Sophie Delezio is all grown up!
Miracle burns survivor Sophie Delezio is not the cute sweetheart that we quite remember gracing our screens over 17 years ago.
When the heartbreaking images of little Sophie showing her with horrific burns took over the news cycle, it was forever etched into the hearts of Australian.
Despite her intense hardships, Sophie’s warrior spirit and beaming smile never dulled or faded – and now over a decade later, she has grown into a young woman.
The ambitious 19-year-old has grown is studying sociology and international relations at the University of London.
"Sophie is a very determined young woman," her proud father Ron told The Weekly in 2019.
"She has had to be determined and strong all her life. After everything that she has endured in the past 15 years, her just being alive is a testament to how determined she really is.
“She has had a plan to live overseas for at least a couple of years and she's been quietly working toward that goal the entire time."
Sophie lost her feet, an ear and some of her fingers when a car ploughed into her Sydney daycare centre just before Christmas in 2003.
She then suffered a heart attack when she was hit by a car and thrown almost 20 metres in another terrible accident in May 2006.
Despite her struggle, Sophie has never let her lifelong disabilities prevent her from chasing her dreams.
"In my mind I'm not 'Sophie the girl with no legs' but someone completely normal. 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," she has said.
"Everything is a choice. You can choose not to see the positive in things.
“You can choose to just focus on the negatives and wallow in pity. Everyone is allowed to grieve but you also need to look at the beauty in the world."