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Woman Badly Burned In White Island Volcano Tragedy Shows How She’s Healing Five Years Later

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Although Stephanie made it through the terrible incident, her journey to recovery has been long and deeply challenging

 

 

Stephanie Coral Browitt is one of the survivors of the tragic White Island volcano disaster that happened back in 2019.She made it through alive, but the burns she suffered were incredibly painful and changed her life forever.Now, five years after the eruption, Stephanie is opening up about what she looks like today and just how far she’s come in her recovery, both physically and emotionally.

The eruption took place on December 9, 2019, on Whakaari/White Island, which lies off the eastern coast of New Zealand’s North Island.

 

 

The volcano called Whakaari by the Māori people had been showing signs of increased activity for weeks. Still, tourists were allowed to visit the island that day, unaware of what was coming.When it erupted, the explosion claimed 22 lives—nearly half of all the people who were there. Most of the victims were tourists from Australia and the United States.Another 25 people, including Stephanie, were seriously injured. The injuries were mainly caused by a pyroclastic flow, which is an intense blast of hot gas and volcanic debris.

In December 2019, a deadly volcanic eruption happened on Whakaari/White Island while tourists were visitingPhil Walter/Getty Images
Stephanie, who was just 23 years old at the time and on a cruise holiday through New Zealand, was one of those critically hurt by the blast.In an interview with PEOPLE magazine this March, Stephanie, now 28, reflected on the horrific day that took the lives of her dad, Paul, and her sister, Krystal.“Within seconds, we realized it was erupting and we all began to run for our lives. It all happened so fast that we had no chance of escaping it.” she said, recalling the exact moment when the volcano began to erupt.

 

 

Even though she was struck by the unbearable heat of the pyroclastic flow, Stephanie said she immediately thought of her mum, who had stayed behind on the cruise ship due to her Multiple Sclerosis. That thought kept her going. She remembered thinking: “She needs us, I have to survive for her.”She did survive, but her road to recovery was brutal. Stephanie had to spend six long months in the hospital. During that time, she had eight fingers amputated, and burns covered 70 percent of her body including her face, arms, legs, chest, back, and stomach.According to the NHS, these are known as full-thickness burns. That means all three layers of skin—the epidermis, dermis, and subcutis are completely destroyed.

Stephanie Coral Browitt was visiting the island while on holiday with her mum, dad and sisterInstagram/@stephaniecoral96

 

 

In cases like Stephanie’s, the burned skin is usually gone, and the exposed tissue may look blackened or pale. The skin that remains is dry and could appear white, brown, or black, but there are usually no blisters left.To help with her recovery, Stephanie went through a variety of treatments, including time in hyperbaric chambers, speech therapy, laser procedures, and full-body compression garments.“Learning to love myself in my new skin has taken time.” she explained. “I was extremely self-conscious and worried about being judged every day.”

70 percent of Stephanie’s body was covered in full-thickness burnsInstagram/@stephaniecoral96

 

 

Through all the heartbreak and suffering, Stephanie has still found strength to celebrate her progress. One of her proudest moments was wearing a two-piece swimsuit for the first time since the eruption. She also shared how she looks now with her 1.8 million TikTok followers.“5 years on & this is what my burns care looks like now.” she wrote in the caption of one of her recent videos. In that clip, she gave a glimpse into her daily routine, which still includes weekly therapy for her hands.When talking about that treatment, she said: “I think it still makes a huge difference for my hands and their function, whilst also looking after my skin.”

She now lives with scars from that devastating dayInstagram/@stephaniecoral96

 

 

“The last thing I want is for my hands to go backwards and seems I’m still seeing positive changes I will continue going weekly.”Stephanie still makes skincare a priority. She moisturizes daily from head to toe and uses oils and sunscreen, which she says has really helped her skin heal and improve over time.Even though it may look like she’s doing great from the outside, Stephanie admitted to PEOPLE that her healing hasn’t been quick or easy. It’s been a slow and steady process filled with ups and downs.

Five years on and Stephanie now uses her social media platform to advocate for burn victims, as well as update her followers on her healing journeyInstagram/@stephaniecoral96

 

 

“I was taught in hospital to take things one day at a time and that’s something I always remind myself of now.” she shared. “Otherwise, you’ll find it difficult to overcome anything.”

 

 

These days, Stephanie is focused on giving back by being a voice for other burn survivors. She continues to speak out and share her journey online in hopes of helping others.

“Representation truly matters when it comes to healing. I needed that as I was recovering.” she explained. “Seeing other people with burns and living a good life gave me back hope that my future wasn’t all lost.”

In 2023, a company called Whakaari Management Limited was found guilty of failing to take proper steps to minimize risk for tourists, which led to the deaths of 22 people.This company had the license to run tours to the volcanic island. Judge Evangelos Thomas, as reported by the BBC, strongly criticized them for what he described as “astonishing failures.”Then in 2024, an Auckland court ordered that $10.21 million NZD be paid to survivors and to the families of the people who lost their lives.

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