THE family of “miracle” girl Sophie Delezio has been buoyed by thousands of prayers from around the country after the brave five-year-old was seriously injured in a car accident for the second time in less than three years.
A car hit Sophie as she was being pushed in her pram across a pedestrian crossing in Sydney’s north on May 5.
In December 2003, Sophie lost both feet, some fingers and sustained third degree burns to 85 per cent of her body when a car crashed into the Roundhouse Childcare Centre, which she was attending at Fairlight in Sydney.
The family attributed the power of prayer, particularly to Blessed Mother Mary Mackillop, to Sophie’s recovery after her close encounter with death on that occasion.
In the latest incident, Sophie suffered a broken jaw and shoulder bone, bruising to her head, numerous rib fractures and bleeding around her left lung in the accident.
She remained in a serious but stable condition in intensive care at Sydney Children’s Hospital last week, her parents, Carolyn and Ron, constantly by her side.
A close friend of the family, Josephite Sister Bridget O’Halloran, said Sophie was heavily sedated and would be kept on a ventilator for some weeks to enable her body to heal, hopefully without the need for surgery.
Sr O’Halloran and Jesuit Father Paul Coleman visited Sophie and the family on the night after the accident.
She said the family were thankful for the prayers and messages of support they had received from people across the country.
Sr O’Halloran said she was talking again to Carolyn on May 8 and was told Sophie was showing a little improvement, however infection had set in and doctors were treating her with antibiotics.
Hundreds of people have attended Masses at the Josephite Sisters’ Mary MacKillop Chapel in North Sydney, where Sophie was baptised.
Sr O’Halloran said Australia’s Catholic bishops, who were in Sydney for their plenary meeting earlier this month, prayed for Sophie’s quick recovery when they celebrated Mass in the chapel on May 7.
An 80-year-old driver has been charged with dangerous driving over the accident.
