A young woman who lost her leg in a horror rollercoaster crash has posed naked in order to challenge societal norms of beauty.
Vicky Balch was one of two women who had to have leg amputations, after the Smiler ride at Alton Towers in the UK malfunctioned.
After the carriage Vicky was travelling in smashed into the back of another in June 2015, Balch was left with horrific injuries, and doctors were forced to amputate her right leg below the knee.
In the weeks after the crash, Vicky admits she considered taking her own life, as the magnitude of what had happened dawned upon her.
But despite the hardship she’s endured, Vicky says she now wants to challenge what society regards at sexy – and feel good about herself in the process.
Photo by Andrew Wood Photography (via Twitter)
Speaking to the Sunday People, Vicky said: “In the beginning especially, there were days when I didn’t want to be here anymore. I’d think, “What’s the point? I’m not going to be able to live my life to the full or love my life ever again.”
But the 21-year-old says she now realises that there are lots of ways to be beautiful, and there is hope for the future.
The former dancer has posed for naked shots, taken by Andrew Wood, to help her love her body again.
Vicky told the paper that she has had boyfriends since the accident, but that she struggled to be intimate because she just didn’t feel sexy.
“I was very self-conscious and very aware. It brings the mood down and I’d prefer the lights off.’
“I’ve had to learn to completely love my body all over again. I don’t think I’ll ever come to terms with what’s happened, but I love my body as it is. I call them my battle scars and I’ve had to accept them.”
Vicky was one of five people seriously injured in the crash, where passengers were left 25ft in the air for four hours as rescue teams worked to save them.
Merlin, who own Alton Towers among other theme parks in the UK, were fined $10 million for the incident, that also left another young woman – Leah Walsh, without a limb.
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