Spirit Strong In Injured Football Player
Simon Sokhanvar supports his team from the sidelines.
October 6, 2014
At Centennial, we like to think of our student body as a family; standing behind each other and showing support in the toughest times.
On August 21, tragedy stuck one of our own. As Simon Sokhanvar, junior, drove across the intersection of Coit and Highway 121, an armored truck ran a red light and smashed into the driver side of his car.
Sokhanvar’s Lexis was totaled and he suffered fractures to his pelvis in two places, multiple vertebrae and his tailbone. It took medical responders many minutes to get him out of the car and eventually they had to cut off his door.
Despite Sokhanvar’s severe injuries, he only spent a spent a week in the hospital, missing three days of school. While he was hospitalized, many coaches and players from the football team came to visit him.
“They cheered me up a lot,” Sokhanvar said. “They made me feel like nothing happened; like I could wake up the next morning and just know that everything will be okay.”
They were a great encouragement to him and made him confident that the team really cares, he said.
Sokhanvar is not allowed to put any pressure on his left leg for three months. His injuries have made it difficult for him to even get around the house by himself.
“When I’m at home I have to use a walker to get around,” Sokhanvar said. “It’s hard because the walker is bigger than the doorways, so I have to angle myself to get through.”
Although Sokhanvar experiences great pain every day, missed out on his entire football season, and isn’t able to attend homecoming, he keeps a positive attitude about his situation.
“I get asked on a daily basis why I’m smiling as much as I do… and I usually just tell them I’m happy to be here,” Sohkanvar said.
Doctors told him it’s a miracle for him to even be alive so he takes advantage of every moment he has.
Sokhanvar’s positive attitude, the support of his teammates and the love of his family have kept him on the path to a speedy recovery.
