tonight on "nightline," medical miracle. a shotgun blast shattered this young woman's face, but she survived and so began an 11-year odyssey. chrissy's new face. tonight, see for the first time how doctors gave her a new one, and the moment she reveals it to her own son. it's an emotional "nightline" exclusive. and, no more oil. after nearly three months of misery, is this finally it? bp successfully stops the gushing oil, for now. we'll have the latest developments from the gulf. >> announcer: from the global resources of abc news, with terry moran, martin bashir and cynthia mcfadden in new york city, this is "nightline," july 15th, 2010. >> good evening, i'm terry

moran. and we're going to begin tonight with an inspiring story of personal courage and medical triumph. you are about to meet a woman who, as a teenager, had her face blown apart by an accidental shotgun blast. it was a miracle that she survived. but now, more than a decade later, with a family of her own, she's undergone a remarkable procedure that's altered her life for the better. her journey is amazing. but we want you to know that some of the pictures you are about to see are very disturbing. ashleigh banfield has the exclusive report. >> i had gorgeous blue eyes. i had darker blond hair. i had a nice tan. i've always had nice shaped eye brows. i was very beautiful. naturally beautiful. >> reporter: for the last 11 years, chrissy steltz has been living without a face. there's a gaping hole where her eyes, nose and cheeks used to

be. >> ready? okay. >> reporter: but today, through the miracle of science and the kindness of doctors, she's about to get a brand new face, just like her pictures, only aged to reflect the decade that's passed. she was only 16 years old when it happened. she left home and was living with her boyfriend, but she still attended school, every day, getting straight as. until everything changed. her friends robbed a country store and stole dozens of guns. chrissy was in the getaway car. then one night, when a group of teenagers were drinking at her apartment, someone started fooling around with a stolen shotgun. >> he told me, it's not loaded. >> reporter: the blast that followed took two-thirds of chrissy's face with it. >> i don't know if you ever seen an animal trying to get up. that's what i saw. i saw an injury that nobody

survives. except somebody really strong and he was trying to get up. >> reporter: chrissy was rushed to the hospital, where one of the first people to see her was dr. eric dierks, a facial surgeon who would remain in her life for the next decade. >> the blast removed the contents of her left eye socket, removed her nose and the supporting mid-facial structures. and damaged her right eye to the extent that she lost vision. >> reporter: have you ever seen anything like chrissy's case? >> i've not seen anything quite so severe where the patient lived. >> reporter: in a coma and hospitalized for six weeks, chrissy had no idea what had happened to her when she regained consciousness. >> she was never going to see again or smell and she didn't have a nose and she didn't have eyes. they were gone. >> when i finally knew what had happened to me, that i had lost

my sight and that it would never be coming back, i knew i could sit back and i could have a pity party, or i could figure out what to do and go about doing it and that's exactly what i did. >> reporter: and thus began chrissy's 11-year odyssey. first, she'd have to go out in public, and an oversize sleep shade was her mask of choice. have you ever felt people staring at you? have you known that people are staring at you? >> yeah, i -- i've definitely known, and like i said, i never let it bother me. in fact, if i realize or informed or someone staring, i'm wave. item barss them that they realize that a blind person has spotted sthem. >> reporter: next up, graduation from high school, still with straight as. and then the high school prom. you suffered a gunshot wound to the face at 16, and you grand waited on time, straight as.

you realize this is completely unheard of. >> you know, it's part of who i am. >> reporter: after that, classes from the blind where she would meet jeffrey dillger who was blinded at 16. they fell in love and have been together ever since. and 11 months ago, jeffrey jr. arrived. a daunting new addition for two blind parents. it's almost as though you don't even know you're blind. >> reporter: but most difficult of all? the year-long multisurgery marathon to rebuild the bowl-shaped crater left in her face. one of the most extensive prosthetic facial surgeries doctors have ever attempted. damaged tissue had to be removed. a breathing passage had to be opened to her nasal cavity. eight dental implants were drilled into her facial bones with magnets affixed to the tips so that this face could snap on and snap off. year after year, chrissy was

refused insurance coverage. they called it an aesthetic procedure. >> they don't want to pay for it. to them, as long as you can still walk and breathe, you're fine. >> this is certainly not a, you know, a vie near on a front tooth. it's just as much of a medical necessity, to me, as artificial arm or a leg. >> reporter: dr. larry over and dr. trainer, who, like dr. dierks, are working for free. the steps to rebuild her face, complete with natural character and realistic eyes, is part science, and part artistry. a pass eck cast is made of chrissy's face. then silicone is poured into the mold to form the skin-toned facial features. it's baked to seal in texture and color. then painted to reflect the natural flaws of human skin. and then comes the makeup. >> we got you blushing beige.

>> reporter: there's eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara. baked right into the mask. >> chrissy's got this maif hit makeup of hers. we will seal it in. >> reporter: lashes are poked in. possessions the eyes is critical, since so much of what we feel about peel comes from looking dreshgtly into their eyes. >> getting the gaez so when you look, both eyes are looking the same way and that little glint is in the same position. >> reporter: and finally, the moment she's been waiting for. >> let's put it on, make sure it fits. there we go. and the effect of all this work might be best measured from her family and friends who have gathered to see her with a face for the first time in a decade.

>> oh! >> miss america. >> hi mom, hi mom. hi. and look, without the glasses -- >> look, that's -- >> oh, my god. >> thank you. >> reporter: from her mother, tears of joy. >> she looks beautiful. >> reporter: and her doctors? deep gratification. what were your first thoughts for her when you saw the completed product on her face? >> like she's whole again. >> reporter: while everyone in the room seeps chrissy in a whole new way, chrissy still can't see a thing. but that's not the point. she says this isn't just for her. it's for her little boy, jeffrey. who is only ever known his mommy in a big, black mask. >> i feel like i'm living for him more in a regular world where he can look at mom and says she looks as regular as everybody else. >> she wants to reveal the new

look slowly, worried it might scare him. >> hi, peek. >> reporter: but apart from a smile, jeffrey seems to barely notice. for him, it turns out, nothing has changed. >> he's not minding it one bit. >> reporter: what do you think jeffrey sees when he sees you now? >> i think he sees his mother. he sees that mom doesn't need the mask anymore. >> reporter: and perhaps that is the reason for this. knowing what you have now, if you could do it all over again, would you change anything? >> you know, i wouldn't think so, i mean -- i i feel blessed and if i were to change any one thing i'd be afraid it would change everything. >> reporter: now, as chrissy goes about her every day life, like taking her little sister to the mall, she no longer feels the stares of strangers. chrissy, what is it that you want most now of everything? >> to be looked at as a plain jean, like everyone else.

to be treated just like everyone else. >> reporter: for "nightline," this is ashleigh banfield in portland, oregon. >> what a remarkable story and a remarkable woman. thanks to ashleigh banfield for that. when we come back, the oil has finally stopped spilling. that's right. bp's latest attempted fix is working. so far. we'll take you to the gulf for the latest. ever seen anything like it? me neither. it's new beneful incredibites. uh-huh! it's just the way you like it-- made with wholesome grains, real beef, even carrots and peas. you love the smaller-size, easy-to-chew kibbles, and i love the carbohydrates for energy and protein for muscles. whoa! wait for me! ha-ha. you only think you're getting spoiled. [ woman announcing ] new beneful incredibites. another healthful, flavorful beneful.

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where after three agonizing months, we finally heard the words everyone has been waiting to hear. the oil has stopped. but just as there is cause for hope, there is also reason for caution, as bp conducts tests on the new cap to see whether this solution will hold, and bring an end to the oil spill once and for all. david muir has the latest. david? >> reporter: terry, good evening. tonight, bp says that oil has stopped. that new cap is holding the pressure down. the test will continue, though, for up to 48 hours, they tell us. still, that crystal clear image from that now infamous feed from bp was a real first today on this now day 87 of this crisis in the gulf. it was the moment the people of the gulf began to wonder if they'd ever witness. the oil halted. for the first time since april 20th, the oil on that bp feed, gone. the moment came after bp engineers closed the three separate valves. the first one, then bp tweeting about the second one at 11:30 a.m. eastern.

and at third, the choke line at 1:30 eastern. at 2:15, bp tweets, "the well integrity test was starting." an hour and ten minutes later, bp confirms what we could all see in the image. >> there is no flow of oil going into the gulf of mexico. >> reporter: it did not take long for word to travel. in louisiana, billy nungesser got word during a town meeting. >> the well has been stopped, so -- it has been stopped. >> reporter: our cameras were rolling at the lsu oil well research lab. bp confirms, no more oil going into the gulf. 3:25 eastern. >> that's great news. >> reporter: even the president was encouraged, though cautious with his words. >> i think it is a positive sign. we're still in the testing phase. i have more to say about it tomorrow. >> reporter: residents along the coast tonight are not holding back. >> i'm so relieved. thank god. i'm praying for those people. >> i'm very happy about the way that they were able to get the well closed. we've got a long way to go,

though. >> we hope for the best. we prepare for the worst. we know there's backup plans in place. in terms of what this means, this will be a big step forward. make no mistake, there are millions of gallons of oil in the water. >> reporter: late today, engineers at that lsu lab showed us a mini version of the massive cap on the well thattor fa is working. you said the oil would shoot out like this. what did they do? >> they activated a device like this, a block comes forward and shuts off the flow path. >> it shuts off the path inside. >> that's correct. >> reporter: closing off the well, pushing back against the oil and pressure what comes next are the crucial readings, measuring the pressure against the cap. engineers say anything 6,000 psi, pounds per square inch, or lauer, is trouble. does that mean oil is leaking elsewhere from the well? >> yes, and they would have to start siphoning it off again to min nice the amount leaked. >> reporter: tonight, admiral

thad allen said in a statement, we're encouraged, by this isn't over. allen said they will return to si siphoning oil from that well, means we will likely see oil again, reminding everyone the ultimate solution is the relief wells. eventually piercing the blown-out well, injecting mud and cement. this is what they call a mixing pit where they mix together the mud that will be used in the kill. and look at how they do it. it's a giant mixer where they put the ingredients together, and when we asked what the ingredients were, we were surprised to learn that you'd find them in your medicine cabinet. you mix it with what? >> a chemical used in toothpaste and then a chemical used this makeup and for contrast x-rays. >> reporter: you get the mud for the kill with that? >> that's correct. >> reporter: the coast guard won't say when that will happen. right now, the closest relief well is on hold. they don't want to damage it during this test. a test tonight that bp is so far

passing. now three months in. i'm david muir for "nightline" in new orleans. >> some good news, finally, in that high stakes waiting game in the gulf. thanks to david muir for that. and when we come back, we'll turn to food, and one renaissance man who calls the kitchen his home. didn'ter is served in tonight's "plate list." sir? finding everything okay? i work for a differen. my auto policy's just getting a little too expensive. with progressive, you get the "name your price" option, so we build a policy to fit your budget. wow! the price gun. ♪ ah! wish we had this. we'd just tell people what to pay. yeah, we're the only ones that do. i love your insurance! bill? tom? hey! it's office party! the freedom to name your price. only from progressive. call or click today. whiten your smile. no red wine. i've got it.

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>> announcer: "nightline" continues from new york city with terry moran. >> let's turn now to food, and a four-star chef who combines high cuisine with a casual vibe. that recipe is enough to make his name sake restaurant one of chicago's finest. so, does he care to dish? graham elliott bowles shares his culinary secrets in tonight's "plate list." >> a lot of people take for granted the idea that, you know, they think that we're going to be here forever, that life is just, you know, this thing we do, we go to work, we come home

and there's family and things like that, and i know that there's a clock ticking, you know? i've always thought that i was going to have a short existence here. you born, you die. in between, you know, there's so much that you can do. to sit and just do one thing opposed to being the renaissance man, that's just not as fulfilling. what we are doing is creating a dish that symbolizes springtime. pea ten drilled and freeze-dried peas. drizzle it with sassy olive oil. going to create a nest over here. we're going to take our marshmallow, dusting it with pink pepper corn and then pour the pea bisque over it. i am a capitalist at heart and i believe in giving the best product possible to the guest. if joe farmer decides to have a

pickup truck that gets three miles to the gallon and wears his overalls and drives from wisconsin to here and, you know, sells really [ bleep ] lettuce, why should i feel like i have to support him? i'm supposed to support that because it's politically correct right now, i definitely don't follow that idea. you decided to be a farmer. i made a choice to be a chef and open a restaurant. i don't expect anybody not to go to applebee's or ruby tuesday's to come support me because of what i decided to do. stir that marshmallow into the soup and that will dissolve and add the sweet mint infusions. the pea bisque with mint mar marshmall marshmallow. i want to make love to that. in high school, i was very different. i tried to start my own religion. i was very much into being in a band and being a philosopher and

living out in the woods and followin ining that lifestyle. i think my dad, being in the navy, was always kind of fearful that my being out there on the edge could be taken or seen, you know, as failure on his part to keep me in line, where as my mom ball lanced that out by, you know, that sounds great, honey, go do it, convert everybody. so i always say when you're dealing with fish, it's like dealing with a woman. you want to be very nice and gentle, how you touch it. everything is very sensuous. drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. avocado mousse. a little bit of cocoa nib. a little rad dish action. take our passion fruit, which is

almost like natural fruit caviar, if you will. crispy plantain action. finish with our passion fruit and chili sorbet. that is sassy. food, to me, in one word, is creativity. it's thought provoking. emotional. sensuous, romantic. cooking is something that is much more personal and spontaneous and always changing. >> maybe he should stick to cooking. does look good, though. if you've got a favorite chef you'd like to see featured in our "plate list" series, we're accepting nominations for a contest we're calling the people's plate list. we've got hundreds of nominees. you can find all the details at abcnews.com. when we come back, a heavy fine for goldman sachs. but is it enough? that's the subject of our

closing argument. first, here's jimmy kimmel with what's coming up next. >> jimmy: tonight, from "twilight," nikki reed, music from the-dream and kevin james fights our security staff. "jimmy kimmel live" is next. [ male announcer ] whoa, the new ultimate turkey & bacon avocado. get ready for the ride of your life. wipeout in waves of tender turkey and crispy bacon. gaze upon the rad rainbow of voluminous veggies and cool, sea-green avocado all on freshly baked bread. are you up for the ultimate? ♪ then you've got to try the totally new subway ultimate turkey & bacon avocado. carve one up today. crank up the flavor at subway.

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