Old Photos Reveal How A Compassionate Sculptor Helped 'Restore' The Faces Of Disfigured WWI Veterans

Over a hundred years ago the world was plunged into a global war, the likes of which no one had seen. When it was over the damage and destruction some suffered was unimaginable but a sculptor named Anna Coleman Ladd would do her best to give them their lives back.

Returning home from World War I for many soldiers meant a lifetime of isolation. Having sustained facial injuries which caused tremendous damage often compelled many to eschew contact with the outside world for fear of being ostracized by the public, not to mention their friends and family. Using her skills as a sculptor, Ladd set about recreating the soldiers faces into masks that could be worn to cover the damage.

Some folks recall seeing a character in HBO's Boardwalk Empire wear a similar mask.

Remarkable work for a truly great cause.

H/T: Bored Panda, The Atlantic