Woman who gouged her eyes out on meth sees the sunshine after swapping meth for God
Kaylee Muthart made headlines for all the wrong reasons seven years ago but has turned her life around after ditching all substances and learning to live as a blind person
A woman who gouged both her eyes out during a meth-induced psychotic episode has seen the light and given up all substances. Kaylee Muthart was 21 when she ripped out her eyes in a drug-fuelled self-mutilation fenzy despite an intervention from horrified bystanders.
The former addict was airlifted to hospital in the United States where doctors told her she was permanently blind. The terrifying 2018 ordeal proved to be her rock bottom, as she entered rehab with a stern commitment to give up meth and was fitted with with prosthetic eyes in 2020
The South Carolina-native committed to total sobriety in 2023, giving up cigarettes, alcohol and weed, as she began working towards earning her high school diploma. She also found God and opened a Christian-based non-profit to help others struggling with addiction recovery and mental health.
She said: “I’ve learned a decent amount of brail and I can cook, use a stove, wash clothes, make the bed and look after pets now.
“I can also walk to the beach by myself, take bus systems, fly on an airplane by myself – I can do almost anything. There really is no limit.
“I’ve come such a long way. Coming off meth was awful – physically and mentally. There was hallucinations and psychosis, but I overcame it thanks to God.”
She added: “I’m starting a non-profit to steward all of God’s creation. There’s going to be a focus on addiction recovery and mental health and how those two affect each other.
“It’s still forming, and right now, my main focus is finishing my high school diploma. Once I get that out of the way, I’ll be able to devote more time to other things.
“Right now, my time is spent balancing schoolwork and other important tasks.” On February 6, 2018, during a meth-induced psychotic episode, Kaylee tore out her own eyes.
She was airlifted to the hospital, where doctors informed her that she would be permanently blind. The horrifying incident became a turning point in Kaylee’s life.
She said: “The commitment took place in my heart. My intent was good, but it didn’t make it stick. When I came to god with honesty and sincerity, that’s when my life truly changed.”
The South Carolina native received her first pair of prosthetic eyes in 2020, provided by Dr. Joseph Gorrin of Gorrin’s Clinic in Greenville, SC.
“I was so excited to get them,” Kaylee said at the time. “I just wanted to appear more normal to the outside world. Her boyfriend was there to witness the profound moment.
Kaylee added: “I said ‘I feel like I’m Kaylee again’ and he said ‘you’ve always been Kaylee to me. He cried when he saw me.”
The road to sobriety hasn’t been without its challenges, but Kaylee – who has since moved to Ormond Beach, Florida – embraces the setbacks as part of her story.
“Because of God, as of November, not this past year but the year before, I quit cigarettes, weed, drinking – everything,” she said.
“Before that, I did fall down. I don’t know how honest I was about that before. It was embarrassing, but I plan on being completely honest about my past mistakes so other people don’t feel so bad when they fall.”
Her faith has been a cornerstone of her recovery and transformation. “Even if it doesn’t seem like God is talking to you in the way you’d expect, the more you walk with him – like any relationship – the more you learn how He communicates with you,” she said.
“Don’t be discouraged by not seeing the results you expect. I used to spin my wheels trying to understand everything, but now I know that prayer and God’s word are the most important things in life.”
Kaylee plans on getting her new prosthetics soon. “I have a newfound realization that, while it’s nice to have them, life and myself would just be a beautiful without them,” she said.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
