How I learned that looks aren’t everything
Fire breather burned in freak accident feels empowered by sharing her story
IT was just like any other performance.
Fire breather Sophie Lee stepped onto the stage to perform her adrenaline-fuelled routine to a cheering crowd at a charity event in America.
For five years the 24-year-old commanded stages across the world and wowed with her incredible talent for manipulating flames.
But on April 1, 2018, that all changed.
After rousing her Chicago audience, Sophie’s world came crashing down after a freak accident left her with severe, life changing burns.
As she blew the fire out, the venue’s air conditioning fought against the flames, and blew them back into her face.
For someone who had spent her life in a world where image is everything, it was especially hard to come to terms with what happened.
It comes as her inspirational recovery has led to her being shortlisted for an award by fast fashion powerhouse Pretty Little Thing, alongside Strictly host Tess Daly and Little Mix star Jesy Nelson.
Speaking of the moment her life changed dramatically, Sophie said: “It was so fast. My body went into survival mode because I was on fire. It went into shock.
“Even now I feel like parts of my mind erased it, because it’s a part of my life that was so fast and drastic. I think sometimes when things like that happen to you, you go numb to it.
“The recollection I have is more from hospital, because that’s where I did a lot of my thinking and reflection. That’s where I did a lot of my growing, I would say, and that’s where a lot of the pain I endured happened.”
After the accident, Sophie spent a month in hospital receiving treatment - and at first refused to let her friends and family see her.
After a time in intensive care, hooked up to machines to help her breathe, Sophie drifted in and out of consciousness as her body tried to adjust to the shock.
One moment she will never forget is her first shower. Sophie explained: “I’m led in there, I can’t really breathe, all I can smell is burnt around me.
“I kneeled and the nurse had to help me shower. She said she was going to have to rub because I needed to get rid of all this burn.
“The water wasn’t even hot, it was lukewarm water.
“I remember she was bringing the shower head up, up to my thigh and my knee and then I was thinking, this is going to hurt. The water was like acid. It was so raw.”
During the interview, an emotional Sophie broke down as she recounted the moment, before continuing bravely.
She said: “It was pure emotions I’ve never felt so numb in my life to my surroundings.
“All I could see was bits of blood, bits of hair, bits of skin and burn. And that was when it hit me - I can’t believe this has happened.”
It was after the shower that Sophie first saw the extent of her burns.
She said: “When the nurse wheeled me out the room I saw myself without my bandages.
“There were mirrors as I went in my room - I hadn’t seen them when I was getting wheeled out.
“I said, please take these mirrors down because I can’t bring myself to look at myself in this state. I said to her - I don’t know this person.”
Despite her horrific ordeal, Sophie managed to get herself through with a little help from the online community. The social media influencer - who has since had two operations to remove severe keloid scars from her neck - began documenting her journey on Instagram to show her followers that beauty is only skin deep.
“For me that was my first real understanding of life,” said Sophie.
“It really made me understand that there’s more to life than just trying to be pretty and trying to be popular or well known.
“None of that really matters to me anymore because of this accident, and that’s why in a way I’m very grateful for it. Until that point, my career was my life.”
Sophie says that her time in hospital will never leave her.
“I will never forget my time there because that is what makes me wake up every day grateful for where I am,” she said.
“Just being able to breathe - it makes me a bit speechless because at one point in my life, I couldn’t do that for myself.”
Since her accident, Sophie has not let her scars get in the way of racking up some incredible achievements.
Last year she was chosen by Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock as one of four brave, strong and inspiring girls to star in her empowering swimwear campaign, In ‘A’ Seashell.
She is also in the running for Pretty Little Thing’s Inspirational Influencer of the Year at their 2020 awards ceremony.
Sophie added: “Every time I talk about it, I’m even more empowered about it. I’m so proud that I’m able to sit here and talk to you and share my story.”
I will never forget my time in hospital because that is what makes me wake up every day grateful for where I am Sophie Lee