Violent Attack On Vacaville Soccer Player Draws Him Closer To Sacramento Republic Family
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A Vacaville soccer player has a special connection to the Sacramento Republic. He didn't make the team, but he's won over the Republic family after surviving a violent ordeal.
Playing soccer with his son is a gift for Ivan Fraire. Last November, he came close to death at work.
"Some coworker just came from behind and stabbed me like five times," he said.
Fraire spent three months in the hospital and had four surgeries. All the while, doctors couldn't guarantee to his wife Elba that he would survive.
"We would try to talk to him but it was like he was deep asleep," she said. "We would say my son's name, he would tear up."
But he pulled through and now he's at the Sacramento Republic practice. He tried out for the team last year, but he didn't make the cut.
"I made the first round, and, you know, I just had to work on some other fundamentals," he said.
He formed a special bond with the team's technical director, Graham Smith.
"He had designs of being a player and he worked extremely hard during the tryout weekends. and I was just impressed by his attitude," Smith said.
The two stayed in touch during Fraire's recovery.
"He actually gave me motivation to keep going," he said.
After hearing his story, the whole team now stands behind Fraire, giving him a signed jersey on Thursday. The team is hopeful he'll be able to try out for the team again.
"I know for sure I'm not 100 percent, but I will soon," Fraire said.
His doctor has cleared him to begin training, but told him to take it easy at first.
