James O'Neal: 'I just think I look amazing. It's a huge difference'
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SEATTLE -- All his life, tumors covered half of James O'Neal's face.
Then two years ago, a call to the Problem Solvers set in motion fundraising efforts to pay for O'Neal's two risky surgeries.
People often ask KOMO News how O'Neal is doing. So we caught up with O'Neal, who says people have stopped staring.
We first met O'Neal in 2008 while he was working at Safeway. The speedy checker seemed oblivious to his deformity as he smiled at customers and joked with children.
O'Neal said kids were the most compassionate and honest about his deformity; adults often were the cruel ones who stared, pointed and snickered.
"If you want to stare, stare," he said.
O'Neal, who'd been born with a genetic disorder, secretly wanted surgery to remove the benign tumors clustered on his face, but didn't think he could afford it. What he didn't know at the time was that he was about to get his wish.
It began with one customer, Katie Knopf, who contacted the Problem Solvers. After people heard O'Neal's story, donations began pouring in.
O'Neal needed two risky operations. And two years ago this month, University of Washington's Dr. Peter Neligan got the last of the tumor out, freeing O'Neal's face. O'Neal said he felt like a new man.
Two years have passed since, and O'Neal says he's now one in a million.
"Right now, I'm doing super-well and enjoying life everyday, living life to its fullest and golfing every chance I get, hanging out with all my good friends and letting people know this is me now, a whole new me. And life is good!" he said.
O'Neal says people still can't get over his new look, and sometimes he can't, either.
"I think I look amazing," he said. "I have a nose! I can actually feel my nose. I just think I look amazing. It's a huge difference."
There are other big differences, too. His nagging back pain is gone, now that the heavy tumors have been removed.
"No one realized how big the tumor really was, until afterward," he said. "I didn't realize it. It was nine or 10 pounds hanging on my face."
And here's something he didn't expect -- his golf score has actually come down.
"His golf game has improved. He's not off-balance," said friend Scott Shiflett. "He can see better. It's improved not by much, but it has improved."
Only a best friend could get away with the well-meaning ribbing between these two.
"Scott was there for me and gave me a lot of support," O'Neal said.
The two work together at Safeway, but they describe themselves as brothers.
"I'm very proud of him," Shiflett said.
Shiflett was by O'Neal's side for all his surgeries. He even accompanied O'Neal to his latest checkup.
"Since the day one, amazing," said medical assistant Teresa Moy, describing O'Neal. "Now he's handsome. Amazing. He's has beautiful features and hairstyle."
O'Neal couldn't help but giggle.
Everyone, including O'Neal's surgeon likes what they see.
"I'm really happy," said Dr. Neligan. "I think you look great, especially compared to where we started."
Some of O'Neal's tumors will grow back, but slowly. His doctor says O'Neal will only need minor procedures.
Nowadays, O'Neal relishes being in the middle of a crowd. It's here where he finds the biggest difference of all.
No one notices him. There's no staring, no pointing, no snickering.
"(It has) not made it easier for him, but made it easier for other people, it seems to me," Shiflett said. "He's never changed; he's always been a great guy."
O'Neal is finally living something he's always wanted -- to blend in, instead of stand out, in a crowd.
"I got lost, lost in the crowd," he said.
He is now one in a million.
Then two years ago, a call to the Problem Solvers set in motion fundraising efforts to pay for O'Neal's two risky surgeries.
People often ask KOMO News how O'Neal is doing. So we caught up with O'Neal, who says people have stopped staring.
We first met O'Neal in 2008 while he was working at Safeway. The speedy checker seemed oblivious to his deformity as he smiled at customers and joked with children.
O'Neal said kids were the most compassionate and honest about his deformity; adults often were the cruel ones who stared, pointed and snickered.
"If you want to stare, stare," he said.
O'Neal, who'd been born with a genetic disorder, secretly wanted surgery to remove the benign tumors clustered on his face, but didn't think he could afford it. What he didn't know at the time was that he was about to get his wish.
It began with one customer, Katie Knopf, who contacted the Problem Solvers. After people heard O'Neal's story, donations began pouring in.
O'Neal needed two risky operations. And two years ago this month, University of Washington's Dr. Peter Neligan got the last of the tumor out, freeing O'Neal's face. O'Neal said he felt like a new man.
Two years have passed since, and O'Neal says he's now one in a million.
"Right now, I'm doing super-well and enjoying life everyday, living life to its fullest and golfing every chance I get, hanging out with all my good friends and letting people know this is me now, a whole new me. And life is good!" he said.
O'Neal says people still can't get over his new look, and sometimes he can't, either.
"I think I look amazing," he said. "I have a nose! I can actually feel my nose. I just think I look amazing. It's a huge difference."
There are other big differences, too. His nagging back pain is gone, now that the heavy tumors have been removed.
"No one realized how big the tumor really was, until afterward," he said. "I didn't realize it. It was nine or 10 pounds hanging on my face."
And here's something he didn't expect -- his golf score has actually come down.
"His golf game has improved. He's not off-balance," said friend Scott Shiflett. "He can see better. It's improved not by much, but it has improved."
Only a best friend could get away with the well-meaning ribbing between these two.
"Scott was there for me and gave me a lot of support," O'Neal said.
The two work together at Safeway, but they describe themselves as brothers.
"I'm very proud of him," Shiflett said.
Shiflett was by O'Neal's side for all his surgeries. He even accompanied O'Neal to his latest checkup.
"Since the day one, amazing," said medical assistant Teresa Moy, describing O'Neal. "Now he's handsome. Amazing. He's has beautiful features and hairstyle."
O'Neal couldn't help but giggle.
Everyone, including O'Neal's surgeon likes what they see.
"I'm really happy," said Dr. Neligan. "I think you look great, especially compared to where we started."
Some of O'Neal's tumors will grow back, but slowly. His doctor says O'Neal will only need minor procedures.
Nowadays, O'Neal relishes being in the middle of a crowd. It's here where he finds the biggest difference of all.
No one notices him. There's no staring, no pointing, no snickering.
"(It has) not made it easier for him, but made it easier for other people, it seems to me," Shiflett said. "He's never changed; he's always been a great guy."
O'Neal is finally living something he's always wanted -- to blend in, instead of stand out, in a crowd.
"I got lost, lost in the crowd," he said.
He is now one in a million.
