Five years on from the volcanic eruption that changed so many lives forever, former tour guide Kelsey Waghorn has found a sense of normalcy in her daily life – but she isn’t lacking in adventure.

Ms Waghorn was one of 47 people on Whakaari/White Island when it erupted at 2.11pm on December 9, 2019.

The blast caused 22 people to lose their lives and sparked a long road to recovery for the survivors, Ms Waghorn included.

Her medical recovery concluded recently, when, for the first time since the eruption, she was discharged with no future surgeries planned.

Much of Ms Waghorn’s recovery has been documented online, amassing her more than 21,000 followers on Instagram, which she said was never her intention.

Back when she had a normal, modest number of followers, Ms Waghorn used social media to update her friends and family on her progress.

But with a story that captivated the world, it snowballed and led to many positive interactions that have left her feeling lucky.

“I’ve met a lot of amazing people through Instagram; many have helped me with issues I was experiencing with my own burns’ recovery, and I’ve even been able to pay that forward.

“There’s still a lot I haven’t shared – maybe one day – but, I’ve met the most incredible people and come to have the most unreal offline opportunities, and a lot of them I can’t imagine my life without now.”

Some treatments are ongoing, such as regular scar massages to help with nerve pain, blood flow and mobility, and she said that graft upkeep often feels like a full-time job.

As for her actual full-time job, Ms Waghorn has found joy in socialising other people’s dogs.

She is still often around canines during her time off, walking, training and hunting with her dog.

The rest of her days are filled with exercise classes, spending time with family and friends, or travelling.

Ms Waghorn said in the early days of her recovery, she had many ideas about what her life might look like at the five-year mark, none of which still stand.

“Life has shifted immensely – especially in the past three years, and although the shift was incredibly painful, I am grateful for it.

“The healing and growth I went through has shaped me and my life into something better than I could ever have hoped for.

“I’ve done things that five years ago I never thought would be possible anymore – and that I was too scared to do.”

Ms Waghorn said she has big plans for her future, including a couple of trips in the new year, but she has learned not to be too rigid in her expectations, because sometimes things just go wrong.

A dream trip to South Georgia Island in the Antarctic last year helped to reignite her sense of adventure, and she is looking to make up for lost time.

South Georgia Island is close to – but not quite – Antarctica, and Ms Waghorn hopes a training course generously funded by the Eastern Bay Community Foundation will help her get on a ship to experience the real deal.

As the Whakaari anniversary draws near, Ms Waghorn is unsure how she will mark the day, but she knows she is in the best headspace she has ever been.

“After an almost three-year slog, I finally got the help that I desperately needed, and it turned my whole life around.

“Not just for me, but for my family as well. I am so eternally grateful for my psych team and my family who never quit on me, even when I’d quit on myself.”