"Always trust the process even when it seems impossible," said the pro skateboarder, who lost her top lip and part of her nose after being attacked by a pitbull
Brooklinn Khoury is looking back on the last 4 years since her life-altering pitbull attack on Nov. 3, 2020.
In a TikTok post on Nov. 3, the 25-year-old influencer — who lost her upper lip and a part of her nose in the attack — shared several progress photos from her surgeries over the years while reflecting on her journey.
"Life is so... unpredictable," she wrote. "Things happen to us and we will never understand why. But always remember to take each day as it comes. Always trust the process even when it seems impossible. Life is beautiful."
In her caption, she added that "the last 4 years have been full of every emotion you could possibly think of. Happiness, growth, continuing to adjusts to a society that isn’t use to facial differences and learning to love myself from the inside and out."
Khoury concluded her post and said that "this day is hard for me, but I’ve also learned to love it and be thankful for everything it’s taught me."
The pro skateboarder has had seven reconstructive surgeries since the dog attack, and she's documented her years-long recovery journey on social media. In a now-deleted Instagram post in January 2024, Khoury shared graphic photos of her face after the attack and the ongoing progress from her surgeries.
“When I look back at these pictures it’s hard to believe that my nose was as bad as it was,” she wrote at the time. "I was missing my cartilage and inner parts of my nose and nostrils. My surgeon had to recreate the tip of my nose by cutting out a piece of my cartilage from my inner septum. After that, he connected the cartilage to what was left from the inside of my nose."
"I am so grateful for what my surgeon was able to accomplish,” she added.
Following her final reconstructive surgery, Khoury has had her eyes set on getting a lip tattoo. In October 2023, she shared a video documenting her visit to Studio Sashiko, a Los Angeles tattoo shop, for a consultation.
In the clip, she went to the consultation and tested possible colors for the lip tattoo in order for her reconstructed top lip to match her bottom lip. She was joined by her surgeon, Dr. Nicholas Do.
Khoury admitted she was “so nervous” but still excited for the final steps of her recovery journey.
“I had a tattoo consultation today, and I know it will bring this whole lip to life! I'm so blessed and excited for this next stage of the process,” she captioned the post. “I don’t know who needs to hear this but remember to take one day at a time, life throws crazy things at you that might seem impossible to get through, but I promise you can and you will. Life is crazy, but it’s beautiful.”
The Quran - Chapter An - Nazij'at : 30 - 33
As for the earth, He spread it out as well,
bringing forth its water and pastures
and setting the mountains firmly ˹upon it˺—
all as ˹a means of˺ sustenance for you and your animals.
