After losing her leg in the Alton Towers crash, Leah Washington struggled to come to terms with her new body.
But in the two years since, the 19-year-old has focussed on regaining body confidence and has now shared an empowering bikini photo with her followers.
“Just after my accident body confidence was one of my biggest problems,” she captioned the image on Instagram.
“My body and life had changed forever and it is something that I’m still getting used to.
“Going on holiday and wearing a bikini in front of so many other people was one of my biggest fears, but now I’m starting to feel confident in my own skin (and bikini) and realise that every individual looks great in their own way.
“Don’t worry about what other people think, it’s irrelevant.”
Washington was just 17 years old when the crash occurred on the theme park’s Smilier ride in June 2015.
She suffered severe injuries due to the impact and was forced to have her left leg amputated above the knee in hospital.
Her recent post has been liked more than 2,000 times and dozens of people have praised the teen for her courage and body-positive message.
“You look beautiful Leah, you should be very proud you have overcome everything amazingly, I don’t think I would have had your courage,” one user said.
Another added: “You have more confidence [than] me and I have both legs, so you should be so proud of yourself! There is only one of you and you should love the body you have now and not care what anyone says or thinks. You will always be so much stronger than they are.”
Vicky Balch, another survivor of the crash who also had to have one her of legs amputated, has also spread body-positivity since the incident.
She took part in a boudoir photoshoot on her 21st birthday, saying: “What I’m trying to do is show that every person is perfect in their own way.”
