At 75 years old, Dave Richards, a grandfather of four from Devon, England, has become a living testament to both tragedy and medical innovation. After being hit and dragged beneath a drunk driver’s car, Richards lost half his face and an eye—but thanks to groundbreaking 3D-printing technology, he has been given a new face and a new lease on life.
The accident occurred in July 2021 while Richards was cycling with friends in the village of Meare. “It was a beautiful day,” he recalled. “We were going uphill when a car came speeding behind us. The driver was on his phone. He tried to swerve but couldn’t—and hit us instead.” His two companions were thrown clear, suffering broken bones, but Richards was trapped underneath the car.
“I was dragged along the road,” he said. “The exhaust burned one side of my body while the other was crushed under the car.” He suffered severe burns, broken ribs, and devastating facial injuries. Doctors were forced to remove one of his eyes to prevent infection from spreading to his brain.
A complex surgical procedure known as a “free flap” reconstruction saved his life, but left him feeling deeply self-conscious. “I felt vulnerable and avoided social situations,” he admitted.
That changed when he was referred to North Bristol’s 3D Medical Centre, the first in England to create custom prosthetics using 3D-printing. Using detailed scans, experts built a lifelike facial prosthesis perfectly matched to his skin tone.
“It’s incredible,” Richards said. “It took me a long time to feel comfortable again, but this technology gave me back confidence—and my face.”
His story stands as a powerful reminder of how science and compassion can rebuild not just bodies, but dignity and hope.
