Burn Survivor Turia Pitt Gets Engaged

This Is Turia Pitt

In 2011, Australian Turia Pitt was running in an ultramarathon when she got caught in a bushfire that burned 65 percent of her body. Despite the severity of her injuries, Pitt survived, recovered and has become a popular motivational speaker and author
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Coming Back

Pitt’s recovery was difficult and intense, but she never lost her drive. "I've had to claw my way back into life – learn to walk, to talk. All the things I had taken for granted before became seemingly impossible tasks," Pitt said

Turia and Michael

By Pitt's side all along has been her boyfriend, Michael Hoskin, who left his job as a police officer to care for Pitt after her accident and through her more than 200 subsequent operations. They've been together as a couple for more than five years, but have known each other since they were in school together.

Recovering Together

Pitt credits Hoskin's devotion and love with giving her the fortitude she needed to recover from her injuries both physically and emotionally. Pitt said Hoskin makes me feel like "the luckiest girl in the world." In July, Hoskin finally proposed to Pitt.

The Proposal

Pitt and Hoskin appeared on the Today show in Australia to talk about their engagement. Pitt teased her new fiance about his non-traditional proposal. "He didn’t get down on one knee." she said.

"Do You Wanna?"

Hoskin explained that he and Pitt were on a boat trip in Maldives when he popped the question. A manta ray surfaced and swam near the boat while the couple watched. Hoskin felt the moment was right. "So I whipped out the ring out of my pocket and said ‘Let's get married, do you wanna get married?' And she said 'yes,'" Hoskin said.

The Next Moment

After Pitt accepted Hoskin's proposal, the pair leaped into the water and swam with the manta ray that had inspired their special moment

Long-Term Plans

Although Hoskin only recently proposed to Pitt, he knew soon after her accident that the moment would come. "When Turia was in intensive care four years ago, I bought a diamond ring," he told Australian Women's Weekly magazine
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On the Road

Before Pitt's accident, she and Hoskin were both very active physically, and after four years of recovery, the couple has been able to rebuild that part of their life."She's got crazy energy," Hoskin said. "She loves the outdoors, she loves the ocean like I do and we were constantly active together.
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Stoked

Pitt posted on Facebook soon after she and Hoskin became engaged: "Stoked to have this beautiful man in my life! You bring out the best in me and I can't wait for the rest of our lives together."

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