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John Wayne Bobbitt’s Toes Amputated 30 Years After Wife Lorena Bobbitt Cut Off His Genitalia
John Wayne Bobbitt was forced to have his toes amputated more than 30 years after his wife cut off his genitalia in 1993.
John, 57, revealed to The Sun on April 13 that his toes were amputated due to toxic peripheral polyneuropathy. The condition was caused by his stint at the military base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina during his time as a Marine in the ‘80s. At the time, the camp’s water supply was severely contaminated and has led to cancer and other ailments in people who spent time there.
According to the Mayo Clinic, John’s condition “often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in the hands and feet. It also can affect other areas and body functions including digestion and urination.”
“The government covered it up for 40 years,” the former Marine told The Sun. ”They knew. They were testing the water and it was like up to 3,500 times above normal safety standards.”
John told the publication that while the condition leaves his feet looking painful, he can’t feel any of it due to the chronic nerve damage. On top of the nerve damage, John said he suffers from osteomyelitis, a bone infection that leads to ulcers and requires skin grafts. The toxic peripheral polyneuropathy has led to several surgeries for John, with the most recent being in 2023 when he had his remaining toes removed.
John also said that the effects of the contaminated water likely led to the incident that ended in his penis being cut off by his then-wife, Lorena Bobbitt.
“I wasn’t behaving the way I should have,” John said. “Maybe I would have made better decisions if my cognitive functioning wasn’t distorted by the chemicals.”
In June 1993, Lorena, 53, used a kitchen knife to slice off John’s penis while he slept. She later threw the appendage out of the car window as she was driving around, but authorities later found the organ and successfully reattached it. The attack led to John and Lorena becoming household names as the trial dominated the headlines a little over a year later in 1994. Lorena was acquitted due to temporary insanity.
After the trial, John was seen in a few high-profile TV appearances. Later, he enjoyed some time as an adult film star with his reattached penis. However, he and Lorena have both moved on from that infamous night.
“We both hurt each other. I wish her the best,” John said in the docuseries Scandal Made Me Famous in 2016.
Lorena has remarried and founded a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping victims of domestic violence.
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