“They were taken from us”: White Island survivor marks second anniversary of tragedy
Two years after the eruption of New Zealand’s White Island/Whakaari volcano, one survivor has looked back on the incident that “ripped apart” her family.
Stephanie Browitt, her 21-year-old sister Krystal, and their father Paul were among 47 people on the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship when it stopped on the privately-owned island on December 9, 2019.
The volcanic eruption resulted in the deaths of 22 people, including 14 Australians, and another 25 people who were badly injured.
Stephanie was among the survivors, suffering burns to 70 percent of her body and spending six months in hospital.
Unfortunately, Krystal and Paul were among those who died that day.
In a candid post on Instagram two years on, Stephanie said she had “very mixed emotions”.
“Today marks 2 years since the incident my family & I were a part of. The day that ripped us apart,” she wrote, sharing a series of photos of her family and her recovery.
“For a lot of burn survivors they call it their “burnversary”, a day where they can celebrate their achievements, accomplishments and the fact they survived such awful tragedy’s (sic) on this very date.
“I truly want to celebrate all that I have accomplished since I was severely burnt, just like other burn survivors do.
“Unfortunately today’s not only the day I survived the unimaginable, it’s the day I lost my dad, Paul and sister, Krystal.
“It’s the day they were taken from us.
“My accomplishments mean nothing to me knowing they aren’t shared with my sister and dad by my side.”
Stephanie added that she was “grateful” for making it home to her mother, but “heartbroken that only I made it back”.
“My heart hurts when I remember what I felt that day, but it hurts more not knowing what my dad and sister felt, that I wasn’t next to them during their last moments,” she continued.
“Today marks two years of accomplishments but also loss, pain and never ending grief. I miss and yearn for my family every day.
“I love you so much dad and Krystal, so much it kills me.”
Image: @stephaniecoral96 (Instagram)