Local Hero Gets New Nose After Vicious Bus Stop Attack on Long Island

BRENTWOOD, NY — A Long Island man whose nose was bitten off during a fight that ensued after he asked two men to stop harassing a young woman at a Long Island bus stop has received nose reconstruction surgery.

Tyson Carter, 41, of Bay Shore, has regained his quality of life after three operations by a renowned oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Long Island Jewish Medical Center who successfully reconstructed a functional new nose.

Carter was at a Brentwood bus stop awaiting the final leg home from work on Jan. 27, 2025, when his life changed in an instant.

Two men pulled up and began harassing a young woman also waiting there, Carter said. At first, he remained silent. But after minutes of escalating pressure on the girl, Carter intervened and asked the men to back off. A fight ensued and Carter’s nose was bitten off.

The girl ran and his alleged attackers drove off. While bloodied and battered, it was only after being evaluated at Northwell Health’s South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore that Carter realized his nose was gone.

"It was two-on-one and they stomped on my head and chest," said Mr. Carter. "But I wasn’t going down. I guess he got frustrated. I knew he bit my nose — my jacket was bloody. I didn’t realize how bad it was."

Enter Laurent Ganry, MD, MSc, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who specializes in head and neck reconstruction. Dr. Ganry performed Carter’s first surgery at LIJ less than a week later. But Carter’s medical journey had just begun. Dr. Ganry 3D printed the patient’s face beforehand and modelled the missing nose with clay to obtain a template useful for each surgical step.

Dr. Ganry has successfully reconstructed more than 45 patients with the same technique whose noses were amputated, mostly the result of aggressive skin cancer. For Carter, it’s a three-step process where a flap is created from skin and muscle on the forehead and arm tissue to fashion a new nose — one that’s functional and natural-looking.

"Mr. Carter is not an incredible case — but is an incredible result," said Dr. Ganry. "Through the skin cancer realm, I’ve climbed the steep learning curve of this old technique that’s perfectly adapted to this type of trauma. Using state-of-the-art virtual surgical planning with a patient-centric approach, we really did something great for him."

Carter was unable to work and couldn’t even wear glasses while he recovered. A new nose has changed his quality of life. He needs one more surgery later in the year after swelling subsides, but he is already in a better place.

"Most people who know me and haven’t seen me in a while," said Carter, "it doesn’t even register when they see my face."