Charla Nash made headlines four years ago after a friend’s chimpanzee mauled her so badly she needed a new face.
Today, blind and still missing her hands, Charla has undergone a full facial transplant, given glass eyes and fitted with false teeth.
However she lost something far more important in that brutal attack; her independence.
Living quietly in a Massachusetts nursing home, Charla explained to the Boston Herald that she can't even feed herself anymore.
“Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot I can do. I’ve lost so much independence.
"I could change my own truck tire, and now I can’t even feed myself.”
Charla doesn’t remember the terrifying episode that almost claimed her life; in 2009, a friend's ageing chimpanzee escaped from the cage it was kept in and viciously attacked her.
Charla has now made peace with what happened to her, explaining that she remembers "feeling sorry for him" after looking at the chimpanzee in his small and restrictive cage.
"My thoughts were always, 'How is she allowed this animal in her house? What if he gets loose someday and someone gets hurt?' - I know the animals are cute, but they're not just pets."
Charla no longer feels much pain - and is slowly adjusting to her new face - but she mostly regrets the loss of her hands . All she has now is her right thumb and a stump beneath her left elbow - and it is a "big disappointment" to the formerly fiercely independent woman.
“It’s a big disappointment for me. As independent a woman as I was, it’s very hard to live. Not even live — half-live.
"Sometimes you want to cry, you want out, you want some kind of home. I don’t know what my future is, that’s the scary part.”
Worst of all for Charla is the fact that the staff and other residents in the nursing home keep their distance from her - something which she suspects is due to fear over her appearance.
“It’s very hard if everyone in the facility isn’t on your side and they’re not making it easy for you.
"I block it out and do what I need to do. That’s what carries me on. I’ve never been a quitter.”
We hope that Charla Nash eventually finds peace and independence, in some small way.
In the meantime, we are inspired to hear that this brave woman is working on creating a video to encourage stronger laws regarding the captivity of exotic animals and hope that she knows people continue to support her.