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A gunshot to the head is typically a death sentence. It’s fascinating to hear about those who have defied such odds and survived these harrowing injuries, especially when considering that the survivors were also the ones who pulled the trigger. Some on this list intentionally attempted suicide, while others accidentally shot themselves. There's also a case of a failed murder-suicide attempt.
Author’s note: During my research and writing of this list, I observed that many individuals who attempt suicide suffer from depression. If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, please reach out to close friends or family. Speak to them and share your feelings. In the US, you can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-8255. They are available 24/7 and offer their services for free.
10. Christen McGinnes
On the morning of October 22, 2010, Christen McGinnes, a 45-year-old woman battling depression, decided she had reached her breaking point and made the choice to end her life. She had recently lost her job after 18 years of service, as well as her mother, a close friend, her dog, and even her insurance. To make matters worse, Christen had stopped taking her medications. She turned to alcohol, hoping it might ease her pain, but it only made things worse.
With her revolver within arm’s reach, Christen swiftly cleaned her apartment, knowing that her family, friends, and the authorities would be coming after her death. She made the decision to take her life on her balcony, not wanting to stain her living space. As an organ donor, she chose to shoot herself in the head to ensure her organs would remain intact. Aiming just below her chin, she pulled the trigger—but nothing happened.
It turned out that only four of the five chambers of the revolver were loaded, and Christen had unknowingly placed the unloaded barrel under her chin. She attempted once more. This time, the bullet entered her head, causing severe damage to her jaw and right eye. Though she lost consciousness, she somehow survived the attempt.
After undergoing multiple surgeries, doctors reconstructed her shattered jaw using iron plates and rib bones. Today, Christen volunteers, offering support to others who are struggling with depression.
9. George
In 1988, George was struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which caused him to repeat behaviors like washing his hands, showering, and rearranging objects. This made his life significantly harder, as he found it difficult to concentrate, leading him to leave both his school and job. Soon after, depression took hold, and George considered suicide. He confided in his mother, who suggested he simply shoot himself.
George went down to his basement, retrieved a .22-caliber shotgun, and shot himself through the mouth. Despite the bullet entering his head and damaging his left frontal lobe, he survived. In an unexpected twist, the suicide attempt appeared to cure George’s OCD. His IQ returned to its pre-disorder level, and he went back to school, where he became an A student.
Doctors were amazed to discover that George had seemingly cured himself after the bullet hit his left frontal lobe. Scientists had long suspected a link between this area of the brain and OCD. In fact, neurosurgeons often resort to removing part of the left frontal lobe as a last-ditch effort to treat the disorder.
8. Victor Sibson
Around 2:00 AM on April 19, 2017, a 21-year-old Victor Sibson, under the influence of alcohol, decided to end his life. He grabbed a handgun, aimed it at his left temple, and pulled the trigger. The bullet traveled behind his left eye, exited his head, and struck his 22-year-old girlfriend, Brittany-Mae Haag, in the chest. Despite her injury, Haag managed to call a neighbor for help. Sadly, she passed away later that morning.
Sibson survived the shot and was taken to a hospital, where he was discharged weeks later. His head suffered severe damage, and he had to wear a helmet to cover the scar. He was charged with second-degree murder, but the case was dropped when prosecutors concluded that Haag had been struck by the bullet while trying to prevent Sibson from taking his own life.
If Sibson had been convicted, he faced a potential prison sentence of up to 99 years.
7. Andy Sandness
On the night of December 23, 2006, 21-year-old Andy Sandness, struggling with depression, decided to take his own life. He shot himself in the underside of his chin, and the bullet caused extensive damage to his nose, mouth, and much of his face. His entire jaw was destroyed, leaving him with only two remaining teeth. Sandness immediately regretted his decision and begged one of the responding officers to save him.
Despite undergoing several surgeries, doctors were unable to fully reconstruct Sandness's face. His mouth was nearly nonexistent, with only a tiny 2.5-centimeter-wide (1 in) hole remaining, too small to consume regular amounts of food. He had to tear his food into pieces and suck it down. He attached a prosthetic nose to his face with glue, though it often fell off, and he would walk around with glue to reattach it. Additionally, his nose would frequently fade, so he would paint it.
Ten years later, Sandness found hope when he received the face of Calen Ross, a 21-year-old who had also shot himself in the head. Ross did not survive his attempt. In a challenging 56-hour face transplant surgery at the Mayo Clinic, doctors transplanted Ross's face onto Sandness, including his jaw and teeth. Sandness was pleasantly surprised by how much better the face looked than he had expected.
6. An Unnamed Teenager
On the morning of November 10, 2015, during an English lesson at Lecanto High School in Florida, everything was proceeding normally until about 10:30 AM, when a 15-year-old student revealed a 9mm pistol. Contrary to initial police suspicion, he was not a school shooter. Instead, he was a troubled boy who, overwhelmed by depression, attempted suicide by pointing the pistol at his head and pulling the trigger.
Miraculously, the unnamed boy survived the attempt, though he sustained severe injuries. He was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. The attempted suicide shocked the Lecanto High School community, as the boy was known to be quiet and easygoing. Police later determined that depression was the only factor behind his actions, with no other motives involved.
5. Darnal Mundy
On August 4, 2015, three-year-old Darnal Mundy accidentally shot himself at his parents' Miami home. The tragic incident occurred around 6:00 AM while his parents were still asleep. That morning, Darnal had been exploring through drawers, presumably searching for his iPad. Instead, he found a loaded pistol, aimed it at his head, and fired.
The sound of the gunshot woke Darnal’s parents, who quickly rushed him to the hospital. Fortunately, despite the bullet wound, Darnal survived. He remained conscious and cried during the entire journey to the hospital. After undergoing surgery for his swollen head, he made a full recovery over the course of several months.
4. Abebe Teferi
This is a tragic story of love gone wrong. On the evening of January 6, 2018, 57-year-old Abebe Teferi walked into the store where his wife worked as a cashier and shot her multiple times. After ensuring she was dead, he turned the gun on himself. Miraculously, he survived the self-inflicted shot and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Investigators revealed that Teferi and his wife had been separated for three months before the shooting. It was clear that the shooting was an attempted murder-suicide since Teferi did not harm anyone else, despite there being eight other people inside the store. After his recovery, Teferi will face prosecution for murder.
3. Melissa Smith
The bullet exploded within her skull, causing fragments to scatter through her brain, neck, sinus, pituitary gland, and surrounding areas. Additionally, the impact caused her right eye to fall out of its socket.
Despite the severity of the injuries, Melissa survived. She was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where she underwent surgery eight days later. While she has recovered considerably, she lost her right eye and is unable to smell or taste anything.
2. Unnamed Lady
Images are the defining feature of social media, with selfies reigning supreme. Their popularity is so vast that some have tragically lost their lives in the quest for the perfect shot. A 21-year-old Russian woman nearly became one of these victims when she took an audacious selfie with a loaded 9mm handgun that belonged to a security officer at her place of employment.
The officer had carelessly left the firearm behind, which the woman then found. Rather than reporting it, she decided to pose for a selfie with the weapon. She aimed the gun at her temple and the camera at her face, but instead of capturing a photo, she pulled the trigger. Miraculously, the bullet did not kill her, though it left her with serious injuries. She was promptly treated at Sklifosovsky hospital in Moscow.
1. Bruno Coutinho
On April 14, 2013, Bruno Coutinho was cleaning the speargun he used for fishing when an unfortunate accident occurred. As he handled the weapon, he accidentally pointed it at his head, and a 15-centimeter (6-inch) harpoon shot through his left eye, piercing deep into his skull.
Remarkably, Coutinho remained alert despite the severity of the situation. With the harpoon still embedded in his skull, he called for help and managed to stay calm for an entire 10 hours before undergoing two surgeries to remove the harpoon. A neurosurgeon later revealed that Coutinho was lucky to survive, as the harpoon had narrowly missed a vital artery, which could have been fatal if it had shifted even slightly.
