SOPHIE DELEZIO: ‘I INSTANTLY FELL IN LOVE’
“I LOVE MY FAMILY AND I MISS THEM SO MUCH ... BUT I DON’T BELONG THERE RIGHT NOW”
She was only 2 years old when she suffered third degree burns to 85 per cent of her body after a car ploughed into her daycare centre in 2003 and burst into flames.
Sophie Delezio and Molly Wood, also 2, were trapped under the burning vehicle until firefighters were able to free the tiny pair, who were then rushed to hospital with lifethreatening injuries.
Sophie’s injuries were so severe she lost her right ear, some fingers and both feet.
But despite beating the odds, tragedy struck the Delezio family again three years later when Sophie was hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing. She was thrown almost 20 metres and suffered a heart attack.
Now, 16 years on from the first trauma , Sophie is not only thriving, but she’s living the life she always dreamed of.
“Oh my God, it’s been so much fun,” Sophie says excitedly from London where she is currently attending university.
“I’m loving it. It’s been so amazing, so wonderful.”
Sophie moved to the UK this year after being accepted into the University of London to study sociology and international relations.
And while the thought of starting a new life in a new country is daunting for some,
Sophie is embracing the opportunity. “I always knew that I wanted to go to university overseas,” she says.
“When I was younger,
I always wanted to go to New York but then I came over to visit London and I instantly just fell in love. It was just so magical to me and I’m very lucky because mum was born in England, so I now have British citizenship.”
It’s only been a few months since Sophie started this exciting new chapter of her life. And it comes as no surprise she’s already made plenty of friends and has settled into her new home on campus.
“My whole university experience has already been so amazing by living in a student hall,” Sophie explains.
“It’s presented me with so many wonderful opportunities and has introduced me to some of the nicest people.”
In fact, when New Idea caught up with the 18-year-old, she was eagerly preparing for orientation week.
“Everyone here is so lovely,” she adds.
“I’ve been pretty open to people about what happened to me. It happened when I was so young that it’s become a part of my identity and who I am so I never really feel like I need to hide it.”
She continues: “It’s obvious that I have a disability so I’m not going to pretend. If someone asks me, I will tell them and when it comes up in conversation people are usually like ‘Oh wow, that’s terrible’, but no-one makes a big deal about it.”
And when it comes to boys, well, Sophie admits that for now, she’s focusing on her studies.
“I’m just busy with uni at the moment,” she laughs.
“But who knows what the future holds?”
And while there’s no doubt Sophie is making the most of her time abroad, she admits being away from her family is difficult at times.
“I love my family and I miss them so much. I miss Australia too, but I don’t belong there right now, in this period of time,” she says.
“Plus with technology it is so easy these days to just Facetime or call. I talk to my parents every few days. They always try to look after me from afar, always making sure I’m taking my vitamins and everything,” she laughs.
But Sophie won’t have to miss her family for too much longer. Her parents, Ron and Carolyn, and brother, Mitchell, will be visiting for Christmas – and Sophie can’t wait to see them.
“Mum’s sister lives in France so we are going to celebrate Christmas there this year so we will all be together again,” she says with joy.
“I’m just really looking forward to being with everyone. My mum is known for making amazing homemade Christmas puddings as gifts, and one large one for the actual day, which everyone loves. One year we even brought one over from Australia to France in our carry-on baggage through five different airports.”