The celebrity chef has beaten the odds to not only survive but to thrive with a very special woman.
Suffering severe burns to almost 40 per cent of his body, Queensland celebrity chef Matt Golinski fought to survive after the 2011 Boxing Day house fire that claimed the lives of his wife and three children.
But 18 months on, Matt has defied the odds. According to close friends, he has a lot of reasons to smile – not least of which is the bond he’s forged with personal trainer and physiotherapist Erin Yarwood. “Erin came into Matt’s life to help with his rehabilitation in the early days,” a friend tells Woman’s Day. “They clicked right away, a lovely friendship formed and, slowly and gently, their feelings have changed. It’s become a very special love story.
“It’s unimaginable what he’s been through,” the friend says of Matt, now 40, who lost wife Rachael, 38, and daughters Starlia, 10, and 12-year-old twins Willow and Sage in the fire.
“He has an extraordinary fighting spirit, and Erin has been there with a hand on his back all the way. That sort of devotion is rare, and it’s given Matt a reason to fight on and make the best of his life. To see the light back in his eyes has given us great comfort.”
Read more about Matt and Erin in his week’s Woman’s Day, on sale Monday, June 24 2013.
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