>> reporter: pat'u recovy is remarkable. after nearly three months his new face taking shape over his own bone structure, pizhis brow and cheekbones. sitting with him face to face 87 days after surgery his scars hidden just under his collar, a 41-year-old man with a 26-year-old face. >> how are you feeling? >> i feel good. >> how much feeling do you have now in your face, in yourr head? >> it'ss getting better. some here. down it's still got a ways to go. but everything else, it's coming along. >> reporter: we were finally able to ask him directly why he was willing to risk everything. >> i never thought like that. the risk of dying because that never scared me because there's things in life that are way worse than death. >> there are things in life way worse than death? >> yeah. and i had lived like that for 14 years. >> reporter: even though the speed of his recovery surprises doctors, the frustrating first few weeks post-surgery tests his limits. you had to relearn to swallow, relearn to chew, relearn to talk. >> i told t