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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
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USC Star Recovering After Surgery on Crushed Throat

Tailback suffered mishap in weight room

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(Newser) – USC tailback Stafon Johnson is in critical but stable condition and communicating nonverbally after surgery to repair a horrific weightlifting injury. Teammates say Johnson was bench-pressing yesterday and accidentally dropped the bar on his throat. After 7-plus hours of surgery, during which doctors realigned Johnson’s larynx, the athlete is expected to make a full recovery. The senior will probably not play again this season.

“Everybody loves Stafon and takes it personally. This is a guy that has been an integral part of our program for years,” USC coach Pete Carroll told the Los Angeles Times. "It's kind of disbelief that something could happen like that." Other players echoed the coach: "You don't expect that to happen," a teammate said, "but it just happened."

FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2009, file photo, Southern California running back Stafon Johnson (13) runs into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game Saturday Sept., 12, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio.
FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2009, file photo, Southern California running back Stafon Johnson (13) runs into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown against Ohio State during an NCAA college football...   (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)
In this undated photo released by the Univeristy of Southern California, USC running back Stafon Johnson is shown.
In this undated photo released by the Univeristy of Southern California, USC running back Stafon Johnson is shown.   (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)
In this Sept. 12, 2009, photo, Southern California running back Stafon Johnson runs for a touchdown against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game in Columbus, Ohio.
In this Sept. 12, 2009, photo, Southern California running back Stafon Johnson runs for a touchdown against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game in Columbus, Ohio.   (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
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6 comments
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Alan_Harrington
Sep 29, 09 4:28 PM CDT
good lord that had to be painful. i can only imagine what a horrible sight that must have been to witness Reply
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+7
RobN
Sep 29, 09 5:10 PM CDT
Don't even want to visualize this. Horrible accident. Reply
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+3
tbirdsradio
Sep 29, 09 6:48 PM CDT
Godspeed Stafon. Reply
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+1
Reader60610265
Sep 29, 09 7:09 PM CDT
hope he recovers quickly Reply
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+1
passinthru
Sep 30, 09 1:23 AM CDT
and you know it wasnt no light amount either...Damn...glad to hear they were able to align everything...lots of bells in there, hope everything works out Reply
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+1

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