Comments on: 5 Athletes Who Have Overcome Life-Threatening Injuries

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:47:59 +0000

Hey Juli! Awesome article! Scary to think that things like this can happen just like that, but encouraging that these athletes don’t let their injuries slow them down.

Another contendeder: Jesse Billauer – Surfer who became paralyzed when he hit his head on a sandbar after he got knocked off his board when he was 17. …Now he’s a pro surfer who travels all over, surfing some pretty dangerous breaks. He’s definitely out there charging it and doing things that put us non-quadriplegics to shame.

By: Eva

Eva — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:44:42 +0000

I know, right?!

By: Juliane

Juliane — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:16:11 +0000

Lance for sure is a serious contender. Though he didn’t survive an injury, surviving his cancer and going on to be an amazingly successful athlete is more than impressive!

By: Juliane

Juliane — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:09:43 +0000

I’m with you on that for sure. He is one tough man to keep getting back in the car like that..

By: Juliane

Juliane — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:02:38 +0000

Eva, knew I could count on you for the details! But seriously, what the fuck kind of question is that?

By: Eva

Eva — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:24:42 +0000

Hal, it was unbelievable. If you’re squeamish, I don’t recommend watching the video. He basically saved his own life — clapped his gloves over his throat and skated to the boards, where the trainer performed an emergency tracheotomy (I think that’s the term) on the ice. If he hadn’t had the presence of mind to skate off, I’d be surprised if the trainer would have been able to get to him in time.

The league made the players finish the game without him, too. Unreal. Afterwards, some a-hole reporter asked the player whose skate it was “how he felt” when he realized he’d almost killed his teammate. The player (Jokinen, maybe?) just said: “What the fuck kind of a question is that?”

By: Turner

Turner — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:37:27 +0000

I know it was more of a disease than an injury, but what about Lance?

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:06:59 +0000

I dunno- if I’d have been Foyt, I think I’d have locked myself in the house and hidden all the matches and sharp objects.

Seriously– these folks are totally inspiring. Thanks for this article!

By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:54:02 +0000

Yeah, I echo the cringing throat cut response. Wow.

By: Hal

Hal — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:19:38 +0000

I can’t believe Zednick had his throat cut by a skate! Makes me cringe.

The clarity of purpose athletes (and normal people) find after accidents like these is remarkable. Very inspiring.