So grown up! Sophie Delezio’s fairytale school formal
The smile etched on Sophie Delezio’s face as she stood there, standing confidently in an elegant floor-length dress and sky-high heels, showed the world that this was a girl who looked radiant and felt beautiful.
Absolutely ecstatic about “all the girlie stuff” which she used to reference her bright coloured lipstick, her glitter eye shadow that brought out her eyes and the stunning wrist corsage of hot pink roses, the Year 12 student admitted she had well and truly caught “formal fever”, especially when a giant limousine pulled up outside her home.
“The night is finally here!” an excited Sophie told Woman's Day.
“I’m so happy – this is about celebrating with my friends, and the best time of my life so far!” the 17-year-old added.
Her senior formal is not only a momentous moment for Sophie, but also for those who have watched her blossom in the public eye.
Many still remember her as the bandaged little girl who inspired all those following her heart-wrenching journey, by keeping her head held high after surviving two near-fatal childhood accidents.
The first occurred nearly 15 years ago when a car crashed into Sophie’s childcare centre and burst into flames on top of her, leaving her with burns to 85 per cent of her body, and the then-two-year-old losing most of her skin, right ear, the fingers on her right hand and both lower legs.
Due to the incident, Sophie spent most of her time in and out of intensive care. Tragically, two years after the first incident, she was hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing that left her with bleeding on her brain and other trauma.
But despite the tragic circumstances, Sophie always managed to keep a positive outlook on life, and never once questioned, “What if?”
Rather she approaches each day as if she has no disability.
This includes “being a super-organised freak” and doing all her own washing, working two to three shifts at her local Coles and training and competing in rowing regattas. She is also contemplating on whether she wants to attend university next year in the UK.
“In my mind I’m not ‘Sophie the girl with no legs’ but someone completely normal,” she explained to Woman's Day. “I think of myself as Sophie the chatterbox, the socialite, the girl who loves a good hamburger and enjoys each day as much as she can.”
While the teenager still has the added stress of the upcoming HSC exams, Sophie seems unfazed and her active contribution on her school’s formal committee made sure the celebratory night was a success. From the decorations to the class awards, Sophie managed to organise everything to perfection while still finding a dress weeks in advance.
The dress, which Sophie says was her top priority, was a bargain at $29.
“At first I was obsessed with red, my favourite colour, but you can never be too sure of the true shade of that on a screen, [so] I went with a light grey instead,” she revealed to the women's magazine, of her “perfect” halter-necked and fishtail-skirted gown, which features intricate lace detailing down the back.
To help accommodate her evening stilettos, Sophie wore her prosthetic legs fitted with adjustable soles.
And while they have proven to be uncomfortable in the past, Sophie planned to soldier on the dance floor.
“I wear my legs way more than I’m supposed to, anyway, because I’m stubborn and I value my independence,” Sophie shrugged.
The worst memory she has of her prosthetic legs is in February of this year, when Sophie attended the Ed Sheeran concert while she was standing in the mosh pit.
“I couldn’t wear them at all for the next week and the wound in my right thigh was so deep it took four months to heal. But I did end up with Ed’s guitar pick that he threw into the crowd, and that made me so happy I bawled my eyes out on the spot,” she revealed.
“It was agony later but definitely worth it – I would go through it all again 1000 times over!”
Sophie is also grateful for the decision she made during her pre-teen years where during a painful series of operations, a section of her scalp was stretched with a tennis ball-like object to allow hair follicles to be transplanted. The resulting extensions she can support thrill her on a daily basis.
“Never mind how much it hurt at the time!” said Sophie, who loves looking in the mirror and seeing the long, thick hair she has always lusted after.
Photo credit: Woman's Day