Christy Carlson Romano Provides Update on Birdshot Wound, Reflects on Child Star Career

More than a year after being struck by stray birdshot, former child star Christy Carlson Romano is sharing an update on her condition, revealing that fragments remain lodged near her eye and forehead.

Romano, 42, told Fox News Digital that she has birdshot lodged about a millimeter away from critical areas behind her eye. "If it were to move, I would go blind," she stated, expressing hope that the fragments will not shift. She also shared that she sustained injuries to her forehead in the same incident. The actress described the moment of the accident as one where she "thought that I was going to die."

The incident occurred while Romano was celebrating her husband Brendan Rooney's birthday. The couple has two daughters, Isabella, nine, and Sophia, seven. Romano noted that having children altered her perspective on life following such a dangerous event.

Her oculoplastic surgeon informed her that in similar cases, particularly those involving Nerf gun injuries, eyes are often removed. Romano considers her survival a "medical miracle," attributing her fortunate outcome to the birdshot hitting a fat pocket under her eye, thereby avoiding more severe damage to her skull and face.

Romano delves into the accident and its aftermath in her recently published memoir, "Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star." She previously posted on Instagram about the incident, sharing that a scan of her brain revealed not only a concussion from the shooting but also signs of PTSD, depression, and ADHD. Romano stated that these conditions did not originate from the accident but that she had long felt "something was wrong with me." She concluded, "I am not broken. I am healing, and I have never been more present with my girls, my husband, and myself."

In separate comments, Romano also discussed her experiences as a child star, alleging she was paid half of her co-star Shia LaBeouf's salary for the Disney Channel sitcom "Even Stevens." Despite both being billed as "co-leads" with equal screen time, Romano claimed LaBeouf earned twice her pay. She shared a letter from her mother to her agent from September 2000, indicating Romano's pay was $6,000 per episode while LaBeouf's was $12,000. Romano stated that while she felt LaBeouf "earned every dollar," her family was in significant debt, and her earnings were essential for their financial stability. She reflected that while she appreciated her mother's advocacy, she also wished she could have simply "just be a kid."