The Oprah Show Guests We Can't Stop Talking About

Terrence's bullet had obliterated her upper jaw, the roof of her mouth, her nose and an eye. In one 10-hour marathon operation, surgeons cut a piece of bone from her leg and shaped it into a new jaw. They rebuilt her eye socket, replaced the roof of her mouth, and took skin from her neck and shaped it into lips. Rebuilding her nose was nearly impossible, so Carolyn wears a prosthetic one.

After 13 surgeries, a team of doctors and specialists pushed the limits of reconstructive surgery and were able to restore Carolyn's shattered face. 

Track the progression of Carolyn's face through her years of surgery

Carolyn says the ordeal that started when she survived the unthinkable has made her into a more courageous and stronger woman. "God does things for different reasons. I think that he knew that I was going to be strong. He knew that I wasn't going to be ashamed of how things turned out and that I was going to go out and be the best advocate that I could be. The best motivational speaker I could be. And, you know, encourage other women to do the same thing that I'm doing."

Watch how Carolyn's story has inspired viewers