How Close Have You Come to Death?

[burt]

I think I've told this before....

Was in my late 20's. Filled in at goalie for my indoor soccer team. About mid field a player is chasing the ball, but not gaining on it at all. I figured with a good angle, I could beat him to the ball. I was mostly correct.

I get to the ball about a second before he would have. He sees that there is going to be an impact and cringes/ducks down toward his right. His head smacks me right in the face. We both go down. I immediately felt my sinuses fill with blood so I thought my nose was broken again. Nope...

Broke my face. A trilateral break driving my cheekbone into my sinuses, and breaking my eye socket orbital. I ended up with Teflon felt under my eye, three titanium plates and 12 screws. Dr. said another half inch would have killed me.