In 2015 double amputee Toby Lyndon was filmed grabbing the railing and pulling himself backwards up the stairs at Unanderra station.

Once at the top, he got into his wheelchair and negotiated the second set of stairs down to the footpath.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian was the Transport Minister at the time and she labelled the footage as “distressing”.

It was a shocking example of why the station needed to replace the stairs with lifts – which still hasn’t happened nearly four years later.

Mr Lyndon, who lost both legs when he was hit by a train in 2009, was a keen sportsman before the accident, competing in surf lifesaving club ironman events and playing basketball while studying at the University of Wollongong. 

That love of sport continued after he lost his legs and ultimately has seen him move to Canberra this year to train at the Australian Institute of Sport.

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His aim is to represent Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

And he’s doing it while living out of his car for the last seven months.

Last month he suffered a setback while driving his car looking for a safe place to park.

His prosthetic legs got caught in the steering wheel and he then crashed into a light pole.

Mr Lyndon was alright but his car – which was also his home – was a write-off.

However, he kept training; catching a bus to the AIS every day and then heading back to his wrecked car each night to sleep.

To make matters worse, someone broke into the car, stealing his belongings.

Now friend Noreen Vu has launched a crowdfunding campaign called Wheels for Toby.

“Toby is one of the most positive people you’ll ever meet,” Ms Vu said.

“He treasures his independence, doesn’t seek sympathy or handouts, and is just grateful to have been provided emergency accommodation while he tries to get his life back together.”

Ms Vu said the funds raised would go to helping him in his personal and sporting pursuits.

“Toby needs two sets of wheels; a new customised car to give him back his independence, and a special custom built wheelchair to enable him to compete in his first-ever triathlon, the Proximity Canberra Triathlon Festival on 9 February next year,” she said. 

The campaign was launched last week and, as of Tuesday has raised more than $3000 of the $50,000 target.

The Wheels for Toby page can be found on the Go Fund Me page – gofundme.com.