Three years ago Luke Stono spent nine months in Liverpool Hospital Brain Injury Unit undergoing rehab after a motorbike accident.
Earlier today he returned to Liverpool Hospital as part of his fundraising effort called Never Give Up Charity Bike Ride.
Funds raised from Luke’s 180 km ride from Nowra to Liverpool on a specially designed bike will go to the Liverpool Hospital Brain Injury Unit tyo be used to purchase new equipment.
Luke started out on his ride from Nowra private hospital on April 22.
There to greet him on his arrival earlier today was the hospital general manager, Ms Robynne Cooke and deputy mayor Gus Balloot and hospital staff.
Councillor Balloot, representing the mayor, Ned Mannoun, presented Luke with a $5,000 cheque from Liverpool Council.
At its meeting last Wednesday, the council supported the mayor’s call for a donation to the fundraising effort of Luke Stono.
Cr Mannoun tabled a mayoral minute detailing the tragic circumstances of Luke’s accident and his subsequent rehab stint at Liverpool Hospital.
“This is is a terrific effort from this young man and he fully deserves our support,’’ Cr Mannoun said on Wednesday night.
“I commend Luke Stono for his hard work to raise money for the Liverpool Hospital Brain Gym and propose that we donate $5,000 to his Never Give Up Charity Bike Ride.’’
On June 20, 2012, Luke Stono suffered a serious brain injury while training at a motocross compound in Lockhart in country NSW.
He was rushed to Wagga Base Hospital and later airlifted to Canberra Hospital where he was assessed to have suffered a severe brain injury.
He was in a coma.
His parents were told by doctors that Luke had a 20 per cent chance of surviving and only a 4 per cent chance of minimal recovery if he did survive.
After Luke showed signs of waking from his coma he was transferred to the Liverpool Hospital Brain Injury Unit, where he spent the next nine months in rehab.
“He has displayed a never give up attitude throughout his recovery so far and went from having a 20 per cent chance of survival to organising a 180km bike ride for charity,’’ Cr Mannoun told the council.
If you want to donate or find out more about Luke’s story go to http://www.lukestono.com/
