The father-of-two was critically injured when the entire right- hand side of his car was sheared off in a collision with a truck on the Bass Highway 18 days ago.

"You just look at the car and it's amazing that I survived," he said yesterday from his bed at the Launceston General Hospital.

"It is a miracle that I'm still here. That I've got my head screwed on and that I can talk and I will be able to walk."

The 26-year-old's right arm was so badly damaged it had to be amputated, his right leg was shattered, his liver lacerated, his ribs and ankle broken and his lungs collapsed.

But after extensive surgery, six days in an induced coma and more than 100 stitches, he is surprising medical staff with his amazing recovery.

Mr Cawthorn does not remember the crash that occurred on the Bass Highway at Parramatta Creek.

"My first memory was the doctors saying, `Sam we're going to have to amputate your right arm'," he said.

Mr Cawthorn's wife Kate received a call from the police saying her husband had been hurt in a car crash.

"They couldn't tell me any details," Mrs Cawthorn said. "I called the hospital and they said `you need to be here straight away'."

Mrs Cawthorn drove from Launceston to the Mersey Community Hospital and had to pass the wrecked Holden.

"I drove past the car on the highway and lost it," she said.

When she arrived at hospital, she almost did not recognise her husband of seven years.

"He didn't look quite the same, he was all swollen, but I was just relieved he was alive, especially after seeing that car. It was just unreal."

Mr Cawthorn was unconscious for two days and put in a drug- induced coma for another four days in intensive care.

He was moved from the Mersey Community Hospital to the Launceston General Hospital.

It is unclear when he will be able to leave hospital but he is keen to get back to his life outside hospital.

"I would love to be out tomorrow," he said.

"I just want to be home with my family and be with my girls. I'd do anything to do that."

Mr Cawthorn, who could be walking in 12 weeks, knows there is a long healing process ahead and is still getting used to the loss of his right hand.

"There was a lot of phantom pain last week," he said.

"I can still feel my hand and all five fingers. I can even wiggle all five fingers as well.

"Last week I was still holding on to the steering wheel in my car and I couldn't get rid of it."

He has had his arm cast for a prosthetic arm which should be fitted in the next couple of days.

Mr Cawthorn said support from family and friends has kept him going.

"I've got 11 brothers and sisters and 24 nephews and nieces who all flew in from various states and territories."

Mr Cawthorn is having a day trip tomorrow to attend his church where he is a youth pastor.

He said he was looking forward to sharing his story with kids when he is recovered.

"I want to go out to schools and start sharing and even motivating young kids to say `you can get through this'."

But for the time being he is content to listen to the doctors and focus on getting better.

"I've got a really strong peace at the moment," he said. "I feel like I've got a lot of time just to do a lot of reading.

"I believe that things happen for a reason and I believe a good thing will come out of this."

•Mr and Mrs Cawthorn said they wanted to thank staff and doctors at the Mersey Community Hospital at Latrobe and the Launceston General Hospital.

"We would like it to be noted how overwhelmingly grateful we are to the staff and doctors," Mrs Cawthorn said.

"They have been extremely supportive of both Sam and myself, and very accommodating to us as a young family."