I was two and a half when a car crashed straight through my preschool.
I survived but with third-degree burns to 85 per cent of my body. I lost both legs below the knee, my right hand, and my right ear.
I celebrated Christmas and my third birthday in a hospital room, calling that place my home for six and a half months.
Then, just three short years later, it happened again. This time, my carer was pushing me across the road in my wheelchair when I was struck by a car and thrown 18 metres. I suffered a heart attack, a broken jaw, a broken shoulder, fractured ribs and, a tear to my left lung, and lost the ability to smell for the rest of my life. I spent two months in hospital, then just a month after that, went back to school.
My entire life has been a series of people telling me how much my story has meant to them, and what they remember about the days of my accidents, but I remember nothing.
This has been my life – whether I like it or not. This is who I am and, in my eyes, who I have always been. The dates of my accidents truly don't mean much to me. For everyone in my life, they were traumatic days full of fear, heartbreak and worry.
In a recent discussion I had with my surgeon, who has treated me since that very first day, I told him that I do not believe that I have suffered. In all honesty, it is what has brought me to this point in my life, where I am so incredibly happy and love everyone and everything around me. I have been fortunate enough to experience the kindness of strangers and love from all corners of the world. How could I ever say that I wish I never experienced that?
Watch: Sophie Delezio's incredible outlook on life. Story continues below.
It is a common discussion that I’ve had with many people who have had traumatic moments in their lives... when did we choose to become an inspiration? Personally, I would never associate myself with that word.
Inspirations to me are people who have achieved the most amazing incredible triumphs in life and fight for equality. To me, a person like Malala Yousafzai or Karni Liddell is an inspiration.
The life I have chosen to live is not because I wanted to defy the odds but because in truth, I just want to live life this way. My parents raised my brother and I to always believe that the sky is the limit and to never let anyone tell us otherwise. That is why getting my driver's licence at 16 was a no-brainer for me. I wanted my life to be as normal as possible.
Of course, the average person could not understand, or even comprehend the difficulties that I have to face, whether it be ongoing pain, surgeries, or even disadvantages of living with a disability in an inaccessible world. But I love life and I love experiencing new things, whether it pushes me to my physical limits or not.
It doesn’t offend me when people say that I'm an inspiration and I don’t want to come across ungrateful. When people come up to me in public, it's nice to know my story has helped people in ways I cannot even imagine. To all the strangers who have supported me in ways I never thought possible, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude. Your kindness and generosity have touched me and my family deeply, and I feel incredibly blessed to have had your support.
It's amazing how much a kind word, a thoughtful message, or a small act of kindness can mean. It all comes down to the way the media presents people like myself. The media has an enormous influence on how we perceive the world around us, and it's not uncommon for us all to present a highly curated and edited version of reality.
While the media is often a valuable source of information and entertainment, there are many things that we all choose to hide from the public eye. I personally have always felt that the media that I was brought up with hid the complexity of my real life. News stories are so often perpetuating stereotypes or glamorising life with a disability, making it easy for people to feel sympathy or pity for someone like me.
I don’t want you to think that of me, though. From news stories that focus on the limitations and struggles of living with a disability, to movies and TV shows that use disability as a plot device or source of inspiration, the media often fails to capture the full range of experiences and perspectives. Quite honestly, it can be difficult to overcome these negative perceptions, especially when they are reinforced on a daily basis.
Not everyone wants to be this source of positivity when it's hard enough for them to physically get out of bed. This lack of understanding can make it difficult to fully understand and appreciate the experiences of those who are different from them.
My life isn’t one constantly full of sunshine and rainbows. I, like so many other people with disabilities, live with pain on a daily basis. But, I cannot let that stop me from living life. Living with a disability is challenging, but it doesn't define me.
In fact, many people with disabilities believe that our unique experiences give us a greater appreciation for it.
Listen to No Filter, In 2003, Sophie shared her story with Mia Freedman. Post continues after audio.
Living in a world where social media dominates our lives, it is not surprising that we have become fixated on the idea of being an inspiration to others. From influencers to celebrities, we are constantly being bombarded with images of people who have seemingly accomplished everything they set out to achieve, and it's easy to see why we might want to emulate them.
Ultimately though, the media has a responsibility to present a more accurate and nuanced version of reality. This means recognising the complexity and diversity of real life. Thankfully, on social media were are starting to see more content from people with all different kinds of disabilities. We now have a platform to share our truths and our real life experiences without any misconceptions.
I, for one, am and will forever be grateful for the life I live. But to someone who sees my life as inspirational, I just see it as living.
Feature Image: Supplied
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