Brit cheats death after breaking almost every bone in his face in horror skiing accident in Italy: 22-year-old reveals he’s only beginning to recognize himself after major 12-hour reconstructive surgery

A Briton who broke almost every bone in his face in a horrific skiing accident says he is only just “beginning to recognize himself” after a grueling 12-hour operation.

Josh Ziv, 22, from Barnet, London, fell from a six-metre cliff during a family skiing holiday in Courmayeur, Italy.

He was airlifted to a hospital in Turin, where it was found that he had broken almost every bone in his face except his jaw. Mr Ziv also had his pelvis and ribs broken and had a punctured lung and a dislocated shoulder.

Mr Ziv then underwent a 12-hour operation to have titanium plates placed in his face and skull to reconstruct them, leaving him with a huge scar from ear to ear. In addition to the major facial surgery, Mr. Ziv also underwent hip surgery where three screws were placed in his hip to stabilize fractures in his pelvis.

The accident changed Mr. Ziv’s face and he had to learn to walk again.

The accident happened in February 2023 and Mr Ziv spent eight weeks recovering in Italy before being healthy enough to fly back to London in April 2023.

He said: ‘About two to three weeks after the operation there was movement in my face, but limited.

‘For example, raising my eyebrows was tough and certain movements with my mouth – like pouting – were quite tough.

‘My left eye was also very damaged and very swollen, so there was no movement in that eye at first.

‘As far as talking goes, I could always talk, but everything was a bit mumbled. I broke my hard palate right down the middle and there was quite a large gap in it – which made talking quite difficult.

‘After the surgery I also had my jaw wired, which hindered my mouth a bit.’

As soon as he got back home. Mr. Ziv became aware of his scars.

He said: ‘I didn’t want anyone to look at me. It was horrible.

“Even seeing me in the back in pictures and stuff, it really hit me.

‘It’s huge if you don’t have confidence in the way you look. Everything falls apart.’

In June 2023, Mr Ziv underwent his second facial surgery at the Royal London Hospital with surgeons Professor Simon Holmes and Dr Chrysavgi Oikonomou.

He said: ‘They make custom plates and titanium meshes that create symmetry in your face.

‘They take scans of your skull and match them like a mirror to create custom-made implants that you can place in your face.

‘The surgeons did a fantastic job. It took them two months to plan it.

“Now I have full movement in my face.”

Ellie Segrue, 22, Mr Ziv’s girlfriend, has been with him every step of the way.

She said: ‘Seeing Josh like that was devastating. I felt so helpless and just wanted to take it away from him. It’s so hard to see someone you love suffer.”

‘For me nothing has changed. He is still Jos. I treated him exactly the same.

‘After a while we slowly dated and I just tried to distract him from how he felt.

‘I tried to reassure him that no one else would be watching him and always tried to make sure he was as comfortable as possible in any situation.’

Mr Ziv will be running the London Marathon at the end of April to raise money for Changing Faces – a charity that helps people with visible difference and disfigurement.

He said: ‘I always joked with my mum that if I could move again I could run a marathon.

“I remember reading some of the stories on the website and really resonating with them.

‘It has really influenced me and the work they do to help with confidence and support.

“It’s the perfect time to come full circle and it’s good to give something back.”

Mr Ziv added: ‘What is important is to remember that in your head it is always bigger than it is and that everyone loves you.

“Everyone has their own little differences and scars and bumps and bumps.”

To donate to Josh’s fundraiser click here.