On February 7, 2025, a birthday celebration involving clay pigeon shooting for the husband of Christy Carlson Romano, a former Disney Channel star, took an alarming turn. The event held in Austin, Texas, resulted in Romano being hit in the face by pellets from a gun fired by another party present.
Explaining the incident on Instagram, Romano noted that she had brought her husband to the event as a gift. However, the other party fired unsafely in the wrong direction, causing her to be shot in the face. The 40-year-old actress was hit in five different locations, with one pellet narrowly missing her right eye.
Brendan Rooney, Romano’s husband, quickly took her to a hospital in Austin, Texas. There, medical professionals found a fragment lodged behind her eye, deemed too hazardous to surgically remove. Despite this, Romano’s vision remains unaffected as she continues under medical observation. The medical team worked diligently to cleanse and evaluate each injury site, especially around her right eye and forehead, where fragments were still embedded.
During her recovery process, Romano has shown impressive resilience. This characteristic was recently exhibited on the reality show “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” where she participated in strenuous military-style training exercises with other celebrities. The demanding physical and mental challenges from the show may have prepared her to face this unexpected event.
With a career in entertainment that spans over two decades, Romano is best known for her role as Ren Stevens in “Even Stevens,” where she acted alongside Shia LaBeouf from 2000 to 2003. She later provided the voice for the lead character in the animated series “Kim Possible,” which aired for 87 episodes and resulted in two Disney Channel original movies. Her voice acting work led to a Daytime Emmy nomination, making her a notable figure of the early 2000s Disney Channel.
Romano, a mother of two children – Isabella Victoria, 8, and Sophia Elizabeth, 5 – shared a video demonstrating her injuries, including a small cut below her eye and apparent bruising where the fragments hit. “I love my daughters, husband, family, and friends so much. I saw my life flash before my eyes,” she conveyed, commending the medical team for their exceptional care during her time of need.
Rooney, Romano’s husband of 11 years whom she met at Barnard College, expressed his support, stating, “You are the bravest, toughest, most stoic and badass woman I have ever met. I am so thankful you are alive. I am so thankful you are the mother to our children. I wouldn’t know what to do without you. I love you more than life itself.”
The shooting range where the incident occurred specializes in clay pigeon shooting, a sport where participants target clay discs launched into the air, mimicking the unpredictable flight of birds. The range welcomes everyone, from novices to experienced shooters, and has rigorous safety protocols in place to prevent accidents.
Despite the seriousness of her injuries, Romano has kept her sense of humor during her recovery. She joked to her husband, “God saved me so I could tell you to clean up your empty cans around the house,” and added, “I dunno laughter helps.” In her latest video update, she said, “Everything’s kinda clearing out, but got to say I got shot in the face and lived to tell the tale.” Rooney later shared her video on his Instagram Stories with the message, “Kiss your loved ones.”
