'I'm just happy to be alive': Blues midfielder retires from rugby after 19-hour operation
Matt Johnson is grateful to be alive and content to call time on his inspiring rugby career.
Early last month the former Blues, Northland, Southland and Counties Manukau midfielder underwent his third open-heart surgery – his fourth procedure all told in what must be one of rugby’s greatest tales of resilience and perseverance.
Johnson’s latest operation was by far his most traumatic, lasting 19 hours and leaving him with an open chest in an induced coma for six days.
During surgery he needed eight donated blood bags – the entire body volume two times over – and while in the coma he lost 10 kilograms.
“I thought it was three to four hours when I woke up. My heart wouldn’t start up again and that’s when I had to go on life support,” Johnson says with a soft voice as his vocal cords continue to recover from surgery.
“Seeing the photos, that’s what really made me think about life and be grateful because it could have gone either way so I’m happy to be on this side. It’s pretty scary hearing about being on life support so I’m very grateful to the medical team. I was really emotional when I woke up. I think about it most days, how grateful I am to be alive.”
Johnson’s complications began when he contracted rheumatic fever – a disease that attacks the heart’s valves – at 13-years-old.
Following his first heart surgery to insert an aortic valve replacement he was told he would never play rugby again, but after speaking with Robbie Fruean, the former Junior All Black who suffered similar heart issues, Johnson returned to the field to forge a successful professional career that also took him to the Melbourne Storm and to play rugby in Leeds.
In 2018, the same year he broke into Tana Umaga’s Blues squad, Johnson refused to give up the dream and thus opted to again go under the knife to replace the valve.
Four-and-a-half months after that second heart surgery Johnson was back on the field, only for major issues to arise last March when he had a stent inserted after discovering he had been functioning with an 85 per cent blocked coronary artery for two years.
In that time Johnson played for Southland, Northland and in two trial matches for Counties Manukau earlier this year.
“I was functioning on 15 per cent blood flow. I had no idea. I was at St Peter’s School sitting down in a meeting and my chest started feeling tight.”
The worst was yet to come.
Rugby fans may have fallen in love with the concept of #SuperRugbyAotearoa, but two of the competition's star players have described the competition as unsustainable.https://t.co/AOQWbLG6lB
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 15, 2020
During lockdown, Johnson began experiencing fevers, chills and aching muscles. Some days he couldn’t walk because his calves were that sore. Everything looked fine with his blood tests but stomach aches and sharp pains signalled all was not well.
After two weeks in hospital testing eventually identified a 5cm growth mass in Johnson’s stomach. Bacteria had spread, and doctors then found a growth on his heart that needed immediate surgery to prevent the onset of a stroke.
“If they weren’t able to put the stent in I would’ve needed a bypass so I was hoping that wouldn’t be the case because I’d just had one two years ago. When they put the stent in we were really happy, and then they found out when they opened me for this surgery that the stent got lodged into the heart which isn’t good. I felt normal – it was just the fever and aching muscles that made me go back.”
Emerging from the coma, one month after arriving at Auckland hospital, following his third heart surgery Johnson couldn’t lift his arms and had to learn to walk again.
The experience was even more distressing for Johnson’s fiancé, Sky Sport commentator, presenter and rugby player Taylah Hodson-Tomokino, who watched events unfold from the sidelines.
Despite his deep love for the game, Johnson is at peace with his immediate retirement.
“It was a struggle for the first two weeks physically and mentally. I had to medically retire because of the mechanical value and blood thinning medication. If I get a hit or knock it could lead to internal bleeding and blood clots so that means no contact. I can do everything else just not rugby.
“Everyone talks about how am I feeling not playing anymore and having to retire at 26, but I’m not that fussed to be honest. I’m just happy to be alive.
“I’m changing my view on life and trying to connect more with family, friends and live as much as I can. Dad never liked me playing rugby. Mum was always scared because of my heart so she’s happy I’ve stopped too. They can get that stress off their shoulders now.
“Everyone keeps asking when I can play again and I can’t go through the whole story so hopefully they can read this.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCiKUh6nFPX/
Reflecting on a career that involved confronting more tremors than most will ever face, Johnson knows he could do no more having repeatedly put his life on the line to pursue his dream.
“I’m proud with what I accomplished in my 11 years playing rugby with my heart. I think to myself sometimes how far I could have gone without the condition and I’m grateful for what I’ve done in my 26 years so far. I’m thankful to be here.
“I never thought I’d play again – I never thought I’d play at professional level either – so I was grateful to be back on the field. Robbie was a massive influence on me. I talked with him after my second surgery and before this one as well. He said to make the most of rugby and the connections it provides as well.”
That’s exactly what Johnson plans to do next.
Two days after surgery he called Counties coach Tai Lavea to say he wouldn’t be available this season. Lavea insisted he wanted Johnson involved in a coaching capacity and the union will now put him through his papers. With this pathway in mind, Johnson is already viewing the game in a more analytical light.
St Peter’s College has, likewise, reached out by committing to push Johnson through his post-graduate teaching course with the prospect of a physical education role at the end of it.
A life that so easily could have ended last month is instead taking a different turn.
“Everything is falling into place for the start of my next chapter.”
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
29 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
29 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
29 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
29 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
29 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments