When former goalkeeper Clint Malarchuk heard the news of Adam Johnson’s death, he recalled with horror the similar incident that nearly cost him his life while suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
On March 22, 1989, the then-Buffalo Sabers player suffered one of the most horrific injuries in sports history. His carotid artery and part of his carotid artery were severed by the blade of an ice skate. Malarchuk managed to escape, but was very lucky.
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When he learned the story of Johnson, who died this week following an accident during a game in the United Kingdom, the former Quebec Nordiques felt the stress take over.
“I need to know very well what is going on. Post-traumatic syndrome is real. It can go wrong, but I have my resources,” he confided on Monday in a generous interview with the website The Athletic.
“The stress started from the moment I received the text message. I tried to stay away from the details surrounding the young man’s death, but I realized I couldn’t avoid it,” Malarchuk, now 62, continued.
The Albertan said he was better prepared this time than in 2008. That year, it was Richard Zednik of the Florida Panthers who was hit in the neck again by teammate Olli Jokinen during a game in Buffalo. The attacker had also done a good job, but for Malarchuk, ghosts from the past had awakened and he tried to end his life.
“Total fear. I can feel it. “It overwhelms you,” he said, describing his post-traumatic stress disorder.
After his own accident, Malarchuk suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder, nightmares and alcoholism. After spending some time in rehab, starting in 2015, he had the courage to speak about his struggles and story at several mental health conferences.