Nicole Moschella
Mary Jo Buttafuoco can finally smile again 25 years after being shot in the head at her New York home by high school student Amy Fisher.
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Fisher shot Buttafuoco on the porch of her home after having an affair with her husband, Joey Buttafuoco, on May 19, 1992. Mary Jo survived the attack and moved on with her life, divorcing her husband in 2003. She has since stayed out of the spotlight except for the occasional TV appearance.
The attack left Mary Jo paralyzed on one side of her face and deaf in one ear. The surgery was so dangerous, a bullet remained lodged in her neck.
Last month, she underwent a surgery repair her partially paralyzed face. Dr. Babak Azizzadeh was able to repair some of the damaged nerves in her face and performed a face life. For the first time in years, she can finally smile.
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“It’s the first time in 25 years that when I smile, I can see the side of my teeth,” she told Inside Edition following the operation. The produced was also documented by IE.
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Mary Jo has also been working to raise funds and awareness for others struggling with facial paralysis. She said that it is often an overlooked condition and can destroy a person’s self-esteem.
“It’s very, very difficult,” she told KTLA last year. “When you see somebody, the first thing you notice is their smile, and their face.”
