Facing the Fire: The True Story of a Firefighter, a Face Transplant, and the Fight to Keep Living

by Pat Hardison

He lost his face in a fire. He never lost his faith.

When firefighter Pat Hardison ran into a burning home, he came out alive—but with injuries so severe, he was unrecognizable. Facing the Fire is his raw, unfiltered true story of survival, a record-breaking face transplant, and the God who never left him in the flames.

For the next fourteen years, Pat lived behind skin grafts, pressure masks, and the constant stares of strangers—fighting to be the husband and dad his family needed when every mirror told him to quit.

Then came an unexpected call from New a chance at the most extensive face transplant ever attempted. The surgery would be dangerous. The outcome uncertain. But it might be his only shot at more than survival.

Facing the Fire is the plainspoken, unforgettable true story

A man who refused to let tragedy write the ending

The loved ones who walked every mile beside him

A groundbreaking medical miracle that made history

And the God who never left him—even in the fire

Raw, gripping, and deeply human, Pat takes you inside the real cost of courage—one surgery, one hard decision, one answered prayer at a time.

If you’ve ever wondered where hope comes from when life burns everything down, this book will show you.

223 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 5, 2025

Reviews

[VDKeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all! Some books stop you cold—Facing the Fire by Pat Hardison did that for me. He lost his face in a fire, but never his faith.

Pat takes you into that day—the smoke, the flames, the moment survival came with a cost. For fourteen years, he lived behind masks and grafts. Then came the call—a dangerous, uncertain face transplant that offered his only shot at more than survival.

What makes this unforgettable isn’t just the medical miracle—it’s Pat’s unshakable faith. He doesn’t sugarcoat the pain or the doubt. But through every surgery and setback, he shows us a God who never left him in the flames.

Raw, inspiring, and humbling—this story will stay with me for a long, long time.

[Misty Pitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t typically read nonfiction, but this was an interesting and powerful read for me! I absolutely loved it!

[Jackaline Rutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was powerful. The struggles were real. The feeling raw. And it made you realize how strong one person can be. Our first responders risk everything and do it willingly and would do it again, even if it means risking all. Worth the read and kept me wanting to read it all - now! It was hard to put down even though my emotions were on a rollercoaster ride.

[Rachel Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this 4 stars because the timeline in the book was a little hard to follow. I loved that one was included. But this hit home to me. Not because I live near the area but because his inner (and outer, for that matter) dialogue, questions of logistics, faith, family, the outside world, managing the raw world of healthcare, was also my story. My situation wasn’t fire related. But the rest of it certainly applied. And we both will face those outcomes the rest of our lives. Thing is- our stories aren’t over. Who knows what’s around the corner? Respect.

[Scott Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book of the year. Well written and very gripping.