‘New chance at life’: Man gets face, hands in rare surgery

NEW YORK (AP) — Doctors say a 22-year-old man from New Jersey is recovering after receiving a rare face and hands transplant. Joe DiMeo had the operation in August, two years after he was badly burned in a car accident. Such transplants are extremely rare and have happened only twice before. Experts say the procedure appears to be a success, but it’ll take a while to know for sure. Since the surgery, DiMeo is relearning how to smile, blink, pinch and squeeze with his new face and hands. He’ll have to take lifelong medication to avoid rejecting the transplant.