The experience of waking up to discover one’s genitals have been severed is an unimaginable ordeal, yet for one individual, John Wayne Bobbitt, this nightmare turned into a global news sensation.
In 1993, John was asleep when his wife, Lorena Bobbitt, entered their bedroom and severed his penis using an eight-inch kitchen knife. She left their home in Virginia, holding the knife and the detached organ, and drove away, steering with one hand.
After discarding John’s severed part from her vehicle, Lorena decided to contact 911, informing them of the incident and the location of the discarded appendage. Although their story has been widely shared, John only recently recounted the experience of waking up to such a horrific reality.
More than two decades later, John recounted the terrifying moment to ABC News, describing the scene upon waking. “I sprung up and I was bleeding, I was applying pressure, then immediately I thought it was something out of a horror movie. A nightmare… turned into reality,” he explained.
The events transpired following an evening of excessive drinking with a friend at their residence, leading to an argument between John and Lorena. Lorena has consistently claimed that she resorted to such drastic measures because John had raped her that evening, following years of enduring abuse.
Amidst the chaos, John’s friend rushed him to the hospital. Despite the severity of the injury, medical professionals managed to salvage his amputated organ. After being retrieved by police, properly sanitized, and preserved on ice, surgeons successfully reattached it through an extensive nine-hour operation.
The extraordinary tale of John and Lorena Bobbitt captured the media’s attention worldwide in the early 1990s. John’s attempts to leverage this notoriety helped him address the financial burden of his medical expenses, including starring in adult films like 1994’s “John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut” and 1996’s “Frankenpenis.” He also formed a band named The Severed Parts, which ultimately did not succeed financially.
Both John and Lorena faced legal proceedings for their respective roles in the ordeal. John was acquitted of marital sexual assault despite conflicting statements regarding his behavior.
In Lorena’s trial, experts on both sides acknowledged the pattern of abuse she suffered, leading to an escalation of fear by 1993. The jury concluded her actions were a result of self-defense and ‘temporary insanity,’ driven by John’s assault and his intimidating threats.
Lorena was acquitted after the trial, and divorced John in 1996. She later dedicated her efforts to founding a charity aimed at supporting survivors of sexual assault.