, probably not. Probably is uh I do the bike every day, but I guess that because I you know, I wasn't able to walk uh after my coma, which that's uh that was like uh a huge gut punch because I was a gym rat. So like from squatting like 400 pounds to like not even able to walk, it's like whoa. And like and like now there's like videos online I I post of me like leg lifting uh 450 75 pounds. Wow, so like that's a good gratitude uh I have. Yeah, and then also like being able to play with my dog Ranger every day and you know take care of Kirkland who who's alone like with Jessica because he's getting old, he's 10 years old, Kirkland. So he's a senior dog, so I have to separate them too. So I but I have to but I get the same love to Kirkland. Yeah, he gets a little more treats, but yeah, but Ranger goes outside more and like enjoys he goes Ranger goes on more walks while Kirkland goes outside in the backyard, has his peace and quiet, you know, in sunset.

SPEAKER_06 37:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:58

So I I I guess playing with my dog is a good credit too because you know I could play with him with my burnt hands. I wouldn't be able to like to throw a ball to him or carry a toy for him.

SPEAKER_04 38:11

But you can now, and that's that's awesome. That's awesome that you have the ability to do that. Recently, I saw you posting some things about an organization called My Face, My F-A-C-E. Do you want to um just so that people know what we're talking about, you want to give me a little bit of insight into that organization and why you are associated with them and what the what you know what you can share with the audience about that particular organization?

SPEAKER_02 38:38

Yeah, so my face is a nonprofit charity that I got invited last year to a gala, which I had no clue about. And then from there, I was like, oh, this is actually a pretty cool community. And like I was welcomed uh into a very like immediate, I was welcome to it. And then after that, I went to a a 5k walk for like a dog to cluster, and I brought my dog there too, and that's when I met the CEO director, uh Bill. And me and him were just like like best friends now. We text like almost every day, which is it's interesting because he's like he's he's in his 60s. I'm texting him every day. So like I he's like my mentor now and my friend, and uh my face is just like uh for facial differences a lot of flips, and you know, I just uh I helped him out as much as I can because like it's a really nice community, and they're helping me out uh two weeks ago. I went to the ACPA conference for the first time, and like that was like a whole nother world I never knew about, and it's so interesting to learn about like different facial differences and how people grow up with like cleft lips and everything and what they go through like struggling. I was like, wow, like here I am, like how I am now, and then they grew up like that. I I'm assuming it's a lot a lot harder growing up like that, yeah, because you're always asking why, why, why, and you have to go to school, and that's hard. Yeah, going to school is just a pimple on your face is hard. I can just imagine a cleft flip, you know. Yeah, or just the wrong shirt, you know, is is bad. So like it's always it's always interesting to hear different people's stories because everyone is different. Uh because one person with a cleft lip has a different story than another person with cleft foot. And it's like, you know, I have a face transplant, so I don't and I got this at 20, so I like I kind of experienced life in a way. Because like uh I was doing a lot at a young age because my dad. I was like also hanging around with adults, so I experienced all that. Uh so it's just it's just so interesting, like learning from other people, yeah. And like also helping them.

SPEAKER_04 41:06

Yeah. And my face is is uh not just cleft lips, but um bone deformities and all different kinds of all different kinds of ailments that could affect the growth of um, you know, affect the the face as we consider to be a normal quote unquote normal face. Um there they these people have uh some challenges with the way that they either had, as you say, a cleft lip or a bone deformity or anything like that. No, the charity does does it help with uh um surgical procedures? What do they what do they actually do for besides acceptance? Because that's the biggest thing. You know, just because somebody looks different on the outside doesn't mean that they don't have a big heart on the inside. Proof positive, right here.

SPEAKER_02 41:57

Yeah. Uh it's a little fun fact, they actually supplied my apartment I got after my transplant. I stayed in the city for a month.

SPEAKER_06 42:05

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 42:06

And they they paid for it. I didn't know about that. Uh so they just did that, and my hospital was like, Yeah, here's an apartment, but they didn't say who's it from or nothing. So I didn't have anyone to thank, you know, besides my doctor in the hospital. So they'll they'll supply that, and then they'll, you know, help supply uh like for surgeries. They also have a like a little book bag thing for like parents that had babies like with facial differences and deformities, then they'll supply them with like baby wipes and like outlets to other people and uh like medical things to it.

SPEAKER_03 42:45

Right.

SPEAKER_02 42:48

I should I shouldn't have more learned more about the medical part to it, but they have like this whole backpack filled with supplies for moms with babies like that, and then yeah, they also do camps uh that I will be like attending in September, uh just you know help motivate kids, like hey, like I don't I look like this, I don't have my skin anymore. I'm still out here dressing how I dress and live my life.

SPEAKER_03 43:12

Yeah, and you like your clothes, you like your you like your spiffy looking clothes, right?

SPEAKER_02 43:18

Uh yeah, and like they'll see that, and like I also show off my legs, I don't wear jeans in summer unless I'm going to a restaurant at night. Like, so I'm pretty revealing, and like it's gonna be hard for a kid to be that confident at that age, but hopefully they can start building from it and be inspired, like oh wow, like okay, he's doing that. I'm also like big, I'm I'm six one. So like I kinda I stand out there too, and like so you know, it's just it's just it's really it's really cool to see just kids be inspired. It's like, oh wow, yeah, I know I can do that because I never like thought I could do that. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 43:59

So do they Have um they have support groups and stuff for these people for for people who are um qualified to be with the um with the program so to speak. Do they have support groups and and all that?

SPEAKER_02 44:13

Yeah, even like uh uh this this one girl, Ali Stoker, she's a part of my face of it. She's in a wheelchair without a facial difference. And like she's a part, she's a big supporter of it too. And like, you know, like I never met her yet. I don't meet her scene, but uh you know, like me and her together with like collaborating would be like a huge inspire for people because not only on the facial difference, but she's also people in like with handicapped situations. I don't know that world. So like it'd be really cool to learn from her experiences. I think it's all about learning about experiences and then just learning from it and then also trying to help out as best as you can.

SPEAKER_04 44:59

Yeah. Yeah, I think what you're doing is great, is great stuff because I think that the biggest thing that people want more than anything else is acceptance for who they are, um, regardless of what they look like. I think that um, you know, like nowadays, um, you know, glamour magazines and all that, like, oh, you have to look like this, you gotta dress like this, you gotta do this, you gotta do that. And in the meanwhile, a lot of those people are what I call plastic people because they aren't real. You know, they aren't real. They have no personality, they just have their looks and they don't know, they they won't, um, and I'm not saying saying anybody in particular, just in general. Um most of most of that is unattainable. Those um those um, you know, those women who have like the perfect figure, and and then how many women, how many women just starve themselves and do whatever they're doing to be better, to be looking better, because that's what the magazine says you have to look like. But in the meanwhile, the only thing that matters to uh really matters is the heart inside the the attitude. Um, and you have an attitude of gratitude, you have an attitude of inspiration, you you just um you're like one of my favorite guests to have on the show because you are really you walk, you walk, and you talk, you talk, even though it might be painful sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 46:30

Uh I know, yeah, Lily. Yeah, I have a down days. You know, like uh I wake up with a lot of hand pains like wow, like I wish I had my little hands back again. Or if I can't open up something, it's like, oh I wish I could, or I have a weight for somebody to help you.

SPEAKER_04 46:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:48

Yeah, like especially lifting weights, it's like, man, I wish I could go back to benching like 300 pounds or the 250.

SPEAKER_04 46:57

But that comes and goes. Yes, I know that you recently um had a stint in the hospital um to manage that. And um, is it not something is it something that you deal with every day, or it gets more intense and then it it eases up?

SPEAKER_02 47:13

Uh that it was just a a hiccup. Uh so my doctors are like a biopsy. I just had a flare for some reason. They don't know why. It could have been to like stress, or just I was in the sun too long, or just something happened that I don't know about because acupuncture and helps out a lot with pain.

SPEAKER_06 47:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:35

And so I had to cancel that appointment. So I was like, oh, I can because I knew something was up, yeah. I just didn't know it was it was that extent because I needed steroids to come in to calm it down. Uh but that is a part of normal uh I have I was in the hospital for nine months. Well, that's like a record. And my doctor's like, we're not counting this because it was only for three days. And it was just it's not a rejection, it was just a hiccup, you know, it's just a flare-up assumption that happened. Uh because I went because I go uh into the hospital once a month for a transplant fusion, which also helps kept me out of the hospital for nine months.

SPEAKER_05 48:14

Nice.

SPEAKER_02 48:15

And even then they did a box scene, like they saw nothing, so that's why they didn't bring me in. But I was like, I I got in contact with my team. I was like, hey, I'm in like a lot of hamping, I can't make it to my acupuncture appointment on Tuesday. I was like, Well, it'll come in Monday morning then. Because uh, you know, I had it, I had tag along with Jessica at four o'clock in the morning, which that's not I'm not a morning person. So like that's not fun waking up four o'clock in the morning, yeah, and having to talk to someone.

SPEAKER_04 48:46

Well, she's uh she she's a trooper, that one, four o'clock in the morning and into into the city and walk to work and and still sometimes is doing her videos on the way.

SPEAKER_02 48:59

Yeah, yeah. It's always funny seeing hearing pop up here and there. I don't see them half the time. My mom's like, did you see what Jess says? It's hilarious. You have to watch it. I was like, No, I didn't see it, and I follow her.

SPEAKER_04 49:11

Yeah. One of these days we'll get the two of you on the show together because I I I love the relationship that you have and um you know the support that you have with each other. I mean, you you you're both supportive to each other, and it's uh it's just a beautiful thing. Is there anything that you want to touch on that we we haven't talked about? Anything else about your what anything that you want me to pay attention to specifically in the book? Like, is there a favorite part that you want to share?

SPEAKER_02 49:44

Uh I think some of the quotes, I I forget some of the quotes, but but there's one by 50 Cent that always sticks with me. It's I didn't ask for this life, I want to live it anyways. And it was in this movie, uh Get Richard Die Trying. And like 50 Cent's my favorite rapper. And uh that growing up, I that quote never meant nothing to me. But then after having that accident, I was like, oh wow, like yeah, I didn't ask I didn't ask for this life at all. I'm still gonna live it. Yeah, you know, because he grew up in like poverty, like a bad life. He didn't ask for that life. Yeah, but he he lived it and now he's a you know one of the best rappers in the world. Yeah, and it's like that quote really like meant something to me. And also uh a green uh the green barreck wrote I have saying uh like be on be comfortable being uncomfortable. Yeah, and that's that was a big one because uh it's not comfortable being an eight percent burning. Uh yeah, it's it's uncomfortable because I can't move my arms, my left arm, I can't you know put up shape. You know uh like I like going on roller coasters, I can't put I have to use my right arm only. And sometimes if I'm strapped in with a uh seatbelt, I can't reach up all the way. So I need help. So like you know, it's uncomfortable, but you know, I'm still gonna live it. I had like I have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_05 51:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 51:14

And that's something I've been telling to my like the people at my face, like, yeah, I gotta now it's you know, you know, try being on you, be comfortable being uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_04 51:23

Yeah, yeah. I love that you said roller coasters. Are you somebody that rode the roller coasters with your hands in the air screaming all the way from the top to the end?

SPEAKER_02 51:32

No, no, no, just I'm not that person. I'm holding on. But I'm gonna join, I like we like me and Jessica like roller coasters. That's something like enjoy doing together. Yeah, uh, so she's always buckled me in and putting the thing down for me. That's uh but yeah. Uh that's fun. Uh but yeah, always like enjoying that. And that that also doesn't affect my transplant, which I was happy about.

SPEAKER_04 51:55

Yeah, that's good. So, what do you see for your future, Joe? What are some of your goals that you want to attain in your future? We have about seven or eight minutes left. Let's talk about what you've got lined up for your future. What are your aspirations?

SPEAKER_02 52:09

Uh, hopefully just to start doing public speaking. Um, I would say the the ACPA conference that like my face invited me out to, uh like they like brought me out there. They uh hopefully just start doing that more and just just spreading more awareness of just my story and like like situations and hopefully speaking at more events at like schools. Because I also did a speaking event in my high school uh actually last year, and actually probably a year, close to a year now. And like seeing like juniors and sophomores being all like inspired by me, that was like, oh wow, it's pretty cool. And like when they see me at Dunkin' Donuts or quick check when I'm back in my hometown, they like they call me out and like, oh wow, you inspire me. And like oh that's pretty cool. Like, I know you guys will apply it when I was talking. You you know, it didn't seem like I did anything to you guys, but it turns out I did. They just I guess at all, I don't know, but like in private, they're like all excited. I'm like, oh, it's pretty cool. This is my hometown. Yeah, just you're making a difference.

SPEAKER_04 53:15

You're making a difference, Joe. You're making a difference, you know. Every word that you you get the opportunity to speak to share inspiration and share hope and share, you know, gratitude and all of the all of the good things that come from you, um, despite your journey. I mean, your attitude is just amazing to me. Amazing.

SPEAKER_02 53:38

Yeah. Also, like I would I would like to get a car, like that's a goal of mine. Uh just to show people, like, hey, like I was in a really bad car accident. I'm still I drive just this car, but I'd like to get back in a muscle car again. And just to like show, like, hey, like, it is possible to get back in a car that you love to drive and uh to be confident, like you shouldn't really be scared to drive again, even if you were in an accident, even though a lot of people take like accidents like that really like to heart. Uh just like a simple fender bender, people reach out to me and like you know, you just you have to cope with it the best way you do. You know, you can't do it like me. I like you just jump in the pool, you know. You know, you sink or swim. That's how I do it, you know, sink or swim.

SPEAKER_04 54:28

But uh so what's it what's you what's the best you said about the car. What what uh what's your car? What's your next car? What do you uh is your dream car right now?

SPEAKER_02 54:40

Well, I'm trying to save up for a Hellcat uh charger because I I had a I had an RT challenger, but I'm you know being more responsible. I want a four-door car, uh cheaper insurance with a four-door car. And then like I would also I'd like to get Jessica like a uh like a Hellcat Durango. So we we both want Hellcats. It's a different trim, uh same trim level, but different style of cars. So that'd be pretty cool to have like two Dodges in a driveway.

SPEAKER_04 55:10

Nice, nice. What else? You do um you can you uh think about your future? And so you said you wanted a bigger house. You think you'll always stay in the New Jersey area, or do you uh you have um dreams to live someplace else in the country, or what what do you think?

SPEAKER_02 55:29

We want like to have a bigger house in in Jersey. Uh the public school is a lot better in Jersey, but then like we'd also want like a condo or something small in California to just when it gets too cold in Cal in Jersey, you know, just take a week in ship, you know, back in LA for to see Jessica's family.

SPEAKER_06 55:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 55:50

Like not pay for a hotel or Airbnb.

SPEAKER_06 55:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 55:53

Those things are they get pricey after a while. And like, you know, I'd be pretty cool to buy cool still one day.

SPEAKER_04 56:02

Do you see children in your future?

SPEAKER_02 56:04

Hopefully, yeah. Like, you know, we're married, so it won't pass out. Uh it's nothing bad. Like she finally got her last name changed over. Uh she just changed over her uh plane tickets, like her airline fairs. Uh yesterday, actually, she had a call to get that was the hardest one.

SPEAKER_06 56:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 56:22

Driver's license was the easiest. The hardest was airplane ticket.

SPEAKER_06 56:26

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 56:27

And it's like the weirdest things is the hardest things. But like the hard, like you think social security will be the hardest. No, she just say I got my name changed. Here's my you know, proof of marriage. Oh, here you go. Yeah. But like to change airline tickets, like they need like 20 documents. She's like, What?

SPEAKER_04 56:46

Wow, crazy.

SPEAKER_02 56:47

I know.

SPEAKER_04 56:49

Yeah, there's a lot, a lot of a lot of strange stuff going in the world. I I'm like, keep it simple, you know. Keep it simple.

SPEAKER_02 56:56

Yeah, that's why I tell a lot of people too. Like, uh when I go to like places, just you know, stay in your own lane, you know. It doesn't matter if someone stares at you for five seconds, they're gonna stare at you, judge you for five seconds, and move on and do the same exact thing as someone else. Yeah, like so you're so like the next person, you're out of their thoughts already.

SPEAKER_06 57:17

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 57:18

So like you uh you're still in there, like uh, like yeah, you're still thinking about them, even though they're not thinking about you.

SPEAKER_06 57:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 57:27

So yeah, that's how I that's how I got over my like a lot of my like stairs.

SPEAKER_04 57:33

Saying your own lane. Good advice, good advice. So if somebody wants to get a copy of your book or wants to talk to you about a speaking engagement or any of those things, um, your website, you want to give your website?

SPEAKER_02 57:47

Uh 80%gone.com.

SPEAKER_04 57:50

Yeah. The number 80 and percent is spelled out.

SPEAKER_02 57:54

Yeah, percent and then gone and then.com.

SPEAKER_04 57:57

Right. Okay. And um, you still have books available. They can this is the only place where they can get them, 80%gone.com. They're not on Amazon, they're not available anywhere else. And um, you do, I know you do offer uh to autograph because I have an autograph copy right there. Yes, and uh great story. I'm so glad that you wrote your book. Um, and I look forward to um all that is ahead for you and Jessica and your your puppy family that you have there. Yeah, yeah. We thank you, Joe, for coming here and talking about your situation um and and being the person that you are. Not only are you um helping other people through your attitude, but now you're also uh collaborating with MyFace and doing what you can in order to be able to make people feel that regardless of what has happened in their life, life goes on and you have to make the best of it. And I think that that's the conversation that makes a difference for me every time I talk to you. So thank you for that.

SPEAKER_02 59:05

Thank you. Yeah, that's all right.

SPEAKER_04 59:07

You're welcome. So, all right. So I can't believe our hour has gone already. It's done. It just flew by. And I just want to say to everybody out there, thank you for tuning in. Make sure you go to Teresa Villardi at on YouTube, Teresa Vellardi and like our page, like our subscribe to the YouTube page, go to conversations that make a difference on Facebook, like us there, and we go live every Tuesday at 5 p.m. Eastern. So join us the next time. And until then, make sure the conversations that you are having are making a difference for someone else and for you. See you next time. Stick around, Joe.

SPEAKER_00 59:52

That brings us to the close of another episode of Conversations That Make a Difference with host Teresa Vellardi. We want to sincerely thank you for tuning in and sharing your time with us today. Our greatest hope is that today's discussion inspired your personal growth, encouraged you to share your unique gift, and gave you the courage to write your own magnificent story. If this message resonated with you, let's keep the conversation going. Take a moment to like, comment, and subscribe on YouTube, and follow us on our Conversations That Make a Difference Facebook page. This will ensure you never miss a moment of inspiration. We air new episodes every Tuesday at 5 p.m. Eastern time. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe. It truly helps us reach and empower more people. Until next time, keep making a difference. We look forward to welcoming you back next Tuesday to our next conversation.