What Happened to Christy Carlson Romano’s Face? The Disney Star Is “Grateful to Be Alive”

Former Disney star Christy Carlson Romano often uses her social media presence to bring her fans feel-good doses of millennial nostalgia. But in February 2025, she shared a near-fatal update.

The Even Stevens alum posted a video that showed one side of her face bruised and bloody. The footage sparked concern and well-wishes for the wife and mother of two.

Here's what to know.

Christy addressed what happened to her face in her Instagram video and the video's caption. She explained that she took her husband, Brendan Rooney, out to shoot clay pigeons for his birthday the day before. Christy said the event turned awry when a nearby family accidentally shot at her with a clay shooting shotgun.

"@thebrendanrooney immediately sprung into action, assessed me, and rushed me to the hospital," she wrote in the caption. "I was hit in five places, one was less than an inch from hitting me directly in my right eye."

"Unfortunately a fragment got lodged behind my eye and it is too risky to remove surgically at this time," Christy added. "Doctors will continue to monitor me (I can see normally at the moment)."

In her video, she showed a close-up view of her eye and forehead injury. Christy also thanked first responders in her city, Austin, Texas, who rushed to her side during the horrific event, calling them "the most amazing, superhero-like people."

The former child star added that, though wounds looked "really bad" in her video, she said she was grateful to be able to "say I got shot in the face and lived to tell the tale" and to be there for her husband and daughters, Isabella and Sofia.

"With everything that happened, all I can think about is how grateful I am to be alive," she added to the caption. "I love my daughters, husband, family, and friends so much. I saw my life flash before my eyes and I’m telling you, hug the people around you every chance you can. Life can change in an instant."