Australia's Finest : Turia Pitt,"..........it may have taken away my body but there's still a piece inside of me which is still that independent woman who's very determined.''

Burn victim Turia Pitt opens up to 60 Minutes about 100km Kimberley Ultramarathon fire

Ashlee Mullany
The Sunday Times
August 24, 2013



A FIRE robbed Turia Pitt of her body but, in just two years, the ultra-marathon burns survivor has painstakingly taught herself to sprint like a top athlete.

With a clear mission to never give up, the 26-year-old has opened up about her determination to rebuild her life after suffering horrific burns during an outback marathon.

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`I think there's a little piece inside of me which the fire didn't get to, if that makes sense,'' Ms Ms Pitt tells 60 Minutes in an interviewing airing tonight.

``So yeah it may have taken away my body but there's still a piece inside of me which is still that independent woman who's very determined.''

In her fight back from the brink of death, she has learnt to walk, run and sprint.

``When I look at photos from before I just think you know, bloody hell I was really good looking and I'm a really determined person so I'll try to get as much of that back as I can,'' she said.

Ms Pitt was among a group of runners who suffered burns when fire swept through a rocky gorge as they competed in the 100km Kimberley Ultramarathon, between Kununurra and El Questro in September 2011.

ACTION: Turia Pitt takes Racing The Planet organisers to court

The blaze left Ms Pitt, from Ulladulla on the NSW south coast, and fellow runner Kate Sanderson severely disfigured, with burns to more than 60 per cent of their bodies.

Runners Michael Hull and Martin Van Der Merwe received less serious injuries in the fire.



Ms Pitt, then a successful mining engineer, spent months in hospital and had to have all her fingers and a thumb removed on her right hand.

After more than 16 surgeries and almost two years wearing a head-to-toe compression suit, she says she can finally remove her face mask.

Ms Pitt was insistent on showing her face on 60 Minutes and hoped to inspire others with her story.

She's now studying for her Master's degree and preparing for the release of her book, Everything to Live For, on September 2.

Her boyfriend Michael Hoskin has remained by her side during her recovery and legal

battle for compensation from event organiser Racing the Planet.

The family is yet to receive any contribution from RTP towards Ms Pitt's medical bills, which have topped $2 million.


Racing the Planet is still advertising marathon events for 2014 in Asia, Africa and South America.

Company founder Mary Gadams did not respond to questions from The Sunday Telegraph.