A BARRY teenager is lucky to be alive after being in a horrific car accident while on his gap year in Australia.

Now, the family of Samuel Corria are facing not only a potentially massive health care bill to cover the cost of his treatment, but are asking for help flying the 18-year-old home to Barry to be with his family.

Former St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School pupil Sam had gone to Australia during his gap year, backpacking and working as a fruit picker.

Earlier this month he was involved in an accident when the car he was driving left the road and flipped over four times on the outskirts of Coomealla.

Suffering serious injuries, he was airlifted to hospital where, having been placed in an induced coma, doctors removed part of his skull to relieve pressure on his brain.

When police informed his mother Sarah Milne, members of the family rallied round to get her a ticket to fly out and be with Sam - who at that point was still in a coma.

Sam is no longer in critical condition but has suffered brain damage and faces a hard path to recovery - which will even involve having to learn to walk again.

The family are unsure if they will receive assistance with Sam's health bills - currently in the tens of thousands and rising constantly due to his insurance expiring prior to the accident - but are equally concerned that they won't be able to afford to fly Sam and his mother home after his next round of surgery.

Sarah's sister Jane Williamson said: "With my sister being a single parent of two, it's going to be a struggle. We would appreciate any help in getting him home so he can get the care and attention he needs.

"He is talking and everything, but he's going to need to learn to walk all over again, he may have lost the use of one of his arms and he will has epilepsy.

"He should have been coming home and going to university next year but I don't think that's going to be an option. It's going to be a long road to recovery."

Due to his current condition the family expect that it is going to be particularly expensive to fly Sam and his mother home and so they have set up a "Help Sam Get Home" Go Fund Me page where donations can be made.

Visit www.gofundme.com/rrx8rn4c to make a donation