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{{short description|Australian schoolgirl|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2011}}
'''Sophie Joy Martin Delezio''' (born 3 April 2001) is an [[Australia]]n [[student|schoolgirlwoman]] who gained media attention when she was involved in an accident at the Roundhouse Childcare Centre in [[Fairlight, New South Wales|Fairlight]], [[Sydney]], Australia. She suffered third-degree burns to 85% of her body and was hospitalised for several weeks where she lost both her legs. Delezio is the first daughter of Ron Delezio and Carolyn Martin and the younger sister of Mitchell Delezio and half -sister of Catherine Delezio and John Delezio.<ref name='DT-jun-09'>{{cite news|title=Sympathy for Sophie Delezio's sister Catherine|date=20 June 2009|publisher=[[News Limited]]|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sympathy-for-sophie-delezios-sister-catherine/story-e6freuy9-1225737969383|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=24 October 2012|quote=CATHERINE Delezio's troubled life came screaming back at her in a Sydney court yesterday - sexual abuse, life as a street kid, estrangement from her dad Ron, her sister Sophie's two horrific accidents.}}</ref> Her family has since then become major fundraisers and activists for victims who suffered conditions as Sophie's, and have also assisted in fundraising for the [[Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children|Children's Hospital at Westmead]] in [[Westmead, New South Wales|Westmead]].
==First accident==
Delezio first came to the attention of the public on 15 December 2003 when she and Molly Wood, both two years old at the time, were badly injured when they were trapped under a burning car which had crashed through a gate into the Roundhouse Childcare Centre in [[Fairlight, New South Wales|Fairlight]], [[Sydney]], Australia. She suffered burns to 85% of her body and lost both feet, one hand, and her right ear. Wood suffered burns to 40% of her body, but has since made a good recovery.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet Molly Wood - the raw strength of a child's bravery|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/meet-molly-wood-the-raw-strength-of-a-childs-bravery/story-e6freuy9-1225792611535|accessdate=15 February 2011}}</ref>
Delezio was released from Westmead Children's Hospital on Monday 21 June 2004. The circumstances of the accident, and the rescue of the children by passers -by and members of the emergency services (for which a number received bravery awards)<ref>{{cite web|title=New South Wales Fire Brigades Bravery Awards Presentation|work=Legislative Council Hansard|publisher=[[Parliament of New South Wales]]|date=27 October 2004|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20041027024|accessdate=4 February 2007|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929104629/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20041027024|archivedate=29 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> made them the subject of national news coverage.<ref>{{cite news|first=Freya|last=Petersen|title=Super Sophie - any tougher, and she'd rust|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=4 June 2004|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/03/1086203565864.html?from=storylhs|accessdate=4 February 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Justin|last=Norrie|title=A second blow too cruel to contemplate|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=6 May 2006|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/too-cruel-to-contemplate/2006/05/06/1146335937407.html|accessdate=4 February 2007}}</ref>
The driver who crashed into the child care centre, Donald John McNeall, was 68 at the time of the accident. He was cleared of negligent driving before a magistrate's court after medical experts agreed he had had a [[seizure]].{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}
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*[http://www.dayofdifference.org.au/ Day of Difference Foundation]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060615193422/http://www.wishesforsophie.com/ Site established by Sophie's parents for wellwishers' messages]
*[http://www.abc.net.au/rn/spiritofthings/stories/2009/2537176.htm Out of the Wreckage] - transcript and audio of an interview of Sophie's parents on the ''Spirit of Things'' on ABC [[Radio National]] (April 2009)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delezio, Sophie}}
[[Category:2001 births]]
[[Category:Australian amputees]]
[[Category:Australian children]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Sydney]]
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