Rajee Narinesingh gained widespread attention after being dubbed “Cement Face,” following a black market plastic surgery disaster in the mid-2000s. The surgery, performed by the infamous “toxic tush doctor” Oneal Ron Morris, involved injecting Narinesingh with a harmful mixture of cement, superglue, and tire sealant. This caused severe deformities in her face and body. Fortunately, Narinesingh later appeared on the TV show Botched, where professional surgeons helped repair the damage.
Here’s a closer look at Rajee’s life, her journey to recovery, and what she looks like today.
Rajee Narinesingh’s Early Life
Born in New York on April 7, 1967, Narinesingh knew from a young age that she was different from other boys. Raised in Philadelphia, she felt more like a woman inside and struggled with her identity. As she grew older, she decided to undergo several plastic surgeries, but the high costs led her to seek cheaper, unregulated options.
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The Black Market Surgery
In 2005, Narinesingh met Oneal Ron Morris, who falsely claimed to be a plastic surgeon. Desperate to align her physical appearance with her gender identity, Narinesingh agreed to receive injections from Morris. The substances used, including cement and superglue, left her face and other body parts severely deformed.
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Narinesingh paid just $100 per session and received around ten injections between 2007 and 2010. Initially excited, she soon faced the nightmare of hardened lumps forming under her skin, leaving her horrified and housebound.
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Recovery and Transformation
Too embarrassed to seek help from the police, Narinesingh felt like a “monster.” But in 2012, she found hope with Dr. John Martin of Coral Gables Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgery, who treated her with softening injections and laser therapy. Her transformation from victim to victorious continued when she appeared on Botched in 2016. Over seven weeks, she underwent four surgeries to remove the toxic fillers, regaining her confidence and self-esteem. She even began dating again, humorously recalling a man calling her a “sexy dragon.”
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Life Today
Narinesingh has since become a prominent public figure, advocating for transgender rights and educating others about the dangers of black market procedures. She’s appeared on over 30 television shows globally and has written three books about her experiences. Now living in Florida, she works with the LGBTQ community and spreads awareness about HIV prevention.
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Narinesingh has embraced her journey, calling the hardships she endured a “blessing” because they allowed her to amplify her advocacy work. She’s active on Instagram, sharing her life and inspiring others.
Oneal Ron Morris’ Fate
Morris was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2017 after one of her patients died. In 2021, Morris reached out to Narinesingh, seeking forgiveness. Despite the past, Narinesingh accepted Morris’ apology, reflecting her belief in learning from mistakes and growing stronger from adversity.
A Brave Survivor
Rajee Narinesingh’s story is one of incredible resilience and transformation. From the devastating effects of illegal surgery to reclaiming her life, she continues to inspire others with her activism and courage.
Share this inspiring story to spread awareness and celebrate Rajee’s strength.
Dan Haggerty, Who Played Grizzly Adams
In the 1974 motion picture “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” and the corresponding NBC television series, Dan Haggerty played a bear named Ben and a gentle mountain man with a thick beard. Haggerty died in Burbank, California, on Friday.
His age was 73 years old.
Terry Bomar, his manager and friend, said that spine cancer was the cause.
A producer invited Mr. Haggerty, who worked as an animal trainer and stuntman in Hollywood, to recreate parts of the movie’s opening moments, which featured a woodsman and his bear.
The story, which was based on Charles Sellier Jr.’s book “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams,” told the story of a California man who flees the woods after being falsely convicted of murder. There, he tames an abandoned bear and makes friends with the local fauna.
Mr. Haggerty agreed, as long as he could play the entire movie. At last, ticket sales for the film nearly hauled in $30 million after it was redone for $155,000. Subsequently, it was adapted for television, and in February 1977, Mr. Haggerty resumed his role as the forest’s protector and animal friend, with an emphasis on environmental issues.
The New York Times writer John Leonard called the first episode “lukewarm to the heart.” The man and bear who have taken up residence in a log cabin are visited by Mad Jack (Denver Pyle) and the honorable red man Makuma (Don Shanks), who bring bread and advice. As they leave the cabin, the man traps his fur and the bear washes it. Along with a lump in the throat, there’s also a lot of wildlife connection with raccoons, owls, deer, rabbits, hawks, badgers, and cougars.
Mr. Haggerty, who later won the 1978 People’s Choice Award for best new series actor, was won over by viewers of the show because to its cozy and nostalgic appeal. The 1978 television film “Legend of the Wild,” which was eventually shown in theaters in 1981, and the 1982 television film “The Capture of Grizzly Adams,” which followed Adams as he was hauled back to his hometown by bounty hunters in an attempt to clean his record, were the products of “Grizzly Adams.”
Daniel Francis Haggerty was born in Los Angeles on November 19, 1942. His upbringing was challenging following his parents’ divorce when he was three years old, and he frequently broke out of military school. He eventually went into Burbank, California, to live with his actor father.
At seventeen, he was married to Diane Rooker. The marriage ended in divorce. He lost Samantha Hilton, his second wife, in a motorcycle accident in 2008. Don, Megan, Tracy, Dylan, and Cody are his surviving children.
He costarred as body builder Biff alongside Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in his feature début, “Muscle Beach Party,” released in 1964. Then came appearances in documentaries about the natural world and motorcycling, like “Bearded Biker” and “Biker With Bandana.” He briefly appeared in the movie “Easy Rider” as a guest of Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in the hippie commune.
On his small ranch in Malibu Canyon, Mr. Haggerty actually housed a variety of wild creatures that he had either tamed from birth or saved from harm. In addition to occasional parts in films, his talents earned him work as an animal trainer and stuntman on the television series Tarzan and Daktari. In 1978, he claimed, “People magazine didn’t like actors jumping on them.”
In his outdoor-themed films, “Where the North Wind Blows” (1974) and “The Adventures of Frontier Fremont” (1976), he played a Siberian tiger trapper. He made an appearance as a dog trainer in the David Carradine film “Americana” (1983). In the 1997 film “Grizzly Mountain” and the 2000 film “Escape to Grizzly Mountain,” he played a character that bore a strong resemblance to Grizzly Adams.
Mr. Haggerty played an inebriated mall Santa in horror films including “Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan” (2013), “Terror Night” (1987), and “Elves” (1989) as his career declined. In 1985, he was sentenced to ninety days in prison for providing cocaine to two undercover police agents.
In 1977, a careless diner with a burning cocktail set fire to Mr. Haggerty’s famous beard. He made a third-degree burn attempt on his arms while attempting to douse the fire. He was admitted to the hospital, where he would probably need a month of therapy.
He told People, “I was like a wounded wolf trying to heal myself for the first few days—I just laid in the dark room drinking water.” “Nurses tried to give me morphine and pushed me to open the curtains.” Sometimes, however, animals know more about medicine than people do. He walked out of the hospital after ten days.
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