André Gayoso, a 35-year-old business owner from São Paulo, Brazil, had half his jaw reconstructed using bone and skin from his right leg after falling on a metal bar while chasing a thief who snatched his phone. The incident left him in a coma for 13 days, broke his lower jaw, and caused the loss of six teeth.
Details of the Incident
In October 2022, Gayoso was heading home from a night out when a cyclist snatched his phone while he was waiting for an Uber. He chased the thief but fell face-first onto a square metal bar outside a shop, installed to prevent break-ins. He was found just 600 meters from a local hospital and was taken there for treatment.
Gayoso said: “I started walking and then waiting for my Uber and I lose my memory there walking towards the Uber. I don’t remember anything afterwards, I woke in the ICU 13 days later.” He lost around 20kg during the coma due to muscle loss.
Medical Procedures and Recovery
Doctors initially attempted a skin graft from his left forearm, which failed. They then performed an 11-hour surgery to replace 7cm of bone in his chin using his right fibular bone. He has undergone 11 corrective surgeries so far, including prosthetic teeth insertion and three plastic surgeries to shrink his mouth and improve speech. He also required a tracheostomy for 11 months to ensure breathing during multiple operations.
Gayoso’s last surgery was in December 2025. He still needs laser treatment to remove hair from his lip (since the skin came from his leg), micropigmentation to restore lip color, and beard and hair implants. He noted: “I lost a lot of hair as 11 surgeries is too much stress on my body.”
Financial and Personal Impact
The accident led to “enormous” medical debt. Major surgeries were covered by health insurance, but minor procedures he pays for himself. Thieves also wiped out his bank accounts, including some crypto and a US bank account, taking him a month to recover. Despite the ordeal, his sunglasses brand AAGYO survived unscathed; he continued manufacturing them from the hospital. His sunglasses were the only personal item without a scratch, and he later drove cars over them to prove their durability.
Gayoso remains optimistic: “Honestly, I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, I imagine it. I have a purpose, that helps a lot. Also I am a very upbeat guy and I always look on the bright side, it’s the correct way to look at life.”
Future Plans
Gayoso is focusing on expanding AAGYO, which currently has three models, with plans to release more this year.
