John Wayne Bobbitt, known for the infamous incident in 1993 when his wife Lorena Bobbitt severed his penis with a kitchen knife, has lost all of his toes due to a side effect of a condition he claims he obtained while based at Camp Lejeune in the 1980s. Lorena Bobbitt attacked him in his sleep and threw his penis out of a car window, but doctors were able to reattach it. Now, Bobbitt suffers from toxic peripheral polyneuropathy and walks with the help of prosthetics. Minor injuries led to infections that spread to his bones and eventually caused him to lose all 10 toes over the past decade, which he attributes to the contaminated water supply at Camp Lejeune.
Due to the poorly contaminated water at Camp Lejeune while he was stationed there in the 1980s, Bobbitt believes he developed toxic peripheral polyneuropathy. A minor injury at a construction site resulted in nerve damage and subsequent infections that spread to his bones, leading to the amputation of all his toes. He revealed his injuries to the media and stated that the chemicals consumed at the base caused the severe nerve damage in his hands and feet. Bobbitt has civil claims pending against the federal government and a disability claim related to his workplace injury.
Lorena Bobbitt was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity after she attacked her then-husband in 1993. Her defense argued that she had been driven mad by physical and sexual abuse from John. The couple divorced in 1995, and John Bobbitt was acquitted of sexual assault charges in his own trial. Bobbitt maintains that his ex-wife was actually the abusive one and that he never harmed her. He describes her as narcissistic and claims she attacked him in his sleep after he told her he wanted to separate. Bobbitt also believes the toxic chemicals he was exposed to at Camp Lejeune impaired his ability to think clearly during their tumultuous marriage.
John Bobbitt admits to doing things that his ex-wife did not like, such as flirting with women while working as a bouncer at a nightclub. He also recounts a story where a woman hit him with her car on their wedding anniversary, leading to him seeking help from her at her house. This behavior caused his ex-wife to give him the silent treatment for months before he ultimately decided to leave her. However, she responded by attacking him in his sleep and severing his penis. Despite this traumatic incident, Bobbitt briefly worked in the adult film industry before returning to construction work.
After the incident with his ex-wife, doctors were able to successfully reattach Bobbitt’s penis. However, ongoing health issues related to his time at Camp Lejeune eventually led to the amputation of all his toes. He underwent seven surgeries over a span of a decade to address the spreading infections and nerve damage caused by the contaminated water. Federal health officials have reported that individuals at Camp Lejeune between 1975 and 1985 are at a higher risk for cancer due to the contaminated water supply. Bobbitt claims that the chemicals at the base caused him to develop toxic peripheral polyneuropathy, which severely impacted his sense of touch and led to the loss of his toes.
John Bobbitt’s story is one of tragedy and resilience, as he has faced numerous challenges related to his infamous past and the health effects of his time at Camp Lejeune. Despite the traumatic incident with his ex-wife and the subsequent health issues, Bobbitt continues to fight for justice through civil claims against the government and disability claims related to his workplace injury. His case highlights the lasting impact of environmental contamination on the health and well-being of individuals, as well as the complexities of personal relationships affected by abuse and trauma.
