Mr Lonie was thrown from the back of a ute being driven by a person under the influence of alcohol.
He was in a coma for two weeks and underwent operations to remove parts of his skull to relieve the pressure on his brain.
After months of rehabilitation, Mr Lonie is recovering but still lives with his acquired brain injury, which is one of the most common causes of disability in Australia.
"There are lasting effects " I have no sense of smell, Im not as relaxed as I used to be and I am more short-tempered, but compared with my family I've had the easier ride," he said.
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Mr Lonie is the ambassador for the Brain Injury Association of WA's Bang on a Beanie initiative, which asks people to buy a bright blue beanie as part of Brain Injury Awareness Week.
Last month, Mr Lonie shared his story with a group of 14-to-18-year-olds visiting Royal Perth Hospital as part of the Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth program, which aims to help youth to recognise potentially dangerous situations and minimise the risk of trauma.