After suffering severe brain trauma as a passenger in a car crash five years ago, there were fears that David Goonewardene would not survive.

Goonewardene was in a coma for six weeks after the crash and even after he awoke, his family were told there was only a very slim chance of him walking again.

But miraculously, not only has the 21-year-old overcome his near-death experience, he is back on his feet and pounding the pavement as he gears up for the Bermuda Half-Marathon Derby.

“I started running on the roads in February,” Goonewardene told The Royal Gazette.

“The first bits of running I absolutely hate, but after the runner’s high kicks in and I love it.”

That love-hate relationship with the sport continued when the former Warwick Academy student made his debut in an official race, finishing a gruelling RenaissanceRe 10 Mile course in 1hr 54min 13sec.

“Until I got to Harrington Hundreds, I kept mentally just cursing myself in my head like ‘why are you doing this?’” he said.

“I was so miserable but then after a bit you just start to like life again. I don’t race, I just try and complete the distance.”

Goonewardene has set his sights on his next event, the centrepiece of Bermuda Day festivities on May 22, and can hardly wait for the iconic race to start.

“That’s my goal,” he declared. “That’s what I am training for right now and I am looking forward to it. It’s going to be a fun time.”

The road to recovery has not been an easy one for the avid runner, who has had a lot of help from others along the way.

“Kim Watson at Evolution Healing Centre has been a really big force in getting me up to par with running life,” he said.

“She’s helped me with my rehabilitation, my balance, my co-ordination and my running. She’s been great in all of it.”

Grateful Miles Run Club, Bermuda’s first social running club, has also assisted in Goonewardene’s remarkable transition to running.

“There’s been many attempts for David to reintegrate himself back into the community here and they have been largely unsuccessful,” said his mother, Helen Souza.

“But Grateful Miles has been a very inclusive, encouraging and supportive community group for David. They have really welcomed him with open arms and encouraged him and supported him, which is really good to see because brain injury is something that’s on the rise here.”

While her son has come a long way in his recovery, Souza said there are still challenges the family must come to grips with.

“I would hate to paint a picture that all is rosy and that he has fully recovered, as he still has his challenges,” she said.

“A brain injury is different, every recovery is different and David has definitely been very much the epitome of mind over matter.

“It’s life-changing and he’s had a remarkable bounceback in many, many aspects, but there are still challenges that we all have to come to terms with every single day and support him with.

“Some days are easier and other days incredibly hard, but running has grounded him, given him something to work towards and a bit of a goal.”

Souza demonstrated that unwavering support by also participating with her son in the RenaissanceRe 10 Mile Race last month.

“I’m just trying to get out there and support David as from what he’s had to go through there are enough limitations in place for him already,” she said.

“When he says he wants to do things, I try very hard not to be the person that says he can’t do it. I try to be the person that says, ‘how can we support you in doing this’ versus ‘you can’t do this’ or ‘this is not possible’.

“I can’t even keep up with David, but I am enjoying it and I think he’s encouraged me to get up and going again because throughout all of this it’s been hard to get any sort of routine and normalcy as an individual, as a mother and as a family.

“It’s been hard to get that, but with the routine that he’s got going now it also allows me to get back to what I used to do because I used to run.

“I tell David all the time he is one incredible person. His outlook on things and his determination to do things is very inspiring.

“The running has definitely been a good outlet for him and the community that comes with running has been a very good one.”