Christer Hokanson is one of the very few people on this earth who knows what Stafon Johnson is going through.
In an absolutely unbelievable set of circumstances, Hokanson suffered the same rare throat injury while bench-pressing seven years ago, and -- to make the story even crazier -- he's a former Trojan athlete.
Hokanson, who played on the USC men's volleyball team in 1985, had to go through major reconstructive throat surgery after the bench bar fell on his throat while weightlifting in 2002. He underwent extensive surgeries and rehab, and he now talks with a slight rasp.
Needless to say, when news came about Johnson's injury, it hit home for Hokanson.
"It was like déjà vu all over again when I heard about Stafon's injury," said Hokanson, who now lives in Idyllwild.
Like Johnson's, Hokanson's injury was life-threatening and "pretty intense."
"I'm fortunate to be alive," he said.
A walk-on to the volleyball team in 1985, Hokanson played in four matches as a senior on a squad that reached the NCAA finals. He graduated from USC's film school that year and has been in the movie industry for most of the last 25 years.
To complete the full circle of this incredible connection, Hokanson was planning on meeting up with Johnson this week and offering his support and encouragement for an injury that he said he has never seen other than his own and Johnson's.
"The attitude and belief to get through this and be full healed is absolutely critical," Hokanson said. "I want to offer him the opportunity to see someone who went through exactly what he did and come out fine on the other end."
Christer Hokanson (No. 11, back row, fourth from the left) was a USC volleyball player in 1985 and, in 2002, suffered the same rare throat injury while weightlifting as Stafon Johnson. "It was like déjà vu all over again when I heard about Stafon's injury," he said. [Photo courtesy of USC Sports Information]
In an absolutely unbelievable set of circumstances, Hokanson suffered the same rare throat injury while bench-pressing seven years ago, and -- to make the story even crazier -- he's a former Trojan athlete.
Hokanson, who played on the USC men's volleyball team in 1985, had to go through major reconstructive throat surgery after the bench bar fell on his throat while weightlifting in 2002. He underwent extensive surgeries and rehab, and he now talks with a slight rasp.
Needless to say, when news came about Johnson's injury, it hit home for Hokanson.
"It was like déjà vu all over again when I heard about Stafon's injury," said Hokanson, who now lives in Idyllwild.
Like Johnson's, Hokanson's injury was life-threatening and "pretty intense."
"I'm fortunate to be alive," he said.
A walk-on to the volleyball team in 1985, Hokanson played in four matches as a senior on a squad that reached the NCAA finals. He graduated from USC's film school that year and has been in the movie industry for most of the last 25 years.
To complete the full circle of this incredible connection, Hokanson was planning on meeting up with Johnson this week and offering his support and encouragement for an injury that he said he has never seen other than his own and Johnson's.
"The attitude and belief to get through this and be full healed is absolutely critical," Hokanson said. "I want to offer him the opportunity to see someone who went through exactly what he did and come out fine on the other end."
Christer Hokanson (No. 11, back row, fourth from the left) was a USC volleyball player in 1985 and, in 2002, suffered the same rare throat injury while weightlifting as Stafon Johnson. "It was like déjà vu all over again when I heard about Stafon's injury," he said. [Photo courtesy of USC Sports Information]
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