After redshirting during his true freshman campaign in 2023, Christian Bodnar began to come into his own in Liberty’s secondary early in the 2024 season. He emerged as one of the top players in the defensive backfield. By game five, he earned his first start against FIU. Bodnar would go on to lead the team in tackles that game and his strip sack of FIU quarterback Keyone Jenkins in overtime would clinch the win and end the game, keeping the Flames unbeaten to start the season.
Everything was looking up for the 5’11”, 185-pound Bodnar. He looked like Liberty’s next defensive star with his potential soaring.
That all began to change shortly after that game. About a week later, something was off. He wasn’t feeling right. He went to the team trainer to explain his symptoms. He was then referred to a doctor and ultimately told to go to the Emergency Room as he was suffering from stroke-like symptoms. That had to be a frightening situation to walk into, especially for an athlete coming into his prime.
After arriving to the ER, Bodnar was admitted into the hospital and would stay there for about a week. He would be diagnosed with post-infectious encephalitis, something that causes his body to attack his central nervous system. It caused the left side of his brain to swell and affected the right side of his body. He went from starring on the football field to not being able to walk in the matter of days. A truly scary situation.
It wouldn’t take Bodnar long to begin to improve. After a few days in the hospital, he started to get feeling back in the right side of his body and eventually was able to walk again. Shortly thereafter, he was able to be on the sideline at Williams Stadium to support his team during the Jacksonville State contest. He started feeling back to his normal self within just a few weeks.
Bodnar was thankful to be putting this health scare behind him, but he wanted to get back on the football field as soon as he could.
He started to do football drills again but wasn’t yet cleared to play. He thought he was close to getting back in a Liberty uniform, maybe even before the 2024 season was over, but an MRI a month into his ordeal revealed the swelling in his brain had not completely gone away.
This forced him to take a step back and miss the rest of the 2024 season. It wasn’t until January that he finally got full clearance and was able to get back to what he loves doing, but this time not taking it for granted.
“I got to come back in the spring, and I’ve been enjoying it ever since,” Bodnar said. “I enjoy every day. I don’t let the monotony get to me. Before I got sick, days started to feel the same. Even though I was on a high (on the field), I was reaching where I wanted to reach, it still wasn’t what I thought it was. After everything happened and football got taken away from me, I started really realizing this is a blessing. A lot of people don’t get to play football. The fact that I’m even out here, got a chance to be out here with the guys, I’m blessed every day and there’s a smile on my face every day.”
Now a redshirt-sophomore, Bodnar is expected to have a huge role for the Flames in the secondary. He can play both safety and corner and will be competing for starting time as he continues to grow into one of the team leaders. He’s hopeful to help lead this Liberty defense to being the best it has been in the three years under head coach Jamey Chadwell.
Bodnar can’t wait to suit up in that Liberty uniform and step on the field for the 2025 season opener against Maine on August 30. That day is one that the entire team is looking forward to, but it will be even more special for Bodnar. The nephew of former NFL wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, Bodnar has his eyes set on a banner 2025 season with his teammates.
“I think about (getting back on the field) all the time,” he said. “I don’t let it linger around my head. I’ll let it come in every now and then, but this year is going to be a new year for me and for the team. I look forward to the first game when we come out there as a group. I think we’re going to shock a lot of people.”
