February 12, 2024 • 8 mins
Sophie Delezio spent much of her childhood recovering from two horrific accidents, but chances are you already knew that. That's because as Sophie recovered and grew up, the media attention that surrounded her made her a household name. Now an adult, Sophie reflects on the media's portrayal of her, and what she calls 'inspiration porn'.
Credits:
Hosts: Sam Koslowski, Zara Seidler
Guest: Sophie Delezio
Audio Producer: Emmeline Peterson
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Already and this is this is the DAILYA, this is
the Daily OS. Oh, now it makes sense.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning, and welcome to the Daily OS. It's Tuesday,
the thirteenth February.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I'm Zara, I'm Sam.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
When Sophie Delizio was just a baby, she experienced two
separate horrific accidents and spent vast amounts of her childhood
recovering in hospital. But the chances are you already knew that.
That's because Sophie's life has been the subject of intense
media attention and in her words, inspiration pawn. Sophie recently
joined us in the TDA office and I am so
(00:43):
excited to bring you that chat. But before that, Zam,
what's making headlines?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
The federal government has confirmed an additional twenty four recently
released immigration detainees have been arrested and charged. It comes
after a High court ruling saw the release of over
one hundred and forty people from indefinite detention last year.
The Home Affairs Office said as of the start of
this month, six people had been charged for breaching visa
conditions and eighteen people were charged over undisclosed state and
(01:14):
territory offenses. That's all according to the Australian Border Force.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
A new report has found a third of Australian children
have low reading skills. The study from the Gradden Institute
blamed the shortfall on outdated literacy teaching strategies in classrooms.
Researchers called for a reading revolution and urged schools to
use a structured literacy approach, which focuses on teaching young
people to read through phonics sounding words out.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
The president of Hungary has resigned after she pardoned a
man involved with covering up an incident of child sexual abuse.
Catle and Novak pardoned over twenty people last year in
relation to sexual abuse at a children's home. The leader
has faced mounting criticism over the scandal, saying she made
a mistake and would never grant a pardon to anyone
whom I thought abused children. Her replacement has not been named.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
And the good News this year's Super Bowl was the
first to be fully powered by renewable energy. The game
was held in Las Vegas at an NFL stadium powered
by hundreds of thousands of solar panels. The stadium also
recycles food scraps, cigarette waste, and grass clippings as part
of its sustainability policies. Sophie Delizio was one of the
(02:31):
first guests that we wanted to interview when we first
came up with this idea of TDA rewind, so we
were so excited when she said yes. TDA rewind is
basically based on the premise of wanting to highlight the
human element of major news stories, so essentially to understand
what actually happens to the person who's at the center
(02:52):
of all of those cameras and all of those stories.
Hearing about Sophie's story is actually one of my first
conscious memories I think I have of engaging with the news.
It's a name I remember reading a lot about, but
it was only last year that I actually met her
for the first time at twenty two. Sophie is an
incredible communicator and a budding media professional.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
It has been quite the journey though.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
So here is Sophie describing in her own words what
happened when she was young and why we the public
of Australia were introduced to her so young.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
My name's Sophie Delizio.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Sophie Deluzio, Sophie Delizio, Sophie Delizio.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
When I was two and a half, I was in
pre school. We were in nap time and a man
had a seizure in his car. The car hit the
curb and flew in the air over a classroom of
sleeping babies, and unfortunately landed on top of me. I
got third degree burns to eighty five percent of my body,
lost both my legs below money, my right hand, and
(03:53):
my right ear. A few years later, when I was six,
was crossing the road, a car hit my stroller. I
flew eights in the air and landed head first on
the pavement.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
So I'm going to jump in and out of this interview.
I really want Sophie's words to speak for themselves. But
next we wanted to explore with her what the role
of media actually was in her life. Sophie first gained
media attention at the age of two and a half
and then again at six, and since then it's been
something that has stayed constant in her life.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I remember when I was a teen ager and the
idea of the media in my life, I felt that
I didn't have my own life to live. Now that
I'm an adult, I'm able to tell my truth in
mainstream media. There's a specific goal. They're trying to achieve
something from the audience, and I think so often when
(04:44):
I was a kid, it was what the audience wanted
me to be and feel rather than what I wanted
to be and feel.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
And so when the media is in control of building
this narrative, what sort of image can they create and propagate? Well,
according to to Sophie, it creates this idea of inspiration porn.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, that's the whole concept of inspiration porn. I think
has driven me from my teenage years to who I
am now. At two people would call me an inspiration,
but what had I done. There's so many incredible people
out there that don't get given the recognition for achieving
amazing things, and I thought growing up I never deserved
(05:25):
that title until I did something with my story. I
don't think the term bravery came from defining my accidents
and surviving what I've been through. I just think bravery
is for me define internal demons and continuing to strive
despite all that. I've had people come up to me
and say, oh, when I'm going through a hard time,
(05:47):
I just think of you and I feel better. Basically
being like, well, I thought my life was crap, and
then I thought of you, like, we are here providing
our story to make other people feel better about themselves.
The media needs to change. When I was going through
some of the darkest moments of my life, it was, oh,
Sophie's Elisia's achieving this and doing this and her life's great.
(06:10):
Now it's like, no, Well, I suffered a lot from
depression and anxiety. The media didn't showcase that because they
didn't want to just admitting that you were suffering and
you were going through hardship. It's not a bad thing.
I think that should be shown more. I just wanted
to evolve. Now now that I'm an adult and I'm
(06:31):
doing public speaking and social media, I'm able to tell
my truth. I would love for the media to become
more of an open and honest place where the true
light of everything shown. And I don't care if you
admire me or not or whatever. It's just acknowledging that
(06:51):
we all go through challenges. It's not a competition. It's
about saying that support each other in the best way
that we can in.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
And so for Sophie as she gets older, it's all
about telling her story from her perspective and letting her
lived experience speak for itself and inform the way that
we understand her story.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I wanted to be one of the people who changed
that perspective. That's a beautiful thing about social media. You
can reach so many people in one moment. If people
don't like what I say, then don't watch my videos.
Simple as that. I hope in five years I have
made a little bit of impact in the world. I'd
(07:31):
love to be working in the media where I can
be the one asking the right questions and the questions
that change people's perspectives. My years since leaving school have
been great, having freedom and independence compared to nothing. Being
a young adult, There's so much you can achieve and
so much you can do in so many options and choices,
and that's what I find the most exciting. I'm newly engaged,
(07:55):
I'm about to get married. I've lived overseas, I've traveled
with friends, I've I've done so much in these past
six seven years. If I thought back to where I
was in high school and knowing all the challenges that
I was facing them, to look at where I am now,
I just couldn't.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Be proud of A huge thank you too. Sophie for
taking the time to sit down and chat to TDA.
We hope you enjoyed that interview. Feel free to leave
your comments. If you're listening on Spotify, you can just
type in the Q and A box underneath this episode.
We love hearing from you and we'll be here again
tomorrow morning.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Dunda
Bungelung Calcottin woman from Gadigol Country.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
The Daily oz acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on
the lands of the Gadighl people and pays respect to
all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island and nations. We pay
our respects to the first peoples of these countries, both
past and present.
Already and this is this is the DAILYA, this is
the Daily OS. Oh, now it makes sense.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning, and welcome to the Daily OS. It's Tuesday,
the thirteenth February.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I'm Zara, I'm Sam.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
When Sophie Delizio was just a baby, she experienced two
separate horrific accidents and spent vast amounts of her childhood
recovering in hospital. But the chances are you already knew that.
That's because Sophie's life has been the subject of intense
media attention and in her words, inspiration pawn. Sophie recently
joined us in the TDA office and I am so
(00:43):
excited to bring you that chat. But before that, Zam,
what's making headlines?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
The federal government has confirmed an additional twenty four recently
released immigration detainees have been arrested and charged. It comes
after a High court ruling saw the release of over
one hundred and forty people from indefinite detention last year.
The Home Affairs Office said as of the start of
this month, six people had been charged for breaching visa
conditions and eighteen people were charged over undisclosed state and
(01:14):
territory offenses. That's all according to the Australian Border Force.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
A new report has found a third of Australian children
have low reading skills. The study from the Gradden Institute
blamed the shortfall on outdated literacy teaching strategies in classrooms.
Researchers called for a reading revolution and urged schools to
use a structured literacy approach, which focuses on teaching young
people to read through phonics sounding words out.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
The president of Hungary has resigned after she pardoned a
man involved with covering up an incident of child sexual abuse.
Catle and Novak pardoned over twenty people last year in
relation to sexual abuse at a children's home. The leader
has faced mounting criticism over the scandal, saying she made
a mistake and would never grant a pardon to anyone
whom I thought abused children. Her replacement has not been named.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
And the good News this year's Super Bowl was the
first to be fully powered by renewable energy. The game
was held in Las Vegas at an NFL stadium powered
by hundreds of thousands of solar panels. The stadium also
recycles food scraps, cigarette waste, and grass clippings as part
of its sustainability policies. Sophie Delizio was one of the
(02:31):
first guests that we wanted to interview when we first
came up with this idea of TDA rewind, so we
were so excited when she said yes. TDA rewind is
basically based on the premise of wanting to highlight the
human element of major news stories, so essentially to understand
what actually happens to the person who's at the center
(02:52):
of all of those cameras and all of those stories.
Hearing about Sophie's story is actually one of my first
conscious memories I think I have of engaging with the news.
It's a name I remember reading a lot about, but
it was only last year that I actually met her
for the first time at twenty two. Sophie is an
incredible communicator and a budding media professional.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
It has been quite the journey though.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
So here is Sophie describing in her own words what
happened when she was young and why we the public
of Australia were introduced to her so young.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
My name's Sophie Delizio.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Sophie Deluzio, Sophie Delizio, Sophie Delizio.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
When I was two and a half, I was in
pre school. We were in nap time and a man
had a seizure in his car. The car hit the
curb and flew in the air over a classroom of
sleeping babies, and unfortunately landed on top of me. I
got third degree burns to eighty five percent of my body,
lost both my legs below money, my right hand, and
(03:53):
my right ear. A few years later, when I was six,
was crossing the road, a car hit my stroller. I
flew eights in the air and landed head first on
the pavement.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
So I'm going to jump in and out of this interview.
I really want Sophie's words to speak for themselves. But
next we wanted to explore with her what the role
of media actually was in her life. Sophie first gained
media attention at the age of two and a half
and then again at six, and since then it's been
something that has stayed constant in her life.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I remember when I was a teen ager and the
idea of the media in my life, I felt that
I didn't have my own life to live. Now that
I'm an adult, I'm able to tell my truth in
mainstream media. There's a specific goal. They're trying to achieve
something from the audience, and I think so often when
(04:44):
I was a kid, it was what the audience wanted
me to be and feel rather than what I wanted
to be and feel.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
And so when the media is in control of building
this narrative, what sort of image can they create and propagate? Well,
according to to Sophie, it creates this idea of inspiration porn.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, that's the whole concept of inspiration porn. I think
has driven me from my teenage years to who I
am now. At two people would call me an inspiration,
but what had I done. There's so many incredible people
out there that don't get given the recognition for achieving
amazing things, and I thought growing up I never deserved
(05:25):
that title until I did something with my story. I
don't think the term bravery came from defining my accidents
and surviving what I've been through. I just think bravery
is for me define internal demons and continuing to strive
despite all that. I've had people come up to me
and say, oh, when I'm going through a hard time,
(05:47):
I just think of you and I feel better. Basically
being like, well, I thought my life was crap, and
then I thought of you, like, we are here providing
our story to make other people feel better about themselves.
The media needs to change. When I was going through
some of the darkest moments of my life, it was, oh,
Sophie's Elisia's achieving this and doing this and her life's great.
(06:10):
Now it's like, no, Well, I suffered a lot from
depression and anxiety. The media didn't showcase that because they
didn't want to just admitting that you were suffering and
you were going through hardship. It's not a bad thing.
I think that should be shown more. I just wanted
to evolve. Now now that I'm an adult and I'm
(06:31):
doing public speaking and social media, I'm able to tell
my truth. I would love for the media to become
more of an open and honest place where the true
light of everything shown. And I don't care if you
admire me or not or whatever. It's just acknowledging that
(06:51):
we all go through challenges. It's not a competition. It's
about saying that support each other in the best way
that we can in.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
And so for Sophie as she gets older, it's all
about telling her story from her perspective and letting her
lived experience speak for itself and inform the way that
we understand her story.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I wanted to be one of the people who changed
that perspective. That's a beautiful thing about social media. You
can reach so many people in one moment. If people
don't like what I say, then don't watch my videos.
Simple as that. I hope in five years I have
made a little bit of impact in the world. I'd
(07:31):
love to be working in the media where I can
be the one asking the right questions and the questions
that change people's perspectives. My years since leaving school have
been great, having freedom and independence compared to nothing. Being
a young adult, There's so much you can achieve and
so much you can do in so many options and choices,
and that's what I find the most exciting. I'm newly engaged,
(07:55):
I'm about to get married. I've lived overseas, I've traveled
with friends, I've I've done so much in these past
six seven years. If I thought back to where I
was in high school and knowing all the challenges that
I was facing them, to look at where I am now,
I just couldn't.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Be proud of A huge thank you too. Sophie for
taking the time to sit down and chat to TDA.
We hope you enjoyed that interview. Feel free to leave
your comments. If you're listening on Spotify, you can just
type in the Q and A box underneath this episode.
We love hearing from you and we'll be here again
tomorrow morning.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Dunda
Bungelung Calcottin woman from Gadigol Country.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
The Daily oz acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on
the lands of the Gadighl people and pays respect to
all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island and nations. We pay
our respects to the first peoples of these countries, both
past and present.
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