Despite going through the most difficult year of his life, Juan Ariza says he's just grateful to be alive.

The Peruvian was one of only three migrant workers to survive a crash in Hampstead on Feb. 6, 2012. Ten workers and a truck driver died in the crash, which was one of the worst in Ontario’s history.

Since that night, it’s been a long road of rehabilitation for Ariza.

“Every day, every single moment, when I see a truck that is coming, I feel panic, I feel scared,” Ariza tells CTV through a translator.

The mental pain matches the physical scars he still bears from the crash.

Ariza has been living in a London nursing home as his body slowly recovers from the crash. It’s been anything but an easy road.

“When I’m walking, I feel like I’m 80 years old,” he says.

Aside from his own battle of recovery, Ariza is also hoping to be reunited with his wife, who recently underwent spinal surgery in Peru, and their eight-year-old son Flavio.

“He and I have been very close. I miss him a lot,” says Ariza.

The other survivors aren’t faring any better. Javier Alba returned home to Peru last month and continues to work toward recovery there, while Edgar Sulla-Pulma remains in a Hamilton hospital.

An investigation after the crash concluded that driver error, not road conditions or driver fatigue or weather, was to blame for the crash.

Earlier this week, Ontario’s interim chief coroner announced there would be no inquest into the crash, saying it was unlikely there would be any lessons learned that could help prevent future crashes.

Advocates for migrant workers say not holding an inquest is the wrong decision.

Naveen Mehta of the United Food and Commercial Workers union says an inquest would shine a light on the poor treatment and scarce protection faced by migrant workers.

“The temporary foreign worker problem put on by the federal government is akin to the Wild West,” he says.

“At best-case scenario, it’s modern day indentured servitude. At worst case scenario, it’s modern-day slavery.”

Transportation remains one of the biggest concerns for migrant workers in southern Ontario.

In a recent survey of 600 Canadian migrant workers, nearly half said they are sent to and from work in a vehicle with more passengers than seatbelts.

Ariza’s week will continue with a Thursday trip to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to undergo tests and learn if he is able to return to work. On Friday, he’ll celebrate his 36th birthday.