At just 19, Catrin Pugh was returning home from a ski trip in the French Alps when her life changed forever. As the bus began its steep descent, she heard the driver whisper words that still haunt her:
“I’ve got no brakes.”
Moments later, the bus crashed and burst into flames. Catrin was trapped inside.
She suffered 96% burns. Only the soles of her feet and parts of her scalp were untouched. Doctors gave her just a 1% chance of survival.
But Catrin didn’t give up.
She spent months in the hospital, endured over 200 surgeries, and even received skin grafts from her own mother and brother. The pain was unimaginable—but her will to live was stronger.
Years later, she’s not only alive—she’s thriving.
Catrin is now a physiotherapist, motivational speaker, model, and advocate for burn survivors. She’s walked the runway at London Fashion Week, become the face of Avon, and received the Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration.
“I want to show people that life after trauma is possible—and it can be beautiful,” she says.
Her journey proves that even when the odds are against you, courage and hope can light the way forward.
