SPOKANE, Wash. — Faye Karnitz competed in her second Hoopfest tournament after suffering a severe throat injury on Hoopfest weekend in 2015.
Karnitz was riding her bicycle when she fell off, and the handlebar struck her throat. It severed both vocal cords, broke the cartilage plate, and put a hole in her trachea. She was rushed to the hospital, and doctors told them it was a very serious injury, according to Jaclyn Gallion, the mother of Faye.
“It was the worst throat injury Sacred Heart had ever seen in a living patient, and the fact that she’s alive today is incredible,” Gallion said.
They spent weeks in the hospital…both Faye and her mother had people praying for a miracle… and they say they received one…
“Nine years ago this weekend, It was like 110 degrees outside. Her brothers were playing, and we were in the hospital room praying over her,” Gallion said.
“Definitely a miracle, definitely the power of prayer, definitely Jesus,” Karnitz said.
Faye played this year on the Holy Hooperz, wanting to share the same message of hope that she had with her while she was in the hospital.
“It’s super cool, getting to interact with different people, being on a hoopfest team with most of my friends,” Karnitz said.
Karnitz and her friends all wanted to play in Hoopfest to have fun and share their faith, and Gallion said she was just excited to watch her daughter get to participate in this event.
“The fact that she’s even alive is incredible. And the fact that we get to come down here at Hoopfest, we love Hoopfest, and we love our community, and it’s great being down here and just watching her participate,” Gallion said.
