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Brave burns victim spreads her wings: parents sell up

The northern beaches home built to help Sophie Delezio recover from her heartbreaking accidents is now on the market with a multimillion-dollar price tag.

The house was built with Sophie’s rehabilitation in mind but is now a family resort.
The house was built with Sophie’s rehabilitation in mind but is now a family resort.

The northern beaches home built to help Sophie Delezio recover from her heartbreaking accidents is now on the market with a multimillion-dollar price tag.

Sophie is now 18 and studying in London but her brave fight back from an accident at her childcare centre aged only two hit headlines nationwide.

The then toddler spent six months in hospital and suffered burns to 85 per cent of her body. She lost both her feet, a hand and her right ear.

Less than three years after her first devastating accident she was run over on a pedestrian crossing being walked home from school and had a heart attack, broke her jaw and shoulder and fractured her ribs.

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The Delezio family on the tenth anniversary of Sophie’s accident.
The Delezio family on the tenth anniversary of Sophie’s accident.
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Ron Delezio and daughter Sophie at home in Balgowlah Heights in 2010.
Ron Delezio and daughter Sophie at home in Balgowlah Heights in 2010.

Her parents Ron Delezio and Carolyn Martin helped design a house in Balgowlah Heights that would both be suitable for Sophie but also work as a private resort for the rest of the family, including Sophie’s brother Mitchell.

The family have held the luxury estate for 11 years but with Sophie now spreading her wings studying sociology at the University of London, the decision was made to let another family enjoy the property.

It is expected to sell for at least $8 million.

Carolyn and daughter Sophie in 2008.
Carolyn and daughter Sophie in 2008.
One of the family’s favourite spots.
One of the family’s favourite spots.
The heated swimming pool.
The heated swimming pool.

Michael Clarke, of Clarke & Humel, said the seven-bedroom home was an architectural triumph and you would never know it was built with rehabilitation in mind.

“There is generosity of space but the house has been designed with family living in mind,” he said.

There is a tennis court on the 1968sqm block, a heated swimming pool and views over Middle Harbour stretching to the city and Chatswood. A self-contained apartment built for the 24-hour nursing care that Sophie needed would be handy for a nanny or independent adults. It has its own entrance and allows for privacy.

The tennis court and pool.
The tennis court and pool.
The view over Middle Harbour.
The view over Middle Harbour.

Inside the house there is more than 1000sqm of space with expansive living and dining areas, deep terraces and decks and a four-car garage.

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There is lots of room for grand-scale entertaining and the property is a short walk from Balgowlah Heights primary school and a walk to village shops and a beach at Clontarf.

The house at 40 Beatrice St, Balgowlah Heights was built from scratch for the Delezio family and it is for sale by expressions of interest closing Friday September 6.

Originally published as Brave burns victim spreads her wings: parents sell up

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/sydney-nsw/brave-burns-victim-spreads-her-wings-parents-sell-up/news-story/f0fe3fc1af4ccba286fc9b5d32d9596d