I Was Shot in the Face When I Was 18. Now, After 37 Surgeries, I’m Taking My First Real Bite of Food

At just 18, Amedy Dewey’s world was shattered when her stepfather shot her in the face during a brutal act of domestic violence that claimed her mother’s life. Now 25, and after enduring 37 surgeries over seven years, Dewey is reclaiming something many take for granted—her first real bite of food.

In 2018, on a freezing winter day in Michigan, Amedy’s stepfather picked up her and her mother from the airport. What began as an argument in the car turned into a nightmare when he pulled over, pulled out a gun, and opened fire—shooting Amedy first, then her mother, before turning the gun on himself. Amedy survived against all odds.

Doctors gave her a slim chance of surviving the devastating injuries. The bullet had traveled through her shoulder and face, shattering her upper jaw, teeth, and the roof of her mouth. But she fought. And she kept fighting—through years of surgeries, setbacks, and painful recoveries.

Her most recent operation, in November 2024, was a breakthrough: surgeons rebuilt her upper jaw using bone from her fibula, and she finally received new teeth. For the first time in seven years, she could chew.

“The first thing I ate was a grilled cheese,” she says. “I took a bite, looked at my dad, and just started dancing. I felt like I was on top of the world.”

She later savored a bacon burger—something that, before, she could only eat in tiny pieces. “Now I can actually bite through food. It feels incredible.”

Through her recovery, Amedy has found new purpose. She’s become an advocate for domestic violence awareness and gun safety, determined to help others recognize red flags she wishes she had seen earlier. “He had threatened to shoot my dog when I was 15. There were so many signs,” she says. “I want people to know when they’re not in a safe environment—and get out.”

She’s now working toward a degree to become a trauma therapist. “For a long time, it felt like my only purpose was just surgery after surgery. Now I’m using my voice to help others,” she says. “If people can find strength in me, I’ll keep reopening these wounds for them.”

The road has been anything but easy. Amedy vividly recalls the pain, isolation, and moments of doubt. But she also remembers the deep connection she still feels with her mother. “There have been times I’ve felt her with me—guiding me. When I’ve hit my lowest points, I’ve felt her warmth and heard her voice: ‘You’ll be okay, baby.’ I know my mama is right beside me.”

Now, with a prosthetic eye on the horizon, she’s looking forward. “This journey isn’t over,” she says. “But I’m alive, I’m healing—and I’m finally able to take a real bite out of life.”