Woman Loses Eyes in Drug-Induced Psychosis Outside Church

A tragic incident unfolded outside a church in South Carolina when **Kaylee Muthart**, then a 20-year-old woman, gouged out her own eyes during a severe methamphetamine-induced psychotic episode. This shocking act, which took place on **February 6, 2018**, was driven by her delusion that she could “see the light” and save the world. In the days leading up to the event, Muthart had been preparing to enter rehabilitation at her mother’s urging.

Muthart, once a model student and a member of the **National Honour Society**, faced challenges in her mental health and personal life. Diagnosed with **bipolar disorder** that same year, she struggled with addiction following a significant mental collapse and a painful breakup. Although she initially avoided hard substances, she succumbed to drug use at the age of 19 after inhaling a cannabis cigarette contaminated with methamphetamine.

On the day of the incident, Muthart reportedly consumed a larger-than-normal amount of meth, which triggered a series of hallucinations. Convinced she needed to make a sacrifice, she believed that meeting someone at the church was her calling. A friend, who saw her on the way, shouted a question about a house key. Muthart interpreted this as a sign that she was meant to make a significant sacrifice.

In her own words to **Cosmopolitan**, Muthart recounted the moment: “I remember thinking that someone had to sacrifice something important to right the world, and that person was me. I got on my hands and knees, pounding the ground and praying, ‘Why me?'” She proceeded to claw at her eyes with her fingers, ultimately pulling them from their sockets.

After her screams drew attention, a pastor rushed to assist her. Muthart later recalled that she was holding her dislodged eyes in her hands when he found her. “He said that I had squished them, although they were still attached to my head,” she shared. Following the incident, she was taken to a hospital where medical staff had to restrain her to remove the remaining eye tissue and preserve her optic nerves.

In the years since this harrowing event, Muthart has made significant strides in her recovery. Speaking exclusively to **the Daily Star** in 2023, she expressed a newfound determination to abandon drugs and pursue a sober lifestyle. She has learned braille and various adaptive technologies, and she secured a job as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Florida. Furthermore, she is on track to earn her high school diploma from **Penn Foster**, with aspirations of studying neurobiology at university.

Describing her life post-incident, she stated, “Because I have seen before, my mind will not accept not seeing. They are called visual hallucinations, and I kind of think of that as God not letting me be in the darkness.” Although Muthart wears prosthetic eyes, she maintains a positive outlook.

Reflecting on her journey, she mentioned, “Sometimes I think it’s a blessing that I am blind because even nowadays, if I ever do get a drug craving… you can’t really do it blind.” Despite losing her job at the restaurant in December 2022, she remains optimistic about her future.

Muthart is committed to using her experiences to help others facing similar struggles. She plans to establish a non-profit organization aimed at supporting addiction recovery and mental health challenges. Additionally, she aspires to share her story through motivational speaking engagements and has ambitions to learn multiple musical instruments.

In an interview with **the Mirror**, she expressed her hopes for the future, stating, “My hopes for the future are big.” Muthart’s resilience underscores her belief that she would choose blindness over the grip of addiction, a testament to her enduring strength and faith.