A young Victorian man, who lost his leg in a horror crash earlier this year, has issued a stark warning to those partaking in viral hooning on social media.
Jondy Ariban, 21, is known among his circles for being his friends’ protector, but now he has found himself on the receiving end of their support and care.
After a devastating head-on collision in February, Jondy’s life took a drastic turn as he battled to recover from catastrophic injuries, including losing his left leg above the knee to save his life.
Recounting the night, Mr Ariban said: “I was the back middle passenger driving with friends to San Remo (a town in southern Victoria) at about midnight to meet with more friends from work. I can’t remember much from the accident.
“My leg was crushed, my kidneys were injured, and my spinal cord was severed.
“It was awful waking up in the hospital after being in a coma for 10 days. When I found out my left leg was gone, I couldn’t believe it.”
According to reports, four people were taken to hospital, two in a critical condition, after the smash.
The car Mr Ariban was travelling in was driving along Phillip Island Rd, a major tourist route, when they collided with another car near Punch Bowl Rd, just outside San Remo.
There is no suggestion that the car Mr Ariban was travelling in was hooning.
Following the accident, he grappled with the idea of telling his friends about his condition.
The driver from the other car was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“At first, I didn’t want my friends to visit. I was scared to tell them,” Jondy confided while discussing his immense recovery.
“Previously, it would be me looking out for them. It was hard for me to tell them about what happened.
“Losing my leg was really hard for me to accept. It became easier when I could see they understood what I had been through.”
Jondy has endured over ten surgeries since the crash, a head injury, kidney failure, significant blood loss, and the need for colostomy and urology bags.
He celebrated his 21st birthday in the confines of a hospital room.
“I was really upset when I heard I couldn’t stand up by myself,” he lamented.
“I have heard of people losing their leg and being able to stand on the other leg. My situation is different. I still can’t feel my right foot, and my ankle is really weak.”
Mr Ariban, despite the crushing adversity, is determined to reclaim his life and former career as a chef’s hand.
He eagerly anticipates receiving his prosthetic leg to help him begin learning to walk again.
Police are still investigating the crash.
As his gruelling recovery grinds on, Jondy has noticed an uptick in TikTok and Instagram posts lauding and boasting of dangerous driving.
His message to those partaking in it is poignant: “I have seen a lot of teenagers post on Instagram or social media, sharing videos of themselves driving dangerously and racing,” he said.
“Please don’t do that.”
“They don’t know what it’s like to survive an accident and be in the hospital for five or six months alone. I have all of this uncertainty ahead of me. It’s really hard.”
He added, “They have a family waiting for them to come home. Please be careful and don’t do anything stupid behind the wheel.
“I am still in a lot of pain everywhere.
“Mentally, I’m okay at the moment, but it was very hard in the beginning.
“You have to accept the fact you don’t have a leg anymore. Take care of your friends and family, and take care of each other.”
Mr Ariban is now navigating a little-known avenue of compensation, unique to road users in Victoria.
Road Injury Lawyer Madeleine Clark from Slater and Gordon, who is representing Mr Ariban, emphasised, “Many young people do not know that the claim is against the Transport Accident Commission’s insurer and that their legal rights are available to them because they pay their car rego annually.”
The TAC is a Victorian Government-owned organisation set up to pay for treatment and benefits for people injured in car accidents and promote road safety.
It uses the money Victorians pay in rego to fund injury claims within the state.
It’s a no-fault scheme, meaning anyone is automatically covered with medical costs and loss of wages, to some level.
“This means they are insured in the event they’re injured in an accident,” Ms Clark said.
Family or friends who have lost loved ones can also make claims.
Originally published as ‘Please’: Man’s chilling message to teen hoons after losing leg in crash
