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Oprah Winfrey interviews Charla Nash, the Stamford woman who was mauled by a 200-pound chimpanzee on Feb. 16, on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" Wednesday. Nash revealed her badly disfigured face during the interview. The chimp also tore off her hands. |
She said she is "not all the way" aware of the extent of her injuries, and said that not knowing gives her less to worry about.
Nash had hoped to regain her eyesight, even though doctors told her she would not see again. "They don't know what they're talking about," she recalled thinking after doctors told her she would not regain her sight.
"But the eye doctor came in a couple weeks ago and said that it's a shame they had to remove my eyes, and that's when I really knew," she told Winfrey.
But Nash said she is not in pain. She walks through the halls of the hospital during the day, pushing herself to do so even if she does not feel well. She said she wears the veil to avoid scaring people.
"Sometimes other people might insult you, so I figure maybe it's easier if I just walk around covered up," she told Winfrey.
Nash said she misses her 17-year-old daughter, a high school senior who is living in Stamford with friends but visits often. She spoke about her daughter's upcoming prom, saying she hoped the teenager would select an appropriate dress and have a good time at the dance.
Nash also spoke about the chimpanzee, named Travis.
"I'd like to put across to people's minds that these exotic animals are very dangerous and they shouldn't be around," she said. "There's a place for them that is not in residential areas, that's for sure."
The chimpanzee was familiar with Nash, and Herold has said she did not know why he attacked her, but speculated that the chimp did not recognize Nash that day because she had a different hairstyle and was driving a different car.
In her interview with Winfrey, Nash said she always feared Travis.
"I do remember going to feed him a couple times, and he was big and scary," Nash told Winfrey.
"Was he scary?" Winfrey asked.
"Yeah. He was huge," Nash said.
Nash's family is suing Herold on her behalf. In a statement to Winfrey's show, Herold's lawyer, Robert Golger, said: "All of Sandy's hopes and prayers are with Charla and her daughter in this challenging time. Sandy has always tried to help Charla and wishes her the best. When Charla lost her job, it was Sandy who provided her with employment and a place to live. Sandy hopes and prays for a full and speedy recovery."
Nash said she is not a candidate for a hand transplant because she cannot see.
She said she hoped she could get a face transplant someday, and receive a hand transplant at the same time. The hands and face would come from the same donor, she said.
Someday, Winfrey told Nash, she will be able to move out into the world and people will see her and not know how to react. What did she want to say to those people?
"I'm the same person I've always been," Nash said. "I just look different. You know, and there's things that happen in life that, you know, you can't change it. You know, it's a tragedy."
•Staff writer Régine Labossière contributed to this story.
Nash had hoped to regain her eyesight, even though doctors told her she would not see again. "They don't know what they're talking about," she recalled thinking after doctors told her she would not regain her sight.
"But the eye doctor came in a couple weeks ago and said that it's a shame they had to remove my eyes, and that's when I really knew," she told Winfrey.
But Nash said she is not in pain. She walks through the halls of the hospital during the day, pushing herself to do so even if she does not feel well. She said she wears the veil to avoid scaring people.
"Sometimes other people might insult you, so I figure maybe it's easier if I just walk around covered up," she told Winfrey.
Nash said she misses her 17-year-old daughter, a high school senior who is living in Stamford with friends but visits often. She spoke about her daughter's upcoming prom, saying she hoped the teenager would select an appropriate dress and have a good time at the dance.
Nash also spoke about the chimpanzee, named Travis.
"I'd like to put across to people's minds that these exotic animals are very dangerous and they shouldn't be around," she said. "There's a place for them that is not in residential areas, that's for sure."
The chimpanzee was familiar with Nash, and Herold has said she did not know why he attacked her, but speculated that the chimp did not recognize Nash that day because she had a different hairstyle and was driving a different car.
In her interview with Winfrey, Nash said she always feared Travis.
"I do remember going to feed him a couple times, and he was big and scary," Nash told Winfrey.
"Was he scary?" Winfrey asked.
"Yeah. He was huge," Nash said.
Nash's family is suing Herold on her behalf. In a statement to Winfrey's show, Herold's lawyer, Robert Golger, said: "All of Sandy's hopes and prayers are with Charla and her daughter in this challenging time. Sandy has always tried to help Charla and wishes her the best. When Charla lost her job, it was Sandy who provided her with employment and a place to live. Sandy hopes and prays for a full and speedy recovery."
Nash said she is not a candidate for a hand transplant because she cannot see.
She said she hoped she could get a face transplant someday, and receive a hand transplant at the same time. The hands and face would come from the same donor, she said.
Someday, Winfrey told Nash, she will be able to move out into the world and people will see her and not know how to react. What did she want to say to those people?
"I'm the same person I've always been," Nash said. "I just look different. You know, and there's things that happen in life that, you know, you can't change it. You know, it's a tragedy."
•Staff writer Régine Labossière contributed to this story.
Bottom line people is the state failed her and is negligent, she deserves every penny outlined in her complaint and then some. By failing her the state failed all of us. Put yourself in her position and you would not be making comments as noted below, "I don't think the state should pay her a nickle" wrong.
joeyboy1 (11/13/2009, 3:33 PM )