A Mississippi firefighter who received the world's most extensive face transplant after a burning building collapsed on him said Wednesday that he feels like "a normal guy" for the first time in 15 years.

Patrick Hardison, 42, said he can now eat, see, hear and breathe normally, thanks to last year's surgery. He even has a full head of hair and hits the gym twice a week.

"Before the transplant, every day I had to wake up and get myself motivated to face the world," Hardison told reporters at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Now I don't worry about people pointing and staring or kids running away crying. I'm happy."