The Resurrection of Amalia Mendoza News for Naples, FL from Naples Daily News

Video

Eight years after a horrific car accident, a Colombian woman gets a chance at a more normal life. In this three-part series, the Daily News tells the stories of Amalia Mendoza, the victim of a terrible car crash that robbed her of her face, and David Trainer, the man who brought her back to as close to "normal" as possible, through words, photographs and videos.

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Special note: This video by Daily News visual journalist Greg Kahn was accepted into the 2009 Naples International Film Festival. Click here to learn more about the film festival »

Amalia Mendoza lost her face in a car accident in May 2001. She came to Naples to have a prosthetic face made for her by David Trainer, one of the world's leading prosthetic makers. View full gallery »

These are details from the process of making the prosthetic face for Amalia Mendoza, who lost her face in a car accident in May 2001. She came to Naples to have a prosthetic face made for her by David Trainer, one of the world's leading prosthetic makers. View full gallery »

Amalia Mendoza, who just two years ago was given a new lease on life by having a prosthetic face made, returned to see the man that changed her life. View full gallery »

More photos of Amalia Mendoza »

The Resurrection of Amalia Mendoza

Stories

Putting on a good face: Amalia’s prosthesis has changed her — and those around her Published 6/12/2010 at 4:05 p.m. 4 comments
When I first met Amalia Mendoza, I knew of her situation. I’d seen photographs of the damage a car crash had caused her face. But seeing it in person is nonetheless jarring. Without her prosthesis, Mendoza looks like something from ...
The Resurrection of Amalia Mendoza: The accident and the miracle worker Published 8/1/2009 at 5:02 p.m. 5 comments
Chapter One: For seven years, Amalia Mendoza lived in a state of near isolation. A tragic accident cut her off from an outside world where once she was the center of everything.
The Resurrection of Amalia Mendoza: The light of the party goes dim Published 8/2/2009 at 7:15 p.m. 0 comments
Chapter Two: Amalia Mendoza’s survival is nothing short of a miracle. The doctors who have examined her since the accident come to that conclusion. The sheer magnitude of the injuries surely signals death in 99 out of 100 cases, and ...
The Resurrection of Amalia Mendoza: Becoming whole again Published 8/3/2009 at 12:03 p.m. 0 comments
Chapter Three: The two months in the fall of 2008 that separated Mendoza’s first visit to Naples and her return were hard for both Mendoza and David Trainer, the man building her facial prosthesis.
The Resurrection of Amalia Mendoza: Amalia goes home to show off new face Published 8/3/2009 at 1:07 p.m. 0 comments
Editor's note: Amalia Mendoza’s resurrection wasn’t complete when David Trainer attached her finished prosthesis. She still had the long journey back to Valledupar, Colombia, her hometown. Daily News photographer Greg Kahn followed her home to document the final phase of ...
The Resurrection of Amalia Mendoza: From crash victim to blending into society Published 8/3/2009 at 12:26 p.m. 2 comments
The Daily News will tell the stories of Amalia Mendoza, the victim of a terrible car crash that robbed her of her face, and David Trainer, the man who brought her back to as close to “normal” as possible, through ...