Beauty student puts on brave face after being beaten to pulp by her boxer boyfriend

A beauty student who was so badly battered by her boyfriend that medics couldn't tell what sex she was has spoken for the first about the attack.

Tirion Lewis was left in a coma for a month - and has spent 18 months trying to recover from the brutal attack by 6ft 2in bareknuckle fighter Wayne Fox.

The 20-year-old - who was 19 at the time of the attack - was yesterday in a specialist brain clinic where trauma specialists are still trying to help her get back to a normal life.

Recovering: Tirion Lewis's physical scars have healed - although the university student is still undergoing treatment after suffering post traumatic stress disorder, memory loss and epilepsy

Horrific attack: Tirion was 19 when she was savagely beaten after being kidnapped and attacked by boyfriend Wayne Fox

University student Tirion said she does not remember the horrific beating by the thug.

She said: 'It's still unbelievable what has happened to me. I'm finding it very difficult for it to sink into my head.

'I still cannot believe that Wayne did this to me. Nothing will be enough for what he has put me through and for what he has done to my family.

'I remember nothing about the attack. I had only been seeing him for three months and he had no reason to do what he did.

'All I can think is that he was jealous that I was out with one of my friends and not him.'

Tirion was kidnapped by paranoid schizophrenic Fox as she sat in a car listening to music with her best friend Miriam Lewis.

He punched her 'time after time' until she sunk into a coma in the motiveless attack in woodland.

She recovered from her wounds - but suffers from brain injuries which leave her forgetting things within hours of them happening.

She also struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy and short-term memory problems.

She said: 'I am taking it one step at a time. We have got a long way to go. My memory is terrible. It's frustrating, but I am now getting one-to-one care.

'It's just taking a long time.'

She is at the Oliver Zangwill Centre in Cambridgeshire, where Britain's leading brain trauma specialists are hoping they can help her find answers.

Tirion was listening to music with a friend in her Ford Ka outside her family home when Fox, 23, stormed up to the car.

A court heard the burly bareknuckle fighter began talking 'nonsense' then said: 'Why are you doing this to me?.'

The boxer smashed his bare fist through the window before driving terrified Tirion and her friend Miriam Evans, 19, to forestry for the brutal attack.

Brave Miriam was also beaten - but managed to flee to raise the alarm to save her friend's life. Tirion yesterday paid tribute to her.

She said: 'I'm still really close to Miriam. If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't be alive. She's a legend.'

Miriam said Tirion, her best friend since childhood, was unconscious on the floor and could not talk.

She said: 'It was really hard leaving her but I had to go to get help as I was the only one conscious.

'But I wanted to make sure Wayne had really gone - I thought he might come back and finish her off.'

Fox later told psychiatrists: 'The devil was telling me over and over to hurt my girlfriend.'

Fox, of Aberystwyth, West Wales, faces being jailed for grievous bodily harm with intent, kidnap, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving.

Sentence was adjourned by Judge John Diehl and Fox was remanded in custody until next week at Swansea Crown Court.

Tirion's dad Dilwyn Lewis said the events of that September night in 2009 will stay in his mind forever.

He said: 'It was the worst day of my life. When someone can't recognise their own daughter, well, it is very difficult to come to terms with that kind of situation.'

Since the attack, Tirion has had treatment for a variety of injuries including a fractured pelvis and damage to her spleen and kidneys.

She has had skin grafts, had her teeth done and had scar tissue removed from her lips.

Mr Lewis, a property developer, said doctors have described her recovery as 'miraculous'.

He said: 'At the moment, we are coming on well, but we have all had enough. It's all about time now.

'She's come such a long way and is getting better gradually. What we have got to remember is that she was so close to death, so her recovery is miraculous.

'The progress that's been made on her appearance since the attack is hard to believe.'

Thug: Bare-knuckle fighter Wayne Fox, right, kidnapped Tirion, far left, and Miriam Evans. Tirion's friend raised the alarm after the attack

Woman suing McDonalds after finding GLASS in her McChicken

Law suit: McDonalds are being sued for $600,000 after a McChicken Sandwich contained glass

A woman is suing McDonalds after biting into a McChicken sandwich - and finding a piece of glass inside.

Vjolla Lecaj, from Chicago, suffered ‘severe and permanent oral injuries’ her legal team have alleged in their claim.

She is suing the fast food giants for £375,000 ($600,000) following the incident.



Ms Lecaj was eating in McDonalds in Oak Lawn, Illinois, when she chewed on the glass – without realising it was there.

She is claiming product liability and negligence in the 12-count claim against McDonalds.

The restaurant is accused of not inspecting and maintaining equipment or checking the sandwich in the indictment.

The incident happened on August 5 last year, according to the writ filed at Cook County Circuit Court.

Ms Lecaj suffered ‘great pain and anguish’, it is alleged.

She is taking action against the Oak Lawn branch, McDonald’s Corporation, McDonald’s USA, LLC and JDD Investment Company.

None of those named in the writ have made any comment.

Las Vegas hotel guests left with severe burns from 'death ray' caused by building's design

Guests at a new hotel in Las Vegas have complained of receiving severe burns from a 'death ray' of sunlight caused by the unique design of the building.

Due to the concave shape of the Vdara hotel, the strong Nevada sun reflects off its all-glass front and directly onto sections of the swimming pool area below.

The result has left some guests with burns from the powerful rays and even plastic bags have been recorded as melting in the heat.
Chicago attorney Bill Pintas felt the power of the dangerous ray first hand last week.


'It felt like I had a chemical burn. I couldn't imagine why my head was burning,' he said.

'Within 30 seconds, the back of my legs were burning. My first though was, 'Jesus, they destroyed the ozone layer!'

Death ray: Guests at the Vdara hotel in Las Vegas have complained of receiving severe burns from the intense spot of sunlight reflected off the building

Gordon Absher, a spokesman for MGM Resorts, which owns the Vdara hotel, said they was aware of the issue and designers were working with resort staff to come up with a solution.

In fact it is claimed that the designers foresaw the issue with the reflecting sun but thought they had solved it by installing a high-tech film on the south-facing panes of glass.

However, Mr Absher, conceded it had not been enough and some of the guests had suffered as a result.

The Las Vegas Review Journal quotes one hotel employee as saying the building's design causes the sunshine to be diverted 'like a magnifying glass that shines down' over a space of about 10 by 15 feet as the poolside.

And as the Earth rotates, the spot moves across the pool area. The 'death ray' can increase temperatures by around 20 degrees.

While the designers work on fixing the problem, the hotel is looking at getting some larger, and crucially, thicker umbrellas to provide better shade for guests.

No fun: Some of those trying to sunbathe at the swimming pool had to run for cover to escape the intense heat

Matador escapes death by the skin of his teeth after horrific goring in Madrid bullfight

Critical: The torero was lifted off the ground by the force of the bull's impact before being hurled to the sand floor.Impaled: Spanish bullfighter Julio Aparicio is gored through the throat during a packed bullfight at Las Ventas in Madrid

 

Spanish matador Julio Aparicio needed two operations after he was horrifically gored through the throat during a bullfight in Madrid.

The half-ton bull, called Opiparo, struck after Julio Aparicio lost his footing and stumbled while carrying out a pass with is red cape in a packed Las Ventas bullring.

One of the animal's horns tore into his throat and punched through the bottom of his mouth as the crowd screamed in horror at the bullfight last night.The force of the impact lifted the matador into the air, puncturing his tongue and fracturing his jawbone, before the bull threw him to the sand.


Horrific: The bullfighter loses his footing and slips to the sandy floor before the half-ton bull gores him through the throat.Shocked: Mr Aparicio had to have two emergency operations to install a tracheotomy and reconstruct his jaw and the roof of his mouth

Fellow matadors dashed to the rescue and managed to distract the bull so medics could get to Mr Aparicio.

The 41-year-old managed to struggle to his feet, but collapsed with blood pouring down his neck and had to be carried from the ring.

He had an emergency one-hour operation in the Las Ventas medical centre, before being transfered to the October 12 Hospital in Madrid, where doctors performed an emergency tracheotomy and worked to reconstruct his jaw, tongue and the roof of his mouth during a six-hour operation.
A spokesman for the hospital said: 'He remains in the intensive care unit of the hospital, has regained consciousness and his vital signs are stable.'

His father, also called Julio Aparicio, said there were no complications during the surgery.

He said: 'It was a serious goring. Almost his entire mouth was destroyed.

'It's too early to talk of recovery, we must wait and see.'

The injury happened as Mr Aparicio was attempting the faena, a series of passes in which he uses his cape and sword before delivering the death blow - or estocada.

It is not known what has happened to the bull.
Mr Aparicio, from Seville, comes from a well-known family of matadors. He is in a grave condition in hospital.

Evening bullfights are watched by sell-out crowds at the 25,000 seat Las Ventas bullring and are broadcast live on cable television.

Six bulls are killed in each bullfight.

Woman whose face was torn off by a chimp released from hospital

Charla, who has hidden her face under a hat and veil, with her daughter Brianna

Travis, the pet chimpanzee, was shot and killed by police following the attack.Charla Nash, whose face was ripped off by her friend's pet chimpanzee, has finally left hospital more than a year after the attack

 

A woman who lost her hands and much of her face when she was mauled by a chimpanzee has been released from hospital.

Charla Nash was discharged from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio on Thursday night and transported to a Boston-area assisted-living centre, where she plans to continue her rehabilitation.

Bill Monaco, an attorney for Ms Nash's family, told The Associated Press: 'She's going to be learning some skills necessary to become independent.

'She needs a rehab facility while they assess what they can do for her in the future.'



Ms Nash was attacked by 200lb pet chimpanzee Travis in February 2009 after its owner asked her to help lure the creature back into her house in Stamford, Connecticut.

The animal ripped off Ms Nash's hands, nose, lips and eyelids.

Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, who have performed multiple surgeries for Ms Nash, released a statement reading: 'Ms Nash has made great progress in her recovery. She is doing well and has been discharged from the Cleveland Clinic.

'Throughout her stay she has touched the lives of many of our employees; we wish Charla and her family all the best.'Mr Monaco said Ms Nash's goal is to have more reconstructive surgery and learn to live independently.
The Cleveland Clinic performed America's first face transplant in 2008 but told Ms Nash's family in January that she is not a candidate for a face and hand transplant.

Ms Nash, who revealed her heavily disfigured face in November on The Oprah Winfrey Show, was taken to the clinic soon after the attack.

Her family is suing the chimpanzee's owner, Sandra Herold, for $50million and wants to sue the state for $150million - saying that state officials failed to prevent the attack.

The chimp was shot and killed by police after the attack, and tests showed he had the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in his system.

The chimp had also escaped in 2003 from his owner's car and led police on a chase for hours in Stamford. No one was injured.

Woman whose face was shot off to get new magnetic prosthetic ... so she can raise her son without wearing a mask

New beginning: Left, Chrissy Steltz, her face covered by a sleep mask, laughs during an interview. Right, Chrissy as a teenager shortly before the horrific accident that tore away her face

Recovery: Left, a computer graphic shows how Chrissy's face will look after the surgery. Right, an X-ray of Chrissy's skull shows the missing eye socket and nasal cavity - as well as shotgun pellets that remain embedded in her head

An American woman is set to have a total mid-face reconstruction after losing her eyes and nose in a horrific shooting accident.

Chrissy Steltz, 27, was just 16 when her friend accidentally blasted a shotgun in her face at point blank range.

Eleven years later, doctors are set to reconstruct her face with a silicone mask with a nose and glass eyes, magnetically attached to dental implants drilled into her remaining bones.The never-before-attempted surgery will, she hopes, allow her to raise her young son without wearing a mask.

Because she has no eye sockets or sinus cavity, doctors are unable to perform a face transplant.

Instead they are to mask her injuries with artificial eyes and a nose of silicone.

The mask will be held in place by magnets attached to eight implants embedded in the remaining bones of her face.

The $20,000 (£13,000) three-hour surgery is not covered by health insurance as it is considered cosmetic - so doctors have donated their time and skill.

And if all goes well, by this summer, Chrissy will once again have a face.




Determined: Doctors operate during one of Chrissy's many surgeries

Just like any other girl: Chrissy refused to let her injuries hold her back, returning to school to attend her high school prom...

Finding love: Chrissy with her partner and the father of little Geoffrey, Geoffrey Dilgers

... and going whitewater rafting with friends



Teen sweetheart: Chrissy with her boyfriend at the time of the accident, Will O'Brien

What it will be like: Chrissy meets Lisa Glendinning, a patient who has has a similar prosthetic applied to one side of her face

A mom without a mask: Chrissy cuddles her eight-month-old son Geoffrey

Chrissy made incredible strides towards living a normal life after the horrific accident when she was just a high school student in Portland, Oregon.

She learned to read Braille and walk with a cane.

Attending a school for the blind she fell in love with another student, Gregory Dilgers. The pair have since had a son, also named Geoffrey. He is eight months old.

When Chrissy goes to sleep at night, she told ABC's 20/20, she dreams she can see little Geoffrey before her.
'I see his chubby cheeks and his gorgeous eyes and his perfect little lips,' she said.

'When I go to bed every night ... my dreams are fully sighted. I still see the sky. I still see … you know, the ocean.

'The oddest of dreams is I'll pull off my sleep-shade and I'll look just like I did when I was 16,' she said. 'And I'll throw the sleep-shade on the ground and walk off.'

It was during her spring break in 1999 that the horrific accident occurred.

She recounted how she was at her Portland flat with friends one day, admitting they were doing 'what teenagers shouldn't do' - drinking.

She went to get some orange juice, she said, and found a friend holding the 12-gauge shotgun.

'My words were, "Put that down before you kill somebody,"' she said.

'And he told me, "It's not loaded."
She was just five feet away from him at the time. 'Yep. And from that moment is when my life changed.'

Her boyfriend at the time, Will O'Brien, rushed into the room seconds later.

He told 20/20: 'I don't know if you have ever seen like a wounded animal trying to get up?

'That's what I saw. I saw an injury that nobody survives, except somebody really strong. And she was trying to get up.'

Chrissy was rushed to hospital, where doctors saved her life - but not her face.

The blast tore away her left eye socket, her nose, and the supporting mid-facial structures. It damaged her right eye so much that she lost all vision.
Doctors were amazed she survived the blast. She was in a coma for six weeks - and when she awoke she thought she had fallen asleep during a car journey with her family.

It was O'Brien who broke the news of what happened to her.

The only one of her five senses that wasn't affected was touch, she said. 'I have no smell. I have no sight. I have a little taste.'

But she refused to let her injuries stop her. She went on to her high school prom and graduated with straight As.

'I knew I could sit back and have a pity party, or I could figure out what to do and go about doing it, and that's exactly what I did,' she told 20/20.

At classes for the blind, she met Geoffrey Dilger. By coincidence he also lost his sight at 16, though in his case it was due to a rare illness.

Seven years into their relationship, the couple had baby Geoffrey.

'I would like for him to be able to grow up with his mom not needing a sleep-shade,' Chrissy said.

And if all goes well with the surgery, she may just get her wish.