It’s a statement that could come from any headstrong young adult: “I’m not [anyone’s] responsibility.”

But for Liam Marnie, these four words represent a pursuit of independence motivated by a different reason.

It’s amazing what we can take for granted, like having a shower or going to the toilet by ourselves. However, those are just two simple goals Liam set for himself after tragically sustaining a brain injury just before New Year’s Eve a couple of years ago.

“I was on the Yorke Peninsula with mates when we decided to go fishing,” he says.

“I jumped in the back of the ute and my mate was driving.”

That’s when they unexpectedly drove into a wombat hole.

“I bounced out of the back and landed on my head.”

Liam, who was 20 years old at the time of the accident, had a seizure before falling into a coma. He was flown to hospital where he spent the next month in ICU.

Sharing Liam’s journey to recovery is the Lifetime Support Authority (LSA), which provides treatment, care and support for people who’ve sustained serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident.

LSA has assisted Liam with rehab, helping him return to work, home modifications and even funding Liam’s support dog named Lucy.

“It has been hard sometimes, but you go to sleep and you wake up and it’s a new day,” he says.

Liam’s progress has come in leaps and bounds. He just got his full driver’s licence back with no restrictions. There are also plans to finish a carpentry apprenticeship, compete in the military-inspired obstacle challenge True Grit for the second time, and surf again.

“I’ve had to come to terms with things I’ve lost, but maybe all of this happened for a reason,” he says.

“I’ll be able to do those things again; it’ll just take time. You’ve just got to reach for the stars.”