At 18, Katie Stubblefield’s world fell apart. After a painful breakup and years of health issues, she tried to take her own life by shooting herself in the face. Against all odds, she survived — but her injuries were devastating.

Katie lost much of her face: her nose, mouth, jaw, and parts of her forehead. She could still speak, but life as she knew it had changed forever. Doctors told her the only way to regain normal function — and a sense of self — was through a face transplant, something Katie had never even heard of.

Three years later, at just 21, Katie became the youngest person in the U.S. to receive one. The 31-hour surgery at the Cleveland Clinic was made possible thanks to a donor, 31-year-old Adrea Schneider, whose family chose to give Katie this extraordinary gift.

Katie doesn’t remember the day of her suicide attempt, but she carries the weight of it every day. “I felt so guilty for what I put my family through,” she said. Now, she uses her story to inspire others to value life and never take the little things for granted.

From tragedy came a second chance — and a face that tells the world she’s still here.