Former Disney star, Christy Carlson Romano, recently opened up about a harrowing incident that occurred four months ago, where she was accidentally shot in the face during a clay pigeon shooting event. The 41-year-old actress shared her experience on the upcoming episode of the “Not a Damn Chance!” podcast, revealing that she was hit in five different places, including below her eye.
Romano explained that the incident occurred when birdshot was sprayed in her direction by another participant. The shot was fired from within 200 feet, making it extremely fast and hot. She clarified that the incident was not a result of malicious intent or aggravated assault, but a tragic accident.
The actress, known for her roles in “Even Stevens” and “Kim Possible,” used the incident to stress the importance of gun safety. She described her initial reaction to being shot as an out-of-body experience, where she was shocked and immediately thought she was going to die.
Romano’s response to the incident was influenced by her time on the third season of the FOX reality TV series “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.” On the show, contestants were trained to give a thumbs-up to signal they were okay during challenging exercises. Romano instinctively gave her husband, Brendan Rooney, a thumbs-up after being shot, leading him to initially believe she was unharmed.
Romano recalled her husband’s swift action, rushing to her aid while restraining himself from retaliating against the person who accidentally shot her. She also shared her fears about the potential impact on her children and career. Romano and Rooney are parents to two daughters, Isabella, 7, and Sofia, 5.
The actress revealed that she was close to being blinded or killed during the incident. If her head had been tilted in any other direction, she could have been blinded in her right eye or hit in a softer part of her skull, which could have been fatal. She still has fragments from the shotgun pellets lodged in her forehead and behind her eye, which could have blinded her if removed.
Romano admitted that she initially tried to lighten the mood by making jokes about her situation after arriving at the hospital. However, she confessed that it has been challenging to accept her new identity as a gunshot survivor. She emphasized the importance of safety measures in clay pigeon shooting, a sport that involves shooting at flying targets with shotguns.