The 29-year-old humanitarian Turia Pitt from Australia enjoys running marathons. In 2011, the young woman decided to run a 100 kilometer (give or take 62 miles) ultra marathon in Kimberley, Australia.
Unfortunately, in the midst of the marathon, a fire suddenly started to build up. It is believed that the fire was intentionally lit, although the police were unable to find any perpetrator. Turia was engulfed in miles of flames and it was a true inferno. As she describes it herself, she’s been to hell and back. The grass fire forced Turia to seek shelter for over four hours until help could reach her, but she couldn’t avoid the horrific flames.
“It just got hotter and hotter and hotter and I couldn’t stand it anymore so I jumped up and tried to run and that’s when I got burned,” Turia recalls.
Turia’s injuries were very severe. The young woman suffered from third-degree burns across almost 65% of her body, lost her nose, part of her earlobes, four digits and a thumb. Turia had to stay in a hospital for more than two years with doctors constantly checking on her, and she was also forced to wear a special compression mark for over two years to help treat the burns in her facial area.
“I guess a part of me thought I’d be back at work on Monday, but a part of me knew that my life would never be quite the same again,” she said.
Despite this tragic incident, Turia has shifted her focus towards living a happy life, doing humanitarian deeds and dedicating her life to charity for Interplast, an organization that is active in third-world countries to help burn victims.
And she’s still running.
“A lot of people find it kind of bizarre, but my life is incredible,” she said to ABC.
“I’ve got an amazing partner, beautiful family and friends. I live in one of the best places in Australia in Ulladulla.
“So when people say they feel sorry for me, I don’t really get it. I don’t feel sorry for myself at all.”
As for her boyfriend Michael, he never left her side. Someone asked him if he would ever consider leaving Turia to be with someone else, after which he gave a swift and beautiful, heartwarming response.
“I married her soul, her character, and she’s the only woman that will continue to fulfill my dreams.”
The love these two have for each is beautiful.
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