Turia Pitt, an Australian model and athlete, was competing in a marathon back in 2011 when the unthinkable happened. While running, Pitt was trapped in a brush fire with no way out. Unable to escape, Pitt squeezed in between two rocks and tried to wait for the inferno to pass.
Only she couldn’t wait too long.
Pitt recalls the moment to ABC Australia, “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.”
The raging brush fire nearly took her life, but she managed to run through the flames and survive. However, there was a deep cost.
Pitt suffered 3rd-degree burns on over 65% of her body, and doctors were forced to amputate four fingers on her left hand and her right thumb.
She spent the next two years living in the hospital. She was forced to wear a compression mask for those two years in order to heal properly. It was a difficult time for pit, but she was thankful that her longtime boyfriend Michael was always by her side.
While in intensive care, Michael bought a diamond ring. He even quit his job in order to care for her full-time.
Recently, Michael was asked if he ever thought about leaving Pitt for someone else as a result of the accident.
His response is simply beautiful.
“I married her soul, her character, and she’s the only woman that will continue to fulfill my dreams.”
How awesome is that?
Today, Pitt is a national hero in Australia who focuses on raising funds for charities that help patients in developing countries. Rather than focusing on the scars, she states that the accident might have been the best thing to happen to her.
Learn more about her story in the 60 Minutes feature below.
