Even more than three years after the cowardly attack on her son Liam, the nightmare is still raw for his doting mum Mary Knight.
While at an 18th birthday party with friends, Liam was hit in the head by a 2.8m steel rod which pierced his skull and left him fighting for his life.
Miraculously, Liam somehow pulled through, despite the seemingly impossible odds against him.
Today, although his left side is weak and he only has limited use of his left hand, his speech and cognition are normal, and he has a level of independence few could imagine at the beginning of 2013.
But Mary says she struggles with the reminders of Liam’s attack. She still frets when he goes out and isn’t ready to cut the apron strings yet and let him move into a place on his own.
“I’m still brokenhearted when I see him the way he is compared to how he was,” she tells The Carousel.
“I’m very appreciative he’s still with us, but I have mixed feelings. He may never get back to the way he was, but I have to live in hope.”
Mary draws strength from Liam’s positivity and innate glass half-full view on life.
He came into the world with a smile on his face, and it’s never left him, even when he woke from the induced coma after the party gatecrasher turned his life upside down.
Liam’s now channelling that infectious energy into helping other victims of youth violence through the charity The White Knight Foundation, which he runs with the help of his three older brothers.
The idea was hatched during Liam’s days at Royal Rehab after Mary struck up a conversation with a father who had a child in the same Sydney facility.
“We were sitting on the verandah and I just happened to mention to Shane [Liam’s brother] that I’d met a gentleman from Coffs Harbour who was sleeping in his car,” says Mary.
“It’s sad that people have to do that – I would have asked him to stay with us if I’d known sooner.
“We were running ideas about how we could help others. Shane asked Liam if he would be on board, and he straight away said ‘why not’.”
Mary says Liam, now 21, is getting a big thrill out of his public speaking appearances and feeling like he’s making a difference raising awareness about youth violence and the steps society needs to take to stamp it out.
“Even though he’s been hurt and has a disability, he wants people to drink and have fun, but you’ve got to be careful, and watch out for your friends,” she says.
“Can we change the world? I don’t know with young people. I think parents need to communicate with their children.
“You can’t put them [kids] in cotton wool. I think they need to realise their actions have consequences, and as a parent, we need to lead by example.”
Meanwhile, the foundation is hoping to top up its funds to help victims of youth violence at its second annual Walk Against Youth Violence from Sydney’s Spit Bridge to Manly on Sunday, September 25.
You can register to take part in the 15km walk here, or make a donation to the cause by clicking the same link.
The foundation hopes to raise $30,000 from the event which will contribute significantly in the aid of youth violence victims, and support through their difficult recovery process.
“We hope that all those participating, or supporting those who are participating continue to be White Knight ambassadors and embody our key messages ‘think before you act and look after your mates’,” adds Liam.
