PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A valley man who was shot in the groin with an AK-47 opens up about the struggles he's had in his recovery.
Jose doesn't want us to use his full name or show his face -- he says he's suffered enough humiliation.
He lost a portion of his genitals in a shooting accident and the bullet from the AK-47 is still lodged in his hip.
"I just stopped talking to everybody. I can't tell nobody what happened to me. It's embarrassing," he said.
The incident happened two years ago at his friend's home. The Glendale police report says Jose shot himself, but Jose claims he told officers that to protect his friend.
"He pulled the gun out and started playing with it around the room... I just remember the gunshot going off," said Jose. "I just remember waking up in the hospital.. that they couldn't do nothing for me.. that they were sorry."
After multiple surgeries, Jose says more than anything, he wants reconstructive surgery, but his mother says their state-funded insurance won't cover it.
"They won't pay surgery because it's cosmetic," she said.
Jose's mother started an online campaign to raise money for the surgery. She says he's lucky to be alive and the surgery will give her son his life back.
"Give him hopes and his dreams back and live as a young man because right now, he doesn't feel like he is a man."
An account has been set up to help Jose get to his goal: www.gofundme.com/vg9gsg
Jose doesn't want us to use his full name or show his face -- he says he's suffered enough humiliation.
He lost a portion of his genitals in a shooting accident and the bullet from the AK-47 is still lodged in his hip.
"I just stopped talking to everybody. I can't tell nobody what happened to me. It's embarrassing," he said.
The incident happened two years ago at his friend's home. The Glendale police report says Jose shot himself, but Jose claims he told officers that to protect his friend.
"He pulled the gun out and started playing with it around the room... I just remember the gunshot going off," said Jose. "I just remember waking up in the hospital.. that they couldn't do nothing for me.. that they were sorry."
After multiple surgeries, Jose says more than anything, he wants reconstructive surgery, but his mother says their state-funded insurance won't cover it.
"They won't pay surgery because it's cosmetic," she said.
Jose's mother started an online campaign to raise money for the surgery. She says he's lucky to be alive and the surgery will give her son his life back.
"Give him hopes and his dreams back and live as a young man because right now, he doesn't feel like he is a man."
An account has been set up to help Jose get to his goal: www.gofundme.com/vg9gsg