Geelong legend Steve Johnson ‘happy to be alive’ after life threatening injury

Geelong premiership hero Steve Johnson has told fans he is “lucky to be alive” after being seriously injured in a freak accident.

Steve Johnson with the 2022 AFL Premiership Cup. Picture: Mark Stewart

Champion Geelong forward Steve Johnson says he is “happy to be alive” a week after suffering a life-threatening wound to his stomach in a freak accident.

Johnson was rushed to a Wangaratta hospital on January 22 after suffering a deep wound to his stomach when a knife in a bag he was carrying punctured his abdomen.

The triple premiership player was opening a gate at his property when a knife made contact with the gate and protruded through the bag and into his stomach.

Johnson, known as Stevie J to his fans, thanked everyone for their support in a social media post on Thursday night.

Steve Johnson playing for the GWS Giants.

“Just a quick thank you for everyone that has reached out over the past week … sorry if I haven’t got back to everyone,” he wrote.

“The story may go in different directions but it was reported correctly (I think) just a very unlucky accident and very lucky it ended as well as it possibly could given the seriousness of my injury.”

Johnson said he was “just happy to be alive and well”.

“So anyone that sees me around … you have to put up with me for a little while longer,” he wrote.

Johnson previously said he was getting out of his car with his wife and his three children when the knife cut through the bag and into his abdomen.

The knife, which was used to cut his son Archie’s 12th birthday cake, was recently gifted to him as part of a set by a friend who is also in the butcher trade.

“It was just really freakish how it happened,” he said.

“We were going inside the house but my little girl couldn’t open the gate, so I held on to one bag and pushed against it (to open the gate) but the knife was in that bag.

“It just went straight into me.

“At the same time, it just so happened this couple was walking past out front, and one was a nurse.

“I’ve yelled out, ‘Quick, Erin, jump in the car and take me to the hospital’. I said ‘The knife has gone through my stomach’.

Johnson kicked 516 goals across 293 games for Geelong and GWS and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the modern era.

The gun matchwinner, who won three premierships throughout a glorious reign at Geelong, also led Yarrawonga to the Ovens and Murray senior premiership last year as senior coach.

Originally published as Geelong legend Steve Johnson ‘happy to be alive’ after life threatening injury