A young survivor of the White Island volcano eruption has taken to social media to share a heartwarming encounter with her family on the first day of leave from hospital.
Stephanie Browitt, 23, can be seen greeting her rough collie "fur baby", Arlo, at her family's home – on its first birthday – for the first time since the tragic event on December 9.
Browitt has been hospitalised for the past six months after suffering third-degree burns to 70 per cent of her body and losing parts of her fingers in the eruption off the coast of Whakatāne, New Zealand.
Her younger sister Krystal, 21, and father Paul were among 21 people who died as a result of the eruption.
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Advertise with NZME.They were part of a group of 38 from the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship on a day trip to White Island.
The Melbourne family were touring the Bay of Plenty region as passengers on the Royal Caribbean cruise liner.
Browitt's mother Marie, who remained on board the ship that day, can be heard in the video uploaded on to TikTok, along with Arlo howling in excitement.
"Oh my god, he's crying," she said.
"Is that Stephanie? Hi Stephanie, say 'hello' to your mum. Welcome home darling."
Wearing a mask and gloves covering her injuries, Browitt can be seen waving to her mother in the video and excitedly caressing Arlo while telling him how much she loves him.
"I love you, I love you, I love you," Browitt can be heard saying in the video.
"You've got me, you've got me, you've got your family."
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Advertise with NZME.Sharing the moment to Instagram, Browitt said "it felt amazing" to be back home despite it being for just one day.
"So after nearly 6 months in hospital and definitely over 6 months since I've seen my fur baby, I finally got approval for day leave. On my beautiful baby's 1st birthday!!! And to say I got the best welcome back hug and cuddles from my dog is honestly an understatement," she said in her post.
"Mum had to try to stop him from jumping on me so I wouldn't get clawed (she failed miserably and I honestly didn't care lol). God he's gotten amazingly larger since I last saw him as well. But today couldn't have been any better."
Donations are still flooding in to the GoFundMe page to support the Browitt family – raising more than $79,000 of its $100,000 goal in six months.
