Charla Nash, Chimp Attack Victim, Shows Face On "Oprah" (PHOTOS)

Charla Nash, the Connecticut woman mauled by a 200 pound chimpanzee in February, appeared on "Oprah" Wednesday to reveal her face and share heartbreaking details on her life since the attack.

SEE THE PHOTOS BELOW

Nash who turned 56 Tuesday revealed "the remnants of her missing eyes, nose and lips," as ABC News described it.

Nash told Oprah that she feels no pain but that she tries not to touch her face so as to avoid knowing the full extent of her injuries.

"I don't ask a whole lot about my injuries... I know that I have my forehead," she said. She now drinks her meals "with a straw through a small hole where her mouth used to be," ABC added.

Nash lost both her hands in the attack, as well as her nose, an eyelid, and lips. Doctors removed her eyes due to an infection, and only recently did she learn she'll no longer be able to see.

"Only . . . in the past couple of weeks did she realize that she no longer had eyes, because she had been saying that she was hoping to be able to see at some point," Oprah said, according to the New York Post.

Nash now walks around her Cleveland hospital — from which she might be released soon — in a veil.

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She says she wears the veil "so I don't scare people. And sometimes other people might insult you."

PHOTO:

NASH UNDER THE VEIL:

NASH BEFORE:

WATCH:

Comments

[SuzanneZ]

If there's a lesson here - besides don't be ignorant about animals you keep - I don't think it's that we should be thankful it's not us. Or just marvel at how strong she is while asserting that we wouldn't be (implying that we'd kill ourselves if we were her.) We still have to live in a world where things like this happens, to us or people we care about... And perspective can only do so much to make you happier about your life.

If anything, it shows our fear of being ostracized because of what we look like, how closely we connect physical beauty and ability with not just happiness, but feeling that our very existence is worthwhile at all - see all the comments that "I'd rather die". But fact is, she's gone through it and she does want to live. Her priorities have obviously changed. She realizes her appearance horrifies people, she obviously has disabilities to deal with from now on, but she has kids she cares about, she has her life - she adapts. She knows we probably don't get another life.

If something like that ever happens to me, I hope I'll feel the same way. I hope what's worthwhile in my life and my existence isn't limited to my looks, or even physical abilities. Even though they're hugely important to me. It's almost impossible to imagine the pain of losing them. But I still hope they're not everything there is to my existence.

[Geosurface]

I think people may be trying too hard to draw lessons and conclusions off this very rare event. We've all heard of plenty of people owning chimps that never do anything like this. Keep in mind, we are animals too. If you want to talk about how a chimp's proper life can only be lived in the wild, well you may as well say the same of us. Maybe that's why we're all on anti-depressants and such, we aren't meant to live this way? Oh well, we do it anyway because it has it's advantages. It has advantages for chimps too, to live with humans rather than in the wild. Not saying it's preferable, just saying that maybe the only lesson here is "rare tragic events happen occasionally" - that's all. Not every bad thing that happens in the world has to be a springboard for policy changes.

[lioness39]

Having worked in the field of animal welfare for many years, I saw first hand the tragedies that can evolve when one chooses to hand-raise in their homes wild animals of great physical strength. Chimpanzees are especially dangerous after the age of six. This is only one of the many tragic aftermaths.

[annis]

What happened to Ms. Nash was horrifying. I don't get reading that hearing, and seeing about the attack is less horrible than witnessing the outcome. We are not on the supermarket line unprepared.

The program was not only about the misfigured face, but about how she was coping. It is the reality that Ms. Nash's life was saved and now that it is how she goes on. Simply that.

If you wish, see this 7 minute video interview of Jane Goodall by John Stewart, It's extraordinary. She is extraordinary and John Stewart is....... John Stewart! But very kind.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-12-2009/jane-goodall

[Pinoy Tutorial]

Was it really necessary?

looking at the video and how the face of charla nash (the 55 year old girl who got her face ripped-off by a chimpanzee) was really gruesome and one may think that Oprah may gone a little bit too far for the interview.

The person was already under in veil, wouldn't it be better if she stays in that way? rather than getting it unveiled for Public Watching.

Link: http://bit.ly/charla-nash-horrible-pictures-and-her-oprah-interview

[Musnt Grumble]

I'm not sure if I would have made the same choice myself but I do empathize with the tremendous amount of courage it must have taken to become public with such extensive injuries. I'm not sure any of us really imagined the extent of the attack until we saw it with our own eyes. I think it was an important interview.

But... "The person was already under in veil, wouldn't it be better if she stays in that way? rather than getting it unveiled for Public Watching."??? Are you serious? I'm so sorry if the sight of her offended your own sensibilities! Perhaps she should live in a cave?

[wordz]

I didn't see the interview. How was she able to speak?

[MikeCanada]

I can't watch the video, it would be too painful for me to handle. Regardless, God bless her. She is obviously a woman of enormous courage. I'm not a religious person, but I WILL pray for her.

[NoFooling]

Unbelievable.

How horrific that a person's life can be changed so dramatically by the ridiculous desire of others to own wild animals as if they were toys. Some laws actually do protect people and their friends from themselves in legitimate and important ways, and outlawing the ownership of wild animals as pets is one that should really be considered.

[liberalmyers]

I am so saddened by this lady's circumstance,I cannot even fathom what a life changing event this was for her.I only hope compassionate surgeons and the public in general treat this lady as kindly and gently as possible.Put yourself in her position,and think before you speak or type,theres a real person with feelings and emotions trapped in that facade.I hope Oprah is helping her any way she can.
And yes there is a lesson to be learned from this tragic event,but this is'nt the place nor the time.

[zort]

i am so sorry to hear of what happened to this lady. I hope she will be able to live a life which is meaningful to her.
I think the point that should be made here is that animals like chimps..intelligent beings whose real authentic lives can only happen when they are wild and free and able to respond to their own needs and instincts...can never be pets. They can only be prisoners and as such are liable to react as such. We must respect these animals and leave them where they should be. They are not ours for the taking.

[Niasia]

I don't go into anyone's home who owns a snake far more a chimp. This is very unfortunate.

[berrycooda]

How sad for her.

Remarkable that she survived that horrific attack.
I really don't know why some people insist on having animals like that for pets. Even some dogs turn violent when you least expect it.

[hippie4ever]

I'm trying to decide what is more horrifying, the results of this animal attack or the vicious comments offered by some of the posters here. I believe the latter are far worse, and I question THEIR humanity.

[Tyler-Durden]

i wish this woman infinite strength to carry her through the rest of her life. wow.

people who suffer tragedies like this do the rest of us a great service. i don't think they even know it, but they do.

ANYONE who thinks they were dealt a tough hand in life, can get a reality check from people like her. is your hand REALLY worse than something like this? frequently, it's not.

her choice to come out in public allows us to realize this, which can frequently help us get out of a rut that we're in, and move forward. her courage IS an inspiration.

she definitely has more courage than me. peace be with you always, lady.

[knightoftheroundtable]

She is indeed brave. I believe I would rather be dead.

[ellawensmom]

My sympathies to Mrs. Nash. Did they say how she feels about her friend?

[Wendy Lauzier]

She is suing her for fifty million... so I would say that they arent friends.