Saturday, 23 June 2012 00:00

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NEARLY two years after arriving in America with the promise of a new nose and ears, Aesha Mohammadzai has finally begun the process of reconstructive surgery.

The young Afghan woman, whose face was mutilated by her Taliban husband and in-laws, checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, early Thursday morning.

After nearly six hours, the first of about six anticipated surgeries -- which will be performed over the course of up to two years -- is now complete, said Mati Arsala, who along with his wife has been caring forAesha.

"I woke her up at 5 a.m.," he said Thursday night, recounting how the day began.  "She  said,  'Momo Mati' -- that's what she calls me, Uncle Mati -- 'let me sleep.' I said, 'You have an operation today,' and she jumped. As soon as I said that, she jumped!She was ready!"

Her spirits were high going in, he said. She was laughing and chatting with her doctors. Because of privacy regulations, CNN was not on hand Thursday and doctors were prevented from speaking directly about her case.

The haunting story and image of Aesha, now 22, became known the world over after her face appeared on the cover of Time magazine in August 2010. That same month she arrived in California, welcomed with the best of intentions by people wanting to help her start over witha new and restored face.

But Aesha, who effectively became a poster child for the oppression of women in Afghanistan, wasn't emotionally prepared for the grueling process that awaited her. Until now, and amid several moves, that hoped-for surgery remained elusive.

In May, 16 months after meeting Aesha, CNN published an exclusive piece documenting her complicated and winding journey in America. We set out to tell her story because the last the world knew, she was well on her way to a fairytale ending. We wanted readers to understand the truth: that fairytale endings aren't always possible, especially for someone with Aesha's challenges. The responses from readers were overwhelming. Some messages we received were more surprising than others.

Many wanted to give donations to support Aesha. Others offered their own stories, tips to pass along to those caring for Aesha, as well as medical and psychological diagnoses. People in Afghanistan -- U.S. troops, NGO workers and a Kabul blogger -- reached out, as did a man who knew her on the base where she first was brought after being brutalized and left to die.

A New Yorker in the fitness business asked to send Aesha workout clothes -- with the hope that someday she might interview Aesha for a program she calls "Celebrity Sweat." Someone in Atlanta offered to choreograph and teach Aesha her very own Bollywood dance.Apoet penned a piece to honor her.