I’ve taken off my mask for first time since suffering horror burns in NZ volcano blast – I’m tougher than I thought

A SURVIVOR of a volcano blast that killed her dad and sister has taken off her mask for the first time after suffering horror burns to 70 per cent of her body. Stephanie Browitt, 26, has said she feels “tougher than I thought” two and half years after her family was “destroyed” when the White Island volcano in New Zealand erupted on December 9, 2019. 60 minutesStephanie says she is ‘tougher than I thought’ more than two years on[/caption] 60 minutesShe was in a coma for two weeks and underwent several rounds of surgery[/caption] 60 minutesThe 26-year-old has removed her mask for the first time[/caption] Her dad Paul and 21-year-old sister Krystal were among the 22 people killed as Stephanie’s mum Marie stayed behind on the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship and watched on in terror as the volcano flared. Stephanie – from Melbourne, Australia – spent two weeks in a coma fighting for her life with third-degree burns to her body before documenting her recovery on social media. For the first time in public, brave Stephanie has removed her face compression bandage to reveal the extent of her injuries. Speaking to 60 Minutes, Stephanie looked in the mirror and said she sees “a person who has gone through much more than I ever expected in life”. Read more from New Zealand HOLIDAY FROM HELL Our holiday was ruined by DISGUSTING stains in dream beach house CRASH TRAGEDY Dad screamed 'I need a bullet' after killing son in 80mph fireball car crash She added: “I am tougher than I ever thought I would be. “I think I have learned that the fight for survival is a real thing. I was fighting every day to survive, just to get back to myself. I never knew I had this in me.” Stephanie endured six months of surgery, including having her finger amputated. Images shared by Stephanie from that period show the shocking extent of her burns as she was left needing skin grafts on her limbs Most read in The Sun ONE'S LOVE Queen says 'my heart has been with you all' after missing last 2 days of Jubilee GAN-GAN'S A GAS George & Charlotte's sweet reaction to Queen pulling sandwich from handbag LOOK HERE Viewers all saying same thing as BBC slammed for showing Charlotte during jubilee SUSSEX SPOT Royal fans all saying the same thing as they spot Meghan's 'reaction to Kate' ALL EARS William tells hilarious joke about Louis' behaviour during Jubilee celebrations 'TURN IT UP' Party at the Palace viewers all have the same complaint about Diana Ross But Stephanie says the hardest thing she has had to overcome is losing her dad and sister in the tragedy. She said: “I wish my dad and sister were still alive and still with me. “I wish that day would leave me, it has caused me many sleepless nights. “There are many times when my mind won’t shut off. Even now, it still hurts a lot. “I just hope my sister and dad can see me now and what I have gone through.” Recalling the horror incident, Stephanie said she saw black smoke spewing from the volcano before they were told to run. She said: “We heard the front tour guide scream, ‘run’ and that’s when we realised and made the split-second decision to just bolt. “It was coming from behind and getting louder and louder as it was coming closer and you could hear all the rocks. You could hear the sound of all the rocks hitting the ground and people just screaming. “I didn’t think I would survive. I thought I was going to die.” I just hope my sister and dad can see me now and what I have gone through Stephanie Browitt The family was unable to escape the deadly blast, and Stephanie and her dad were stuck on the island in agony waiting for rescue teams to find her. Crews sadly discovered Krystal’s body a few days later and her dad Paul died almost a month later from his injuries. Her mother had decided to stay on the cruise ship that day and Stephanie says she has been her rock. She said: “Whilst my scars are visible, she has her own that aren’t visible, but she has always made sure to put me first. Stephanie, who recently celebrated her 26th birthday, says she wants to “go back to as normal a life as possible” by working full-time. She said she was scared about taking her mask off, but has been overwhelmed by support. She said: “I get a lot of people sharing their own stories about their battles with their own personal issues. “If I can just make a difference in one person’s life, that means everything to me. Read More on The Sun NEW MENU McDonald’s major menu shake-up has FOUR new burgers and brand new halloumi fries FIRST LOVE Love Island girls gobsmacked as Laura Whitmore reveals huge show twist “No one should be ashamed of their scars, because it represents their battle. “I hope I can continue to learn to be comfortable in my own skin, because everyone should feel comfortable in their own skin.” InstagramStephanie’s dad and sister were killed in the blast while her mum watched on in horror from the cruise ship[/caption] InstagramStephanie pictured before the volcano eruption[/caption] APThe eruption killed 22 people in December 2019[/caption] InstagramPictures reveal the extent of Stephanie’s burns[/caption]