“This is what I remember”: Turia Pitt reflects 10 years after fateful day
10 years on from the moment that changed her life, Turia Pitt is looking back on what happened that fateful day.
While competing in a 100km ultra-marathon in September 2011, Turia was trapped in a grassfire.
The mining engineer suffered “full-thickness burns to 65 percent” of her body, had to undergo 200 medical procedures, lost seven fingers, and spent “two gruelling years” recovering.
Taking to Instagram, Turia shared a photo of herself and her family, as well as an image of her and her partner, Michael Hoskin, taken prior to her accident.
“Ten years on from the fire, this is what I remember…,” she began in her caption.
“In September 2011, I was trapped by a grassfire during an ultramarathon.
“I remember the hot Kimberly sun beating down, burning my already burnt skin.
“I remember accidentally sitting on a bull ant nest. Staring in confusion as the ants started swarming across my legs.
“I remember trying to drink some water but spitting it out because it was boiling hot.
“I remember seeing bits of my skin stuck to the rocks and spinifex.
“I remember the small group of us, banded together. The guys trying to construct some shade for Kate and I, a parasol of fluoro material lit up against the sky.”
Turia continued to recount how she felt that the hours “dragged on” and how she thought about her partner.
“I remember telling myself, ‘Think of his warm face, think of his honey voice, think of his golden skin. Keep thinking about Michael’.
“I remember the bubbling feeling of panic as the hours dragged on. Wanting to be rescued. Needing someone to tell me everything was going to be okay.
“I remember the sun starting to set, the heat starting to dissipate, the breeze becoming cold.
“I remember saying ‘I don’t know if I can stay much longer’.”
Turia continued, recalling the moment she was rescued by a helicopter.
“And then, I remember salvation. The tch-tch-tch-tch of a helicopter racing across the sky.”
Since that day, the 34-year-old has gone on to see success as a motivational speaker and author.
She and her husband have two children, Hakavai and Rahiti.
Images: turiapitt / Instagram