“We are eloping!” announced Joe DiMeo and his fiancée Jessica Perez on their wedding website.

The New Jersey couple are slated to get married on December 5, 2024, marking a new chapter in Joe’s life after surviving a horrific car accident and undergoing a historic face and hand transplant.

The 26-year-old man first gained attention for the terrible accident in July, 2018. He was driving back home from work after a night shift when he fell asleep behind the wheel, leading to his vehicle veering off the road and hitting a curb.

The car then burst into flames, leaving 80% of Joe’s body covered in burns.

Joe DiMeo and Jessica Perez announced their December 2024 wedding, marking a significant milestone after Joe’s life-changing face and hand transplant

Image credits: Joe DiMeo

Image credits: Jessica Koby

After enduring a grueling four-month hospital stay, half of which he spent in a coma, he embarked on an extraordinary road to recovery that changed his life and inspired countless others.

“I was in hospital for four months, and around half of that I was in a coma,” he told Newsweek in January this year. “Then I spent some time coming back to my feet somewhat quickly, and by the fourth month I went to rehab.”

The New Jersey couple shared glimpses of their engagement photos on social media with heartfelt messages and excitement for their upcoming wedding

Image credits: Jessica Koby

Image credits: Jessica Koby

His recovery included a groundbreaking 23-hour face and double hand transplant in 2020 at NYU Langone Health, making him the first person to successfully undergo such a procedure.

While he still has limited use of his hands and facial muscles, he has made remarkable strides over time. He was eventually able to move his lips, use his face to blink and raise his eyebrows.

Joe’s incredible recovery journey began after a 2018 car accident left him with severe burns covering 80% of his body, leading to a historic 23-hour transplant surgery

Image credits: Joe DiMeo

Image credits: Jessica Koby

Joe also went on to find love in 2021 after Jessica found his story online and reached out to him on Instagram.

They quickly hit it off and despite being on two opposite sides of the country, they couldn’t spend a day without talking to each other.

“I was just drawn to the way that he carried himself in his interviews. He’s a very hard-working person, so despite being disfigured, he was just ready to go back to work. I think that his ambition was what intrigued me the most,” she told the outlet.

In 2021, Jessica reached out to him on Instagram and formed an instant connection that blossomed into love

 

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A post shared by Joe DiMeo (@joeroydimeo)

@jessicakoby Our engagment photos 🤍 Hair & makeup: Alexa Branco 📸: @Nature Nuptials I love you Joe 🤍 Kirkland & Buster 🐾 #engagement @Joe DiMeo ♬ original sound – Music Travel Love

Jessica eventually moved to New Jersey, and the happy couple bought their first home together last year. They got engaged in September, 2024, and are now planning their December wedding.

“We’re excited to take the next step in our story and celebrate our wedding with the people we love,” they wrote on their wedding website. “Thank you for being part of our journey!”

Jessica eventually moved to New Jersey to be with him and they bought their first house last year

@jessicakoby Replying to @alik_gladiator ♬ Take My Breath Away – EZI

@jessicakobyPictures and videos from Saturday at our engagement shoot 🤍♬ Stumblin’ In – CYRIL

Jessica shared pictures of their engagement photos on Facebook last week.

“Sneak peak of our engagement photos! Thank you so much @naturenuptials for these amazing photos. And to @alexa.branco for my hair and makeup,” she wrote on Facebook.

“We’re excited to take the next step in our story and celebrate our wedding with the people we love,” the couple said as their countdown to their December 5, 2024, wedding continues

@joestransplantjourney Mid week motivation #inspiration #facetransplant #facetransplantsurgery #faceandhandtransplant #handtransplant #burnsurvivor #inspirational #fuypage #fyp ♬ original sound – Supreme Henry

@jessicakoby @Joe DiMeo ♬ Your Guardian Angel – The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

“I love you Joe,” she also wrote on Instagram. “Can’t wait to get married.”

Meanwhile, Joe shared photos to his own Instagram grid and wrote, “Big things going down on December 5th.”

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