A man who survived a crash near Farnham that killed his best friend has lost his home and livelihood while still fighting to recover from his devastating injuries.
Dom Barker, 32, of Ewshot, was critically hurt in the four-vehicle crash on July 4, which claimed the life of Mason Haynes, 52, a professional bodyguard who had worked for Sir David Beckham and Kim Kardashian.
The pair ran Public Enemy Customs, where Dom built specialist vehicles for films and was working on a motorcycle intended as a gift for Hollywood actor Tom Hardy at the time of the crash.
But while Dom was recovering from his injuries in hospital, the company entered administration, leaving him without the workshop that was also his home.
Nearly two months after the collision, he is still in hospital, struggling to use his right arm and requiring help with everyday tasks. He says he has been refused specialist inpatient rehabilitation and fears his recovery is being put at risk.
His rescue dog, Charlie, is being cared for by friends while Dom tries to secure a home and rebuild his life.
Speaking from Farnham Hospital, Dom said: “I survived the collision, but I did not walk away from it. I was carried away with my body smashed apart and my future ripped from me.”
‘It was the best day ever’
Dom and Mason had been friends for years and worked together at Public Enemy Customs, where Mason designed motorcycles and Dom built them.
On the day of the crash, they were taking a motorcycle they had been working on for a test ride before its MOT.
“The day of the crash was strange, as Mason and I had a lot of time together, which was unusual. We were taking a bike we were working on for a test before we sent it off to get its MOT.
“So we went on a little work trip together, which we rarely did, as Mason was always travelling for work, and I was always busy in the workshop.
“We went for a pub lunch, and even that was an hour late, giving us plenty of time to chat about how things were going and our plans for the future. It was the best day ever.”
The pair were riding on the A287 Farnham Road between Calf Lane and Chalky Lane when the collision happened. It also involved a BMW X3 and an LDV Maxus motorhome.
Mason, from Thames Ditton, was pronounced dead at the scene. Dom was taken to Southampton General Hospital with serious injuries.
Dom said: “After lunch we hopped on the bikes and were headed to Horsham. We were near Farnham as I looked at my dash to see my speed, and I was going 58mph. Then I looked up and saw my best friend collide head-on with a van, knowing I was about to be next.
“I was lying in a bramble bush with Mason lying next to me. I could feel no pain at all, but I knew I was in big trouble. I looked down and could not see my arm, just blood spraying everywhere. I thought this was it. I’m going to die.”
Dom credits Darren Hardy, a veteran Army medic who had served in Afghanistan and was travelling three cars behind, with helping to save his life.
He managed to call his mother using someone else’s phone before being taken to hospital by air ambulance.
‘I knew I needed to fight’
Dom has described the extraordinary experience he remembers while fighting for his life.
“I remember the air ambulance taking me away to Southampton General Hospital. I remember thinking I was dead as I had a strange experience. I was awake back in the bramble bush with Mason lying next to me. I realised my arms were back together again, and there was a field of people.
“I was shouting for help, but no one answered. I went into the field and recognised my grandad and his old train set. I tried to speak to him, but he would not respond. I then saw my great-grandmother watering her favourite rose bush. At this point I thought I was definitely dead but I could also hear a doctor and noises in the background.
“Everything went completely white and I remember trying to move and open my eyes but not being able to. I could hear my brother and my dad. I wanted to speak to them, but I just could not. I remember hearing the doctor telling my dad to prepare for the worst, and in that moment I knew I needed to fight.”
Eventually, Dom regained consciousness, although he was unable to speak because he was being helped to breathe.
“Eventually, I opened my eyes, and I tried to talk, but I had a massive tube keeping me breathing. Doctors had to do loads of tests to see if I could breathe on my own.
“The biggest surprise I got was when I saw my mum and dad in the same room. This had never happened since they separated so I thought it wasn’t real. This event has brought my family much closer together, which I’m really grateful for.”
‘Keeping me alive is not rehabilitation’
Dom’s injuries include serious nerve damage and an arm that still does not work properly. He also needs a wheelchair for longer distances.
In a Facebook post reproduced on the fundraising page, he described the impact of the crash on his everyday life.
“My bones were shattered. Metal now holds me together. I have serious nerve damage, intimate injuries, constant pain and an arm that still does not work. Nearly two months later, I still need strangers to wash me, dress me, move me and help me use the toilet.
“I have lost my home, my income, my independence, my dignity and the ability to live anything resembling a normal life.”
Dom says he has been refused specialist inpatient rehabilitation and is now in a hospital in Farnham.
“Keeping me alive is not rehabilitation.
“Storing me in a hospital bed is not recovery.
“My body is getting weaker while other people decide whether helping me is worth the cost. My muscles are wasting. My joints are stiffening. My nerves are deteriorating. Every wasted day takes another piece of my future that I may never get back.”
He added: “I am not asking for comfort or luxury.
“I am asking for the chance to take control of my own body again.”
His workshop was also his home
Before the crash, Public Enemy Customs was at the centre of Dom’s life. He and Mason had built motorcycles together for years, with their work winning awards and being exhibited at events including the London Bike Show and Bike Shed.
Dom was also responsible for the car customisation side of the business, building specialist vehicles for film productions including Expendables 4.
Dom said: “It was more than just a place to work. It was a community where people would come and hang out. We got to work on a bike for Tom Hardy, Ferraris, the fastest Land Rover ever and movies like Uncharted, Expend4bles and, believe it or not Public Enemies.”
The company entered administration in September 2026, leaving Dom facing another devastating blow while he was still recovering.
He said seeing its assets removed was heartbreaking, particularly because he claims some of the belongings were his own.
“After everything I’ve been through, seeing all the stuff be taken was heartbreaking. They took my fridge and the tools my Grandad gave me. I tried to show them proof I had purchased some of the items but it wasn’t enough.”
The collapse has also left him without the place where he had been living.
His rescue dog Charlie, an Italian Mastiff whom he saved from an abusive household in Blackpool, is now being cared for by friends while Dom tries to secure a home.
‘I just want to carry on Mason’s legacy’
Friends and family have launched a fundraising appeal to help Dom secure a home, fund his rehabilitation and work towards rebuilding his business.
The appeal says his savings have been exhausted while he has been unable to work and that an insurance claim relating to the collision has yet to be resolved.
Despite everything, Dom says his main aim is to continue the work he and Mason started together and share something of their life with his friend’s daughter.
“I just want to carry on Mason’s legacy and give his daughter a taste of what her Dad enjoyed. I'm still going to do what I think he would want to do. When I'm up on my feet and I'm running the shop again.”
In his Facebook post, Dom summed up the battle he now faces.
“I survived the ride that killed my best friend.
“I should not now be left to watch the rest of my life die in a hospital bed.”
Donations can be made through the GoFundMe appeal to help Dom.
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