Inspirational burns survivor Turia Pitt has marked a new milestone in her recovery after another harrowing health scare where her family feared the worst . In recent weeks , surgeons successfully constructed a new nose for the 27-year-old bushfire survivor . But her family were on edge throughout the entire procedure , with Ms Pitt telling Woman 's Day she stopped breathing during the operation . Scroll down for video . New nose : Turia Pitt , pictured with mother Celestine and her new nose , was competing in an ultra-marathon through WA 's Kimberley region in 2011 when she was caught in a bushfire . Before : Ms Pitt spent more than two years in hospital , much of it wearing a compression stocking ( left ) after experiencing burns to around 65 per cent of the body . Her face is pictured right prior to the reconstructive surgery on her nose performed recently . Burns victim : Ms Pitt experienced burns to around 70 per cent of her body during the 2011 bushfire . After years of recovery , Ms Pitt told Woman 's Day : ' I ca n't believe I did n't have a nose for so long ! '' Prior to the bushfire , Ms Pitt , from Ulladulla , on the NSW south coast , worked as a mining engineer and a model . Her mother , Celestine Vaite , said she and Turia 's partner Michael Hoskin heard the hospital 's cardiac arrest alarm go off 'and we thought she was gone ' . ' I said , God , do n't you dare . She 's fought so hard , this girl , ' she told the magazine . 'She fought to get out of bed , she fought to walk , she fought to accept - do n't you dare do that to her ! ' It has been a long road to recovery for Ms Pitt , who suffered burns to around 65 per cent of her body when she was caught in a bushfire in the Kimberley in September 2011 . Ms Pitt wore a compression stocking for almost two years and had seven of her fingers amputated during a seemingly endless series of operations . But she was not expecting complications in this latest procedure . Ms Pitt told the magazine : ' I thought I 'd wake up in the burns unit , but instead I woke up in ICU . ' Her family were relieved when she woke - and Ms Pitt is now happily showing off her reconstructed nose on social media . Milestone woman : Ms Pitt published a book about her experiences , aptly titled Everything to Live For . Soul mates : Turia Pitt 's boyfriend , Michael Hoskin , has been by her side since the very beginning of her hospital experience . Up and at it : Ms Pitt agreed to an out-of-court settlement with ultra-marathon event organisers Racing The Planet in 2014 . Ultra-marathon runner : Ms Pitt is planning to participate in the Melbourne Ironman in 2016 , after a further operation to her nose . She told Woman 's Day : ' I ca n't believe I did n't have a nose for so long ' . It 's just the latest in a series of milestones for Ms Pitt , who last year published a book about her experiences , aptly titled Everything to Live For . She starred on the front cover of magazine The Australian Women 's Weekly in June 2014 . The cover won praise for featuring Ms Pitt . Ms Pitt has headlined a number of a speaking opportunities and in June 2014 she trekked the Great Wall of China to raise more than $ 175,000AUD for the charityInterplast . Interplast sends teams of volunteer medical workers to developing countries in Asia to provide free surgery for people suffering conditions including cleft lip and palate and burn scar contractures . Ms Pitt told Woman 's Day she is planning to participate in the Melbourne Ironman next year , following an operation to 'refine her nose and widen her nostrils ' . Ms Pitt and Mr Hoskin currently live in Ulladulla , on the south coast of New South Wales . Raising money for charity : Turia Pitt ( left ) last year raised $ 175,000AUD for the not-for-profit Interplast , which sends teams of medical professionals to assist people with severe burns and cleft lips and palates .
Bushfire survivor Turia Pitt has marked another milestone in her recovery , with surgeons constructing her a new nose . But it was not without a harrowing health scare - Ms Pitt stopped breathing on the operating table . 'We thought she was gone , ' her mother Celestine told the latest issue of Woman 's Day magazine . Ms Pitt had to be placed on an incubator in order to survive the operation and did not expect to wake up in ICU . But Ms Pitt is now proudly showing off her new facial feature , telling the magazine : ' I ca n't believe I did n't have a nose for so long '