By Alesha Capone
Johnny Canik was driving on the Western Ring Road, on the way to visit his fiancee and her parents, when he was involved in a devastating crash last month.
The collision left the Truganina man with eight broken ribs, a broken sternum, collarbone and back injuries, a sprained wrist and whiplash.
Mr Canik said he was driving along the Ring Road on January 21, when the truck in front of him braked suddenly, forcing him to brake as well.
The semi-trailer driving behind Mr Canik did not stop, pushing his car into the truck in front.
Mr Canik’s head hit the steering wheel and his windscreen smashed upon impact.
He remembers that police who arrived on the scene were reluctant to move him for fear of making his injuries worse.
He was trapped in the car for about 25 minutes before paramedics arrived.
“I was then taken to the Royal Melbourne, I spent hours in a neck brace and had scans done – I had to just look at the ceiling for hours, it was horrible,” Mr Canik said.
Although he is now back at home, doctors have ordered Mr Canik to take at least six weeks off work to recover.
He said he has constant pain in his shoulders and neck, and cannot yet lift his arms above chest height.
For the usually-active 28-year-old, who works seven days a week as a sign-writer and DJ, a lack of mobility is “driving him crazy”.
Mr Canik said the incident had also impacted him and fiancee Mikaela in other ways.
“Our house is getting built and we are getting married in June, so it all hit at once,” he said.
To help out, Mikaela has started a fundraising campaign online, in the hopes of raising $10,000. Their friends and family have donated $3875 so far.
See gofundme.com/horrific-life-changing-car-accident to donate.
