Christy Carlson Romano is ready for the next chapter of her life, but at one point, her story was nearly cut short.
The Emmy-nominated actress and former Disney Channel star, who pulls back the curtain in her debut memoir "Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star," was dealt a harrowing scare last year after she was accidentally shot in the face.
In February 2025, Romano was shooting clay pigeons in Texas with her husband, Brendan Rooney, for his birthday when someone from the couple's party "unsafely fired in the wrong direction," hitting her in the face, she shared on social media at the time.
The "Even Stevens" alum, then 40, was rushed to the hospital, where she learned that she'd been shot in five places, including a fragment
of bird shot getting lodged behind her right eye.
"It's taught me that life goes by in a flash, and not just the flash of a shotgun, but the flash of time," Romano tells USA TODAY ahead of the book’s Oct. 6 release. "One of the things that unpacking my life did for me was really showcase just how fast it's gone and how fast it will continue to go."
Since then, the incident has filled Romano with a sobering appreciation for her life, with the actress reflecting in her memoir that the shooting helped put into perspective "what actually matters," such as her relationships with daughters Isabella, 9, and Sophia, 7.
"Living in the present moment is such an amazing blessing that we have," Romano continues. "The more that you put attention towards living in the present moment, the slower time can feel."
Despite the severity of her injuries, Romano says she doesn't want to dwell on the experience.
"I know that talking about the past can sometimes feel like if you look back too long, you'll hurt your neck," Romano says. "But I do think that, for me, this is one of the last times that I really have any interest in recounting the past. I have a great support system. I have an amazing husband and family to look after and [a] life to live currently."
Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christy Carlson Romano opens up about 2025 shotgun blast to the face | Exclusive
