Parkland Teen Celebrates 'Shrapnel Free' Face 3 Months After Shooting
Three months after the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, Samantha Fuentes has reached a major step in her recovery.
Fuentes was one of 17 people wounded in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 people dead.
On Saturday, the high school senior shared a triumphant photo of herself in a tweet announcing that the last of the shrapnel in her face had been removed.
“Regardless of the fact I look like I lost a fight, inside I’m winning in a way,” she tweeted along with a photo that shows her face bruised and partially bandaged. “I’ve been struggling so hard to love my face again, thank you for all your support.”
My face is finally shrapnel free! Regardless of the fact I look like I lost a fight, inside I’m winning in a way. I’ve been struggling so hard to love my face again, thank you for all your support. pic.twitter.com/3Y7q7fNniq
— Sam Fuentes (@funkpuncher) May 12, 2018
The attack left her with a bullet wound in her thigh and shrapnel in her legs and face. Days after the attack, she told CNN that the shrapnel in her face would stay there permanently.
“To remove them would be more invasive than to leave them,” she said.
Despite her injuries, the following month Fuentes gave a rousing speech at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington, in which she threw up onstage.
“I just threw up on international television, and it feels great!” she proclaimed seconds later.
Fuentes then went on to lead the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” for one of the victims, her classmate Nick Dworet, who would have turned 18 on that day.
Related Coverage
Final Parkland Shooting Survivor Released From Hospital
Parkland School District Votes Against Arming Teachers
How Views On Guns Have Changed Since The Parkland Shooting
Some Parkland Families Feel Ignored By Trump
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
