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.
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 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.
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.
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.”
“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.”
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.
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.”
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.