Former Disney Channel star Christy Carlson Romano has opened up about her recovery after being shot in the face while celebrating her husband’s birthday.
The 40-year-old actress, best known for portraying Ren Stevens on Even Stevens and voicing the titular character in Kim Possible, revealed the horrific details of her accident in an Instagram post.
“So I got shot in the eye. It was not fun. I am safe,” Romano said, pointing to a deep bruise underneath her right eye.
She pulled down her eyelid to expose severe redness and damage, and said: “This is really bad tonight,” before taking a moment to remind fans to “be grateful for every day”.
Despite the bruise, Romano kept her sense of humor, joking: “I get to say I got shot in the face, and lived to tell the tale.”
In the caption of the post, the Disney star explained that an unsafe gunshot from another party at the event is what led to her injury.
“Yesterday was my husband’s birthday and I took him to shoot clay pigeons as a present. There was another party with us and they unsafely fired in the wrong direction and shot me in the face,” she penned.
Her husband, Brendan Rooney, immediately jumped into action and rushed her to the hospital as Romano was hit in five places, including one shot that was less than an inch from hitting her right eye directly.
Reflecting on the terrifying moment, she shared an emotional message of gratitude: “With everything that happened, all I can think about is how grateful I am to be alive. I love my daughters, husband, family, and friends so much.”
“I saw my life flash before my eyes and I’m telling you, hug the people around you every chance you can. Life can change in an instant,” she added.
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On Tuesday, February 11, Even Stevens star Christy Carlson Romano took to social media to share an update on her recovery after visiting an oculoplastic surgeon.
“It is a miracle,” she wrote. “The shot was less than 1mm from permanently blinding me. @drseanpaul also explained that the shot missed all the vital parts of my eye by moving around them like a marble hugging the curve of a bowl (it’s an anomaly).”
Doctors have determined that a pellet fragment below her eye cannot be removed, as attempting surgery could result in permanent blindness.
Another fragment lodged in her forehead has fused into her skull, and medics have decided to leave it in place since it could actually help the healing process.
Despite the close call, Romano assured her 751K followers that she “should fully recover with no issues at all.” However, she revealed an unexpected long-term consequence: “I may never be able to get an MRI again.”
Support poured in from fans, many expressing their relief at Romano’s recovery. “Wow that’s incredibly lucky holy moly. Sending you healing love!!!” one wrote. “Definitely a miracle! Im so happy you are okay,” another said.
“So happy for you. This moment will forever change the way you think about everything. Thanks for sharing…be well,” a third added.
