The details remain vivid in Warren senior Corvel Hodges’ mind more than a year later.
On Oct. 5, 2024, Hodges suffered a gunshot wound when a stray bullet hit him in his left hip as he left a friend’s house in Evanston, where he grew up.
“All of a sudden, shots went off,” he said. “We didn’t know what was going on. My eyes got big, and I looked down, and blood was gushing. My life flashed before my eyes. It happened so fast.
“When you panic, it makes it worse. You have to breathe and wait until the results come.”
Hodges was able to call 911, and he had surgery to remove the bullet that night. The next day, he received a dour prognosis.
“They said I wouldn’t be able to walk,” he said. “But that next morning when I woke up, I stood up, and I could walk to the bathroom. I was on a cane for about two to three months, and then I felt like I didn’t need it anymore and that I could walk.”
Hodges missed the final six games of the 2024 season as Warren reached the Class 8A state quarterfinals. But the 5-foot-7, 145-pound wide receiver is back on the field and is not only making plays but also being a leader for the Blue Devils (6-1, 5-0), who are tied for first place in the North Suburban Conference.
“I definitely have been through a lot, but I don’t want to put that in my way,” Hodges said. “Everybody’s got their own stuff going on. What I want to do is put that to the side and be a big brother to my teammates and have that role where guys feel, ‘I can come to CJ, or I can come to No. 5, and he’s always got my back.’”
That’s a role Warren’s coaches had pinpointed for Hodges.
“When I would have talks with the coaches all offseason, they would say, ‘You’re not like everybody else. You’re a leader, and you can walk alone, and people can follow you,’” he said. “We need that on the team.”
Once Hodges returned to school, he never missed a lifting session, workout or other team activity, even though he was still recovering.
“He had to make some decisions on how he wanted to do things, and I couldn’t be more proud of how he’s turned it around,” Warren coach Bryan McNulty said. “He wasn’t a problem last year, but he’s really made a lot of really good decisions in his life. He’s a good student. To see him do this and say, ‘I’m going to be a better person,’ is awesome. He’s the smallest guy on the team, and everyone respects him.”
Hodges still feels like he hasn’t returned to 100% physically, but he has found a niche in Warren’s offense. With the vast majority of carries going to Illinois commit Aaron Stewart, the state’s leading rusher at 270.3 yards per game, Hodges has been utilized in the passing game, the running game and special teams.
Hodges returned a kickoff for a touchdown during a nonconference loss to Maine South and a conference win against Waukegan. Against Stevenson on Friday, Hodges followed teammate Javon Brisker’s interception
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with a 35-yard end-around that set up a touchdown run by Stewart in the fourth quarter. It was a pivotal play in the Blue Devils’ 28-13 conference win.That victory had special meaning for Hodges, who missed Warren’s loss to Stevenson last season.
“He’s kind of the spark plug for our team, and when he gets the football, he’s explosive,” McNulty said. “He’s really skilled, so he’s the perfect complement to our offense.
“He’s a little small, and we’ve got a pretty good one (Stewart) back there, so we do other things that he can do well. He accelerates fast, and he’s tough. He’ll get hit, and he’ll pop right back up.”
But Hodges’ contributions to the team go beyond the plays he makes.
“He’s always holding everyone accountable and making sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to do,” Warren fullback Nate Duarte said. “If you don’t know an assignment, he’ll sit with you and make sure you understand. He always just wants what’s best for the team.”
Hodges cherishes every day he can spend with his teammates.
“I didn’t know I was going to be here or that I was ever going to see this game again,” he said. “I feel like I’m blessed to be here, to be on the field, and I’m blessed to still be able to walk. That’s always what I tell myself.
“There are people that take a lot of stuff for granted, but not me.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.