Perth woman shot in the face in the US describes how her 'gums melted'

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A woman who was shot in the face in the US has reunited with her saviours
Amy Matthews from Perth was on a holiday in 2014 when she became caught in the middle of a violent gang shoot out in New Orleans
The bullet entered her cheek, melted her gums and tore up her tongue
The 21-year-old told Channel 7's Sunday Night that she suffers from PTSD
She returned to see the US Marine and military doctor who saved her life

By Lucy-mae Beers For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 08:52 EST, 12 July 2015 | Updated: 15:10 EST, 12 July 2015

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A Perth woman has described the horrifying moment her gums melted and her tongue was torn to pieces after she was shot in the face during a violent street brawl in downtown New Orleans.

After graduating university and taking off on her gap-year adventure in the US a year ago, Amy Matthews, 21, found herself 'unluckily lucky' after being caught up in a drug-related shoot out between two young men.

'I felt heat a lot of heat in my cheek and I spat blood and teeth into my hand,' Ms Matthews said.

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Amy Matthews has described the moment her gums melted and teeth fell out when she was shot in the face

While bar hopping in downtown New Orleans, Ms Matthews found herself in the crossfire of a drug-related shoot out, she is pictured here in the arms of stranger and former US marine gunnery sergeant Will McDaniel

During an emotional interview with Channel 7's Sunday Night, Ms Matthews spoke of how she found herself bar-hopping on the notorious Bourbon Street On Saturday June 29 and ended up at an establishment called 'Krazy Korner.'

At around 2am, she had left the bar and was walking down the street when two men began firing multiple shot on each other, with Ms Matthews and many others becoming caught in the crossfire.

'It's a sound you'd never hear, my brain was struggling to figure out what it was in the beginning and then I heard it again and people started running and screaming,' Ms Matthews said.

After she was struck in the face by a bullet, she recalls feeling 'heat' and lost an enormous amount of blood in an instant, but managed to run back to the bar and into the arms of bouncer and former US marine gunnery sergeant, Will McDaniel.

The bullet entered through Ms Matthew's cheek and exited through her upper lip and she is lucky to be alive

Her tongue was ripped apart from the force of the bullet before it exited through her upper lip

Ms Matthews collapsed into the arms of former US Marine gunnery sergeant Will McDaniel (right) and US Navy Corpsman Josh Whatman (left)

She recalls feeling 'heat' and lost an enormous amount of blood in an instant but managed to run for help

Perth student survives being shot in the face

The 21-year-old was travelling across the United States as her gap year adventure after finishing university

'They didn't even know what happened, they said they were walking and she felt something hot,' Mr McDaniel said.

'So first thought is that she was shot and at that point didn't see an entry wound, I didn't see an exit wound it was just trauma to her face.'

He described Ms Matthews as looking like a 'zombie movie' with 'blood up to almost her eyes' and immediately knew he needed help.

His prayers were answered after out of nowhere, US Navy Corpsman Josh Whatman came to their assistance.

'When a marine needs the most help, the Corpsman (military doctor) is going to save your life,' Mr McDaniels said.

Before her departure, her father Ian (left), told his daughter to 'be careful and enjoy yourself'

The shooting, on Boubon Street in downtown New Orleans left ten injured and one young female was killed

Ms Matthews has since returned to New Orleans to be reunited with her saviours Mr McDaniels and Mr Whatman

Womans emotional reunion with men who helped save her life

'All I know is that I got grabbed by both of them and there's nothing else to think about, it's a bond that no one else will understand,' she said

Before her departure, her father Ian, told her to 'be careful and enjoy yourself,' without the faintest inkling of what was to come.

The incident left ten people injured and killed 21-year-old nursing student Brittany Thomas, with her body lying in the street following the shooting.

Doctors told Ms Matthews that she was literally millimetres from death as the bullet pierced through her cheek and exited through her upper lip.

She has since returned to New Orleans and has been reunited with her saviours Mr McDaniels and Mr Whatman.

'All I know is that I got grabbed by both of them and there's nothing else to think about, it's a bond that no one else will understand,' Ms Matthews said.