Mary Jo Buttafuoco Reflects on Her Life After Surviving a Near-Fatal Shooting

Mary Jo Buttafuoco Reflects on Her Life After Surviving a Near-Fatal Shooting

Mary Jo Buttafuoco, a survivor of a notorious shooting, continues to share her powerful story nearly 34 years after the traumatic event. In the Lifetime biopic titled “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco,” actress Chloe Lanier portrays her younger self, shedding light on a life forever altered by violence.

Buttafuoco, now 70 and a grandmother, spoke with Fox News Digital about her ongoing struggles and the lasting impact of the bullet still lodged in her head. She expressed, “I’m as recovered as I’m going to get. I still have the effects of this bullet. I’ve always said that people who get shot don’t heal from bullet wounds. You can break a leg, fall, scrape your knee and it heals. When you get shot, a bullet tears through wherever it goes, and it causes permanent damage.”

In her candid interview, she described her physical challenges. “I have permanent damage that will never heal,” she said, recounting her hearing loss in one ear and facial paralysis. Additionally, she revealed she faces significant vascular issues due to having only one carotid artery. Buttafuoco reflected on her journey, stating, “I’ve always said this bullet will get me eventually. But I’ve been very blessed that it’s let me hang on this long.”

A Life Altered in an Instant

The attack occurred on May 19, 1992, an ordinary Tuesday that quickly turned into a nightmare. After sending her two children to school, Mary Jo was preparing for a day of painting in the backyard when a knock at her door interrupted her routine.

That knock marked the arrival of Amy Fisher, the teenage mistress of Buttafuoco’s husband, Joey. Clad in a Complete Auto Body T-shirt, Fisher falsely introduced herself as “Anne Marie” and claimed to be 19 years old. She insisted that the shirt served as evidence supporting her claim that Joey had a sexual relationship with Fisher’s younger sister.

Just moments after Mary Jo turned away to call her husband, Fisher produced a .25-caliber handgun and fired a single shot, hitting Buttafuoco in the head. Reflecting on that moment, she stated, “In the blink of an eye, the life I had ended when she came to my door. I was nearly murdered in front of my own house — my safe place.”

The Aftermath of Violence

Miraculously, Mary Jo survived the attack but not without significant consequences. After enduring eight hours of emergency surgery, doctors concluded that the bullet was too dangerous to remove. It had severely damaged her jaw and lodged deep in her skull, right above her spinal column.

Once she regained consciousness, Buttafuoco provided police with a description of her assailant. Yet, in the immediate aftermath, her husband, Joey, denied any wrongdoing, leading to a complex web of denial and media frenzy. Fisher was arrested just two days later, on May 21, 1992, and while she initially lied, she eventually confessed when faced with the evidence against her.

Media Sensation

The case escalated into a national media circus, dominating headlines for months. Mary Jo lamented, “It was awful. They made fun of me on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ One of the actresses had her face all distorted — that was supposed to be funny. I thought, ‘My God, I look like this because I got shot. I was almost murdered.’”

She described how public perceptions often failed to grasp the severity of her situation. “It became a joke. Maybe because I stood up, walked, and talked, people thought, ‘Oh, she’s OK. Everything’s fine.’ But it wasn’t fine. It was mortifying. The name ‘Buttafuoco’ got dragged through the mud. It became a punchline.” Fisher ultimately pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and received a prison sentence ranging from five to 15 years, of which she served seven.

Struggles with Healing

In the years that followed, Buttafuoco remained with Joey for seven years after the shooting. She admitted she was in no condition to leave him, as she grapples with significant physical and emotional trauma. “First of all, I almost died,” she recalled. “I was in no shape to say, ‘Get out.’ I was very sick for a long time. I had two little kids who were traumatized that their mom was almost murdered outside their home.”

She painted a troubling picture of her mental state during those years, stating, “I was on a lot of medication — a lot of pills that altered my thinking.” Reflecting on her relationship dynamics, she considered whether she might have been experiencing symptoms of Stockholm syndrome.

“He was my captor, and I listened to him. I believed him,” she revealed, chronicling attempts from Joey to downplay the severity of the situation. Buttafuoco faced a crucial turning point as she sought to find her identity and reconcile with her past.

Finding Strength and Seeking Help

Eventually, Buttafuoco acknowledged the toll the trauma had taken on her life. With a deep desire to serve as an example for her children, she expressed, “I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. Time was passing, and I wanted to set an example for my children — that mom can go through this, and it’ll be OK.”

In her fight against addiction, she sought help, entering the Betty Ford Center for treatment. “It saved my life,” she asserted. This monumental step allowed her to begin the healing process and, ultimately, led her to file for divorce in 2003.

A Life Reinvented

Buttafuoco has since rebuilt her life, focusing on the future and her family. Today, she lives in California, close to her daughter and son. After extensive facial reconstruction surgery, she has regained the ability to smile—but the journey has left its marks. “My head is half hollow,” she noted, describing her ongoing physical sensations. “I have no feeling on the right side of my face, but I’ve adapted to it. I made it. I’m a survivor — and I’m proud of myself for that.”

Reflections on a Turbulent Past

Looking back on her tumultuous experience, Buttafuoco has strong words about the individuals involved. She categorically labeled Fisher as a narcissist, asserting that such personality traits rarely change. Furthermore, she emphasized the responsibility of adults in protecting vulnerable teenagers, reflecting on the broader implications of the case.

Through resilience and determination, Mary Jo Buttafuoco remains a symbol of survival. Her story serves as a reminder of the lasting scars left by violence but also of the strength required to reclaim one’s life after tragedy.