A Letter to Sophie

Sophie Delezio has been through more than most of us could imagine. Trapped under a burning car in her childcare centre, resulting in burns to eighty per cent of her body and multiple amputations; a long path to recovery followed by a near-fatal accident on a pedestrian crossing soon after her fifth birthday. With her beautiful smile and unquenchable spirit, Sophie has become a beacon of hope and inspiration in Australia and beyond. Now Sophie's parents, Ron and Carolyn, invite us into their world. Through their private journals Ron and Carolyn reveal a searingly intimate portrait of their life - from the day of Sophie's first horrific accident, to the present and their never-ending challenge to balance Sophie's care with their life together as a family. Sophie has faced death twice before the age of six; she has had innumerable operations over the past five years; her need for special care is intense and lifelong. It is an unthinkably terrifying scenario - yet the Delezio family have not only survived, they have somehow managed to offer hope and joy to others in the process. In reading this book, you will see inside a mother's heart that breaks for her little girl on a daily basis; you will see how it is possible to be knocked to the floor by grief and be lifted up again by the gentle hands of friends and supporters.