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Remembering Liam Davies: The Fight For Justice

Editor’s Note: Please welcome Shendelle Oliver back to LAS. Shendelle has been traveling around Europe, playing lacrosse, and seeing the sites. She is still connected to the Wembley Lacrosse Club in Perth, and has an update on the tragic passing of Liam Davies, a Wembley club member, and rising Australian star.

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Wembley Lacrosse Club, located in Perth, Australia, held a memorial day for Liam Davies at their club on Saturday, the 25th May. Liam was a 19 year old Wembley player whose life was taken tragically in January whilst holidaying in Indonesia (a very popular place for Australian tourists) with some of his teammates.

Liam had been celebrating over New Years but became violently sick after drinking a lethal cocktail laced with methanol on the island of Lombok. Liam was treated in hospital in Indonesia where he was misdiagnosed as having a brain aneurysm. Hours later Liam was flown back to his home town of Perth, Western Australian and treated in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Liam kept fighting but the methanol had too much of a head start. His life support was turned off a few days later.

Liam first picked up a lacrosse stick at the age of ten at Mt. Hawthorn Primary School where the school ran a modcrosse program (modified version of lacrosse for Aussie kids – no checking).

Liam playing for Wembley
Liam playing for Australia

Liam joined Wembley Lacrosse club at the age of 13. He and his family quickly fell in love with the game. Liam represented Australia in a youth tour to Canada in year 2008 playing for the “Kangas” team. His brothers Conor and Kegan soon took up lacrosse also – Conor represented Australia at the 2012 Under 19 World Championship in Finland, and the whole Davies travelled to Finland to watch Conor play. Dad, Tim, has played a few games with the Wembley ‘old boys’ team and mum, Lhani, is on the board at Wembley Lacrosse Club.

Now, Wembley remembers Liam!

Prior to every youth and men’s game at the club on Saturday and the women’s Divion 1 game on Sunday, a short memorial talk was given by Liam’s father Tim Davies to remember Liam. Players also received “Liam” socks to commemorate this special day and their mate, Liam.

Liam's father addresses the teams prior to a D1 game.
Liam’s father addresses the teams prior to a D1 game.

Club President, Mark Bowman said, “Liam was a valued member of our club and will all miss him being around. The positive effect Liam’s passing has had is that it has brought some of his old friends back to the club and made our lacrosse community closer than ever. We will support Tim and Lhani in every initiative they have moving forward to honor Liam.”

Liam’s family is now fighting for justice. His parents Lhani and Tim are on a mission find those responsible for Liam’s passing. They have travelled to Indonesia several times since January to and have met constantly with Indonesian authorities pushing them to launch a full investigation into Liam’s death. Finally, after months of fighting an uphill battle they are closer to having answers. Indonesian Police will fly to Perth in early June to meet with the Australian medical staff who treated Liam, and then hopefully, an arrest will be made.

They have also set up a charity called L.I.A.M – Lifesaving Initiatives Against Methanol to educate people about the risks of drinking spirits in Indonesia but also greater Asia. The Davies family is on a mission to saves lives! To learn more about L.I.A.M go the charity’s Facebook page.

To watch an interview with Tim and Lhani Davies and learn more about some of Liam’s story visit Australian Yahoo.

Rest in Peace, Liam.