John Wayne Bobbitt, whose penis was cut off by his wife in a high-profile case in the 1990s, underwent the last amputation of his remaining toes last year, The Sun reported Saturday, along with photos of his feet.
He attributed the amputations to toxic peripheral polyneuropathy, a condition he was diagnosed with due to drinking contaminated water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune military base, where he spent time as a Marine in the 1980s.
The condition damages the nerves, resulting in numbness and weakness. He said it caused him nerve damage and osteomyelitis, a bone infection that leads to ulcers and requires skin grafts.
Bobbitt, who now lives in Sarasota, Florida, told the outlet he’s undergone several operations on his toes throughout the years, which has left him unable to work.
Bobbitt and his ex-wife, Lorena Bobbitt, became tabloid fodder when she sliced off his penis while he slept and threw it out of a car window after allegedly being raped by him in 1993. She accused him of multiple acts of domestic violence.
Lorena Bobbitt was tried for the mutilation but was acquitted by reason of temporary insanity. John Bobbitt was found not guilty of marital sexual assault in a separate trial.
While speaking with The Sun, John Bobbitt suggested that his toxic peripheral polyneuropathy diagnosis played a part in how his relationship with Lorena Bobbitt ended.
“I wasn’t behaving the way I should have,” the 57-year-old said. “Maybe I would have made better decisions if my cognitive functioning wasn’t distorted by the chemicals.”
John Bobbitt, whose penis was reattached once it was found shortly after the incident, worked briefly in porn and made TV appearances. He also worked as a carpenter and driver.
Lorena Bobbitt, who now goes by her maiden name, Gallo, has been working as an advocate against domestic violence. The 53-year-old was the subject of a 2019 docuseries, “Lorena,” which was executive produced by Jordan Peele.