Richard Norris(01 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris ties a fishing fly at his home in Hillsville, Va. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(02 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris ties a fishing fly at his home in Hillsville, Va. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris, Andrew Kahle(03 of24)
Open Image Modal Richard Norris, back right, fishes in a stream near his home in Hillsville, Va., with friend Andrew Kahle, left. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(04 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris fishes in a stream near his home in Hillsville, Va. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(05 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris fishes in a stream near his home in Hillsville, Va. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris, Andrew Kahle(06 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris, right, shows friend Andrew Kahle, left, how to load line into a fly fishing rod at Norris' in Hillsville, Va. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(07 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris talks to a friend after fishing in a stream near his home in Hillsville, Va. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris, Andrew Kahle(08 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris, left, ties a fishing fly at his home in Hillsville, Va., as friend Andrew Kahle, right, looks on. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris, Andrew Kahle(09 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris, right, shows friend Andrew Kahle, left, how to load line into a fly fishing rod at Norris' in Hillsville, Va. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(10 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris looks out from the porch of his home in Hillsville, Va. The man whose face was disfigured by a gunshot spent 15 years as a recluse, but now the 37-year-old is doing things he never would have before. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(11 of24)
Open Image ModalRichard Norris completes homework for an online art history college course after visiting with doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Norris' face and the face transplant -- considered the most extensive face transplant performed to date -- that ended a hermit-like life for him, he faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide. Now he's starting a new life with the hope that his life path will send a message of hope to people in similar situations and encourage empathy in others. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris, Eduardo Rodriguez(12 of24)
Open Image ModalIn this June 18, 2013 picture, Richard Norris's skin is inspected by Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, who led the surgical team that performed Norris face transplant, during a visit at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Norris' face and the face transplant -- considered the most extensive face transplant performed to date -- that ended a hermit-like life for him, he faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide. Now he's starting a new life with the hope that his life path will send a message of hope to people in similar situations and encourage empathy in others. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
(13 of24)
Open Image ModalIn a series of four photos provided by the University of Maryland Medical Center and a June 18, 2013 Associated Press photo, face transplant recipient Richard Norris, the recipient of the most extensive face transplant performed to date, is seen in a prom photo, from left to right, a photo taken before his face transplant, a photo made six days after the transplant and a photo made 114 days after the transplant. Norris received the transplant in a 36-hour operation in March 2012. It included the replacement of both jaws, teeth, tongue, and skin and underlying nerve and muscle tissue from scalp to neck. Norris was injured in a gun accident in 1997. (AP Photo/University of Maryland Medical Center and Pat Semansky) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(14 of24)
Open Image ModalIn this June 18, 2013 picture, Richard Norris sits in the office of Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, who led the surgical team that performed Norris face transplant, at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Norris' face and the face transplant -- considered the most extensive face transplant performed to date -- that ended a hermit-like life for him, he faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide. Now he's starting a new life with the hope that his life path will send a message of hope to people in similar situations and encourage empathy in others. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris, Eduardo Rodriguez(15 of24)
Open Image ModalIn this June 18, 2013 picture, Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, center, who led the surgical team that performed Richard Norris face transplant, speaks with Norris at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Norris' face and the face transplant -- considered the most extensive face transplant performed to date -- that ended a hermit-like life for him, he faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide. Now he's starting a new life with the hope that his life path will send a message of hope to people in similar situations and encourage empathy in others. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(16 of24)
Open Image ModalIn this June 18, 2013 picture, Richard Norris sits in the office of Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, who led the surgical team that performed Norris face transplant, at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Norris' face and the face transplant -- considered the most extensive face transplant performed to date -- that ended a hermit-like life for him, he faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide. Now he's starting a new life with the hope that his life path will send a message of hope to people in similar situations and encourage empathy in others. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris(17 of24)
Open Image ModalIn this June 18, 2013 picture, Richard Norris speaks with a psychiatrist during a visit to the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Norris' face and the face transplant -- considered the most extensive face transplant performed to date - that ended a hermit-like life for him, he faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide. Now he's starting a new life with the hope that his life path will send a message of hope to people in similar situations and encourage empathy in others. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris, Eduardo Rodriguez(18 of24)
Open Image ModalIn this June 18, 2013 picture, Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, who led the surgical team that performed Richard Norris face transplant, photographs Norris at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Norris' face and the face transplant -- considered the most extensive face transplant performed to date -- that ended a hermit-like life for him, he faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide. Now he's starting a new life with the hope that his life path will send a message of hope to people in similar situations and encourage empathy in others. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
Richard Lee Norris(19 of24)
Open Image ModalIn photos provided by the University of Maryland Medical Center, face transplant recipient Richard Lee Norris, the recipient of the most extensive face transplant performed to date, is seen a photo taken before the face transplant, left, and in a photo made 114 days after the transplant was performed. Norris, 37, of Hillsville, Va. received the transplant in a 36-hour operation in March 2012. Seven months after undergoing the most extensive face transplant in history, Norris is finally coming out of hiding. Thanks to a combination of potent medications and dogged determination, Norris is healing faster than anyone expected, according to his doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where his transplant was performed. (AP Photo/ University of Maryland Medical Center) (credit:AP)
Eduardo D. Rodriguez M.D., Branko Bojovic M.D., Michael Christy M.D., Daniel Bousuk M.D., A H Dorafshar(20 of24)
Open Image ModalEduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D., at podium, Chief of Plastic, Reconstructive and Maxillofacial surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and his team, left to right, Doctors Branko Bojovic, Michael Christy, Daniel Bousuk, partially blocked, and A.H. Dorafshar, explain the most extensive full face transplant completed to date performed on Richard Lee Norris during a news conference Tuesday, March 27,2012 at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.(AP Photo/Gail Burton) (credit:AP)
Eduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D.(21 of24)
Open Image ModalEduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D., Chief of Plastic, Reconstructive and Maxillofacial surgery at the University Medical Center, explains the most extensive full face transplant completed to date performed on Richard Lee Norris, pictured at left, during a news conference Tuesday, March 27,2012 at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.(AP Photo/Gail Burton) (credit:AP)
Eduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D., E. Albert Reece, M.D., Stephen T. Bartlett, M.D.(22 of24)
Open Image ModalAt podium, left to right, are University of Maryland Medical Center doctors E. Albert Reece, M.D., Stephen T Bartlett, M.D. Eduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D., Chief of Plastic, Reconstructive and Maxillofacial surgery at the University Medical Center and his team as they explain the most extensive full face transplant completed to date performed on Richard Lee Norris, pictured at right, during a news conference Tuesday, March 27,2012 at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.(AP Photo/Gail Burton) (credit:AP)
Eduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D.(23 of24)
Open Image ModalFILE - In this March 27, 2012 file photo, Eduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D., Chief of Plastic, Reconstructive and Maxillofacial surgery at the University Medical Center, explains the most extensive full face transplant completed to date performed on Richard Lee Norris, pictured at left, during a news conference at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. Norris, 37, of Hillsville, Va. received the transplant in a 36-hour operation in March 2012. Seven months after undergoing the most extensive face transplant in history, Norris is finally coming out of hiding. Thanks to a combination of potent medications and dogged determination, Norris is healing faster than anyone expected, according to his doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where his transplant was performed. (AP Photo/Gail Burton) (credit:AP)
Richard Norris, Eduardo Rodriguez(24 of24)
Open Image ModalIn this June 18, 2013 picture, Richard Norris, center, speaks with Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, who led the surgical team that performed Norris face transplant, during a visit at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In the 15 years between a shotgun blast that ravaged the bottom half of Norris' face and the face transplant -- considered the most extensive face transplant performed to date -- that ended a hermit-like life for him, he faced cruelty from strangers, fought addiction and contemplated suicide. Now he's starting a new life with the hope that his life path will send a message of hope to people in similar situations and encourage empathy in others. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)