Burns survivor Sophie Delezio’s to marry childhood best friend Joseph Salerno

As a little girl Sophie Delezio defied the odds to not only survive but thrive after two traumatic car accidents. Now she’s reached another milestone.

Joseph Salerno proposed to Sophie Delezio on Valentine’s Day. Picture: The Australian Women’s Weekly/ Facebook

As a little girl Sophie Delezio etched her name in Australian hearts with her bravery and courage.

She was only two-years-old when she was severely injured after becoming trapped under a burning car that had crashed through the window of her Sydney childcare centre in 2003.

She miraculously survived the tragedy but suffered burns to 85 per cent of her body and lost both her feet, some fingers and her right ear.

Then in 2006 the unimaginable happened. Another traumatic car accident.
At aged five, Sophie, was hit by a car near her home in Sydney’s northern beaches as her nanny pushed her wheelchair across a pedestrian crossing.
The impact sent her flying 18 metres out of her chair.

Sophie at the NRL Grand Final in 2006. Picture: AAP

ophie with her mum Caroline walk out of the Sydney Children's hospital after visiting sick kids.

She sustained a broken jaw, broken collarbone, nine broken ribs, punctured lungs, two fractured vertebrae and a brain injury.

She also suffered a heart attack and was in such a dire condition it was not known if she could live – with doctors telling her family that no one with the extent of her injuries had ever pulled through.

Against the odds she not only survived but thrived.

Within two months of the second accident, she was out of bed and back at school.

Determined and with incredible character she endeavoured after the two accidents to do all the things her peers were doing.

Sophie with her dog Willow at the Assistance dogs Australia graduation ceremony in Martin Place.

She rowed in regattas, went skydiving, enjoyed drama lessons and worked out at the gym five days a week.
After she left school she attained her driving licence, before heading off to university including travelling to the UK to study for a semester, something only cut short because of Covid.

Now, aged 22, she’s reached another milestone, announcing her engagement to her childhood sweetheart Joseph Salerno, 23, via the Australian Women’s Weekly.

The pair have been best friends since they met aged 14 at school on Sydney’s northern beaches and even went to their year 10 formal together.

Joseph told The Weeklythat Sophie is “strongest person I know”.

“Strong, confident and generous, those three words best describe Sophie,” he said.

Sophie is equally effusive labelling him the “most open and accepting person I’ve ever met”.

“He just understand and jumps in when I need help. I never have to ask or explain. It’s an absolute honour to be marrying him.”

The pair say they never had the awkward, introductory phase of dating because of their solid friendship.

“I guess everyone’s dream is to fall in love with their best friend, although it’s something you usually see only in the movies,” Sophie said.

They started dating during 2020 after Sophie when Sophie returned from the UK.

“When she got back, I realised how much I had missed her,” Joseph said. “We didn’t have too much contact while she was gone. But when I saw her face again, she took my breath away.”

Sophie said it was during this time the relationship shifted from platonic to romantic.

She said they both had their “independence and experienced different relationships, which was nice, but still found each other again”.

Best friends turned lovers. Picture: The Australian Women’s Weekly / Facebook

The newly-engaged couple had an epic 10-month adventure around the world last year Picture: Instagram

The proposal on Valentine’s Day this year took Sophie by surprise.

While everybody was in on the big secret - her parents, brother overseas friends and even her nail artist – she didn’t suspect a thing.

Joseph decked out their apartment with tea-light candles and rose petals before handing her a scrap book that he had made featuring highlights of their life together so far.

The last page showed an engagement ring.

“She turned to me and I was down on one knee bawling,” said Joseph.

“Our go-to song is Be My Baby, so I just asked if Sophie would be my baby. And luckily, she ticked the box on the back of the scrapbook that said ‘Yes’.”

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