A teenage girl who lost both her legs and fought back to become a Paralympian after the 2016 Brussels suicide bombing was the first victim to testify at the trial of those accused of plotting or aiding the attacks.
Beatrice Lasnier de Lavalette, now 24, is a French-American equestrian who uses a wheelchair after surviving a coma, months in intensive care, 30 operations, and skin transplants on her legs, hands and shoulders.
At 17, she was preparing to board a flight to visit her family across the Atlantic on March 22, 2016, when a double suicide attack tore through the departures hall.
The blast killed 16 people, a toll that would double an hour later when another explosion hit the Brussels metro.
In total, more than 300 people were wounded in the attacks claimed by ISIS.
"I don't remember the explosion itself. I remember the darkness and being bumped off the ground," Ms Lasnier de Lavalette told the court, describing how her leg was twisted at a right angle.
"After seeing my leg I realised what had happened. I was 17 and my life was over."
Brussels on lockdown after explosions at airport and metro station - in pictures
The young athlete, seriously burnt all over her body, realised rescuers were focused on treating the other injured victims, who were considered more likely to survive.
"I was labelled red. They didn't think I'd survive," she sobbed.
Ms Lasnier de Lavalette was already unconscious by the time she was taken to hospital.
"I kept saying I just want to go to sleep. Somebody told me you cannot sleep," she said.
"After that it was just darkness and I lost consciousness. The next memory I have is waking up after a month-long coma at hospital."
At the time of the attacks, Ms Lasnier de Lavalette was completing her penultimate year of high school in Belgium.
Having ridden horses since childhood, she hoped for a future as a professional equestrian.
After the attack, Ms Lasnier de Lavalette fought back and continued to pursue her ambitions.
Brussels the day after deadly attacks on airport and metro - in pictures
In 2021, she achieved her goal and represented the US in the dressage event at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Nine defendants are facing justice at Belgium's biggest criminal trial in the disused former headquarters of the Nato alliance. A 10th suspect is believed to have been killed in Syria.
The prime suspect is Salah Abdeslam, who was convicted in a separate trial in France for his role in 2015 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.
Hundreds of other survivors and relatives of those who died are expected to follow Ms Lasnier de Lavalette in giving their testimonies.
The trial is set to run until June.
