Surviving White Island and Everything that Came After

by Kelsey Waghorn

Surviving the unsurvivable. Healing from the unhealable. This is an inspiring memoir of physical and mental recovery, from someone who lived through the Whakaari White Island volcanic eruption.


"I heard someone say, 'Wow!' And someone else exclaimed, 'Look at that!' I had my back to the crater. I turned around. The moment I saw it, I knew what was happening.

The island was erupting. An enormous black-and-grey plume was rising above the island, already higher than the peak. It was beautiful actually, set against the bright blue sky.

Kelsey Waghorn, a guide on Whakaari White Island on that ill-fated day in December 2019, tells her story for the first time, from physical rehab for her life-threatening burns to her mental struggle with PTSD.

Written by a brave and powerful woman with a wicked sense of humour, this is an uplifting story of strength, perseverance, acceptance and hope.

Genres: Nonfiction

Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2026

Reviews

[Sophie Cairns · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible and inspiring recap of Kelsey’s story. I could not put this book down. The Waghorn/Christie humour shines through this book and no doubt made a huge impact on the pace of Kelsey’s recovery. Thank you for sharing your story with us Kels, forever inspired by you and your incredible family.

[Swati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that stays with you long after you close the final page.

Thank you, Kelsey, for sharing your story with such honesty and depth. I’m genuinely short of words. The courage it takes to write something this raw — this real — is immense.

Part 3 especially felt deeply reflective and affirming. The exploration of trauma, healing, and rebuilding yourself after life shatters was incredibly powerful. As someone who has worked through PTSD and experienced marital domestic abuse, I found myself connecting to parts of your journey in unexpected ways.

When your therapist said that you’ve done the work on yourself — and that it can become harder to find people on the same frequency — it truly struck me. I heard almost the exact same words in my own therapy session recently. That parallel felt surreal.

I also loved the footnotes — they added such a human, intimate layer to the narrative.

This memoir is reflective, encouraging, and deeply courageous. It’s not just about surviving an unimaginable event — it’s about everything that comes after. And that part matters just as much.

This is a must-read.

[Delcie Berry]

A very interesting read about Kelsey’s experiences surrounding White Island. It felt very personal, particularly in part 2 which is told in text message and diary form and allowed a lot of insight. I really appreciated the focus on PTSD and the balance between physical and mental recovery was well portrayed. The tone of the book felt very Kiwi, and the humour throughout was a great glimpse into Kelsey’s personality.

[Miz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Resilent, brave, scary, real.

Couldn't be anything but 5 stars. I hope Kelsey has many more travel trips locked in her diary ❤️ And many dog cuddles!

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Surviving White Island by @kezzelsify

Thank you @harpercollinsnz for sending me this one to review early.

I grew up in the Bay of Plenty so when I saw that Kelsey was writing her story on the White Island Eruption I knew I had to read it.

Kelsey tells her story in such a captivating way but also with a touch of her own humour. This book really showed how we shouldn’t take life for granted and how it can all change in an instant.

I don’t want to summarise too much more as it is Kelsey’s story to tell but I really liked how it touched on mental health and the realities of facing a life altering event like the White Island Eruption.

I would highly highly recommend reading Kelsey’s memoir when it is out on NZ shelves this week 🥰

[Scott Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read, for the voyeuristic of us who were looking for details on what happened that day in Dec 2019, and what the recovery and medical treatment looks like for survivors of volcanic eruptions, but where this book really shines is the final third as Kelsey describes her mental struggles, eventual recovery and shows us how devastating PTSD really is.

[Laura Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Kelsey for sharing your story in such a raw and honest way - and not giving into the mainstream media vultures, this was a real eye-opener to the relentlessness of the media. You are such an inspiring woman.

[liz Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read and hard to put down. Fascinating glimpse into a tragedy few experience, with a great dive into what comes after. 10/10.

[Nadine Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book will stay with me for a long time. It's hard to imagine what Kelsey must have gone through but what an inspiration she is!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put this book down. Such an inspiring story.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I couldn’t put this book down. What a beautiful story of survival and endurance. I loved that you could see Kelsey’s humor coming through the pages!