james maki


59, endured a 17-hour operation last month.

He had been left with a hole in the centre of his face after falling onto an electric subway rail in 2005.For years he barely left the house, scared of the reaction he would receive from passers-by.But after seeing Dr Bohdan Pomahac discussing face transplants on television, he decided to look into surgery.The results were made public at a news conference at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.Mr Maki said he was amazed how much he looks like he did before the accident. He first saw his new face four days after the operation.

"I just wanted to see what the new Jim looked like," Mr Maki said.

The donor was Joseph Helfjot, who died after a heart transplant.