Three years after her horrific ordeal, Turia Pitt is inching closer to her old self as she prepares for one last major operation – and it’s the one she’s been most looking forward to.
“I’m so excited to have a new nose,” Turia tells Woman’s Day. “I’m pretty lucky I’ve got all that other stuff now – I’ve got my lips, I’ve got my eyes, I’ve got eyebrows, I’ve got nice teeth, and all I need is a better nose.”
After suffering horrific burns to 70 per cent of her body in an outback bushfire, Turia was on the brink of death. But with the love and support of her partner Michael Hoskin and her family – as well as the dedicated work of doctors – Turia beat the odds.
“In those first stages while you’re in hospital, they’re not really focused on making you look better, they’re focused on saving your life – that’s step number one,” says Turia, who sustained her injuries in September 2011 while competing in a 100km ultramarathon in the Kimberley.
For Turia though, a new nose will not only complete her face and make her “look better”, but it will allow her to breathe normally again – something her doting boyfriend Michael is also looking forward to.
“At the moment, I snore pretty bad at night,” explains Turia, 27. “Michael says I snore like a trooper, so that will be improved.”
The operation has been a long time coming, and it comes only months after Turia settled a multi-million dollar compensation payment, but it is no easy feat. Her surgeon Dr Peter Haertsch will have to perform two separate procedures three weeks apart, where he’ll use skin from her forehead to reconstruct the framework of her nose.
Left: Turia snaps a selfie as the preparation begins for her nose reconstruction. Right: Turia got to meet with Hollywood royalty: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the Sydney premiere of Angelina’s new film Unbroken.
It will take at least three months to recover from the extensive work, and by her side through it all will be Michael, who has been her greatest support every step of the way.
“He’s so great,” Turia gushes. “He understands what I’m going through, he knows what the deal is, and he knows that all he needs to do is be there for me.
“It’s so good knowing I have that person in my life. I can’t imagine going through it by myself. I’ve been really lucky. I’m blessed,” she smiles.
“She’s amazing,” adds Michael, 30. “I’m always so proud of her.”
There’s no stopping Turia, who already has plans to conquer the Inca Trail in Peru next year to raise funds for Interplast, a charity that sends doctors overseas to provide free treatment to patients with burns and conditions such as cleft lips. She’s also looking forward to taking on her first Ironman competition.
“I want to start training for the Melbourne Ironman for 2016,” she says. “All you can do is have a crack, hey?”
Read more about Turia’s upcoming transformation only in Woman’s Day, on sale 24th November.
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