- Catrin Pugh, now 20, was pulled from the burning coach wreckage
- She spent three months in a coma after the crash in the French Alps
- Only the soles of her feet and parts of her scalp were untouched by flames
- She underwent more than 200 operations and was on life-support
- ‘Remember
there’s an upside to everything’, says inspirational Miss Pugh - Hospital staff name her ‘the girl with the million dollar smile’
15:58 EST, 30 April 2014
|
09:14 EST, 1 May 2014
A teenager who is the world’s first adult to survive 96 per cent burns has told how she overturned odds of 1000 to one to stay alive.
Catrin Pugh, now 20, spent three months in a coma after she was pulled from the wreckage of a coach that smashed into a cliffside in the French Alps last April.
Only the soles of her feet and parts of her scalp were untouched by the flames.
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Survivor: Catrin Pugh, now 20, spent three months in a coma after she was pulled from the wreckage of a coach that smashed into a cliffside in the French Alps last April
Ordeal: Miss Pugh, from Wrexham, north Wales, had to undergo more than 200 operations and was on a life-support machine for 90 days
Miss Pugh, from Wrexham, north Wales, had to undergo more than 200 operations and was on a life-support machine for 90 days.
Medics said her odds of survival were just 1,000/1.
Speaking to the Mirror, she said: ‘It’s been really horrible. I woke up from the coma after three months not knowing where I was or what had happened.
Miss Pugh, who hopes to go to university to become a teacher, said: ‘I though I was never going to get better and there was no future for me, but I have had fantastic support from my friends and family and the staff at the hospital have been amazing’
Before: Miss Pugh, who had been set to start an event management course at Manchester University prior to the crash, says she only has hazy memories of the disaster, caused when the vehicle’s brakes failed
Tragedy: The coach Miss Pugh was travelling on narrowly missed a treacherous ravine when it crashed on the notorious Alpine route, used by cyclists in the Tour de France
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benidormchica,
alicante, Spain,
2 hours ago
Still has a lovely smile
scoop1,
birmingham, United Kingdom,
4 hours ago
You are one brave young woman. An inspiration to us all.
Rach,
middlesbrough_englan,
4 hours ago
Inspirational these are the women who should be in the news not celeb plebs
Jazzy1976,
London, United Kingdom,
5 hours ago
Lovely girl good luck for the future x
Louloub,
Billericay, United Kingdom,
5 hours ago
What an inspiration this young girl is! Makes you wonder why people complain and moan over the small things in life!! Iknow her dad he used to be my pe teacher years ago! Xx
Catflap,
Chester, United Kingdom,
5 hours ago
What an incredibly brave young woman and an inspiration to is all
Zippodedooda,
Warrington Cheshire, United Kingdom,
7 hours ago
What an amazingly positive woman who puts me and my worries to shame
someone,
somewhere, United Kingdom,
8 hours ago
Her eyes still sparkle, and that smile says it all! A very brave, and inspirational lady! All the best for the future.
hydey 44,
hereford, United Kingdom,
8 hours ago
Now that is what I call courage. Good luck to her for the future.
harley,
edinburgh, United Kingdom,
8 hours ago
Catrin you are inspirational. God bless.
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