How Brooklinn Khoury’s Resilience Shined After a Life-Changing Dog Attack

Meet Brooklinn Khoury—a name that once soared through the skateboarding and modeling scenes, destined for greatness until fate dealt a harsh blow. During a seemingly ordinary visit to her cousin’s home in Arizona, she faced a life-altering event: an unexpected dog attack.

“I was just in the kitchen, hanging out with a dog I thought I knew well,” she recounted. “Then, in the blink of an eye, he jumped up and latched onto my upper lip.”

That shocking moment was back in 2020, just as Brooklinn was on the brink of a breakthrough—her social media presence was booming, and a clothing brand had its eyes set on her for modeling their skate gear. But the savage bite shattered those dreams, completely severing her upper lip and throwing her life into a whirlwind of uncertainty.

Despite undergoing multiple surgeries, she felt the weight of hopelessness creeping in as doctors grimly informed her that a full recovery was unlikely. “I spent a whole year searching for a doctor who could truly help me,” Brooklinn shared. “Each time, I heard, ‘Your life will never be the same.’”

But Brooklinn’s mother, Melissa Demenagos, was not ready to accept defeat. With relentless determination, she researched and discovered Dr. Nicholas Do, a skilled plastic surgeon at UCLA Health specializing in microsurgery and craniofacial reconstruction.

“He was the first doctor who genuinely inquired about my overall well-being—not just my physical injury,” Brooklinn recalled. That pivotal moment ignited a new chapter in her healing journey.

Dr. Do immediately grasped the intricacies of Brooklinn’s injury and the formidable challenges ahead. “With injuries like Brooklinn’s, it’s essential to reverse-engineer the trauma, as no two cases are alike,” he explained. “You need to master the anatomy of the face down to the tiniest detail—what should the contours be? How does light and shadow play a role? And how can we ensure proper function, like breathing?”

Over 14 months, Dr. Do performed five intricate surgeries to reconstruct her face and restore both its appearance and function, utilizing skin from her wrist to create a new upper lip.

Each surgery brought its own set of challenges, but Dr. Do was committed to achieving a holistic outcome. “In complex facial reconstruction, modern medicine often focuses too narrowly on one aspect,” he noted. “I had to consider aesthetics, functionality, and every element of the face’s anatomy as a cohesive whole, adapting my approach with each procedure.”

Brooklinn’s final surgery took place in February 2023. Through it all, her unwavering determination and the support of loved ones fueled her resilience.

After her first surgery, her father, Ephrem Khoury, shared empowering advice that echoed in her heart: “You can let this affect you, or you can take it one day at a time and live your life.” Brooklinn chose the latter, embracing each day with renewed vigor.

Her expanding online community became a crucial source of strength during her recovery. As she bravely documented her journey on social media, her following skyrocketed from 20,000 to over 1 million. Her candid images before and after each surgery struck a chord with people worldwide.

“One of the most profound lessons I learned was to love myself through every step of this journey,” Brooklinn reflected. “Even on the toughest days when I struggled to look in the mirror, I had to embrace my reflection.”

Today, Brooklinn is not just a survivor; she is a beacon of self-love and resilience. Using her platform to uplift others facing similar challenges, she emphasizes that her journey was about so much more than physical reconstruction.

“It wasn’t just about rebuilding my face,” she said, “It was about rebuilding my entire life.”