Pitt, Turia (1987-…), is an Australian athlete, author, and motivational speaker. Pitt, a competitive runner, achieved widespread fame in 2011, after she survived a bushfire (wildfire) that left her with serious burns. Pitt’s experience and her recovery are described in the book Everything to Live For: The Inspirational Story of Turia Pitt (2013), which she wrote with Libby Harkness. Pitt also wrote a second memoir, Unmasked (2017), with Bryce Corbett. 
Pitt was born on July 24, 1987, in Faʻaʻā, Tahiti. After her family moved to Australia, she grew up in Ulladulla, New South Wales. She earned bachelor’s degrees in mining engineering and environmental science from the University of New South Wales in 2010. She later received a master’s degree in business administration from Southern Cross University. Pitt moved to Kununurra, Western Australia, and began working as a mining engineer.
In September 2011, Pitt began a 100-kilometer (62-mile) ultramarathon race through the Kimberley region of Western Australia. On September 2, the race was interrupted by a bushfire, which trapped Pitt and other runners in a gorge along the ultramarathon route. Pitt and three others were severely burned, with Pitt receiving burns on more than 60 percent of her body. Her medical recovery spanned several years and involved more than 100 surgeries.
Pitt became nationally known as an inspirational speaker and philanthropist in the years following the bushfire. She led fundraising walks to raise money for Interplast, now known as ReSurge International, a non-profit organization that provides surgical care to people in developing countries. Pitt has also raised money for charity by competing in Ironman triathlon races. She competed in the Ironman World Championships in 2016. In 2020, Pitt launched a social media campaign to aid businesses affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia. In addition to her memoirs, Pitt has also written books for children and young adults, including Koko and the Coconut (2023) with Celestine Vaite.
