Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Football Beat Reporter // photo via SJSU Athletics
While training for the NFL Draft, Viliami “Junior” Fehoko’s mind was on his mom. Even when she was out of sight.
“Especially during combine training, I’m getting around the bench and I’m looking around at the guys. And I’ll ask myself, ‘Where’s your guys’ mom at?'” said Fehoko, the decorated San Jose State defensive end.
“Because my mom was sitting in the hospital at the time.”
Doctor’s informed Fehoko’s mom, Alisi, that she had a year to live after the recurrence of her cancer last November.
She became a new source of motivation for the 2022 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year as he prepares to get selected in this year’s NFL Draft, which begins this Thursday, April 27.
Before that, overcoming his turbulent past was the only motivation Junior needed to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL.
It began in the 2008 recession. The Fehoko’s went from a dual-income family to a single income. Junior and his five sisters and parents were evicted from their Newark home.
Over the next decade, Junior and his family bounced from one living situation to the next – often renting out rooms from family members and friends.
“It was hard sometimes sleeping on the floor,” said Junior, who slept in a single hotel room at two different points of his life; first in elementary school and then again in high school while becoming a phenom at Mountain View’s St. Francis High School.
“We were really down and out, grasping at straws just trying to make it. I think that’s why the Polynesians are so close, that’s why family is so important for us,” said Barbara, Junior’s sister.
From 2010-14 the Fehoko’s secured a home in East Palo Alto through an affordable housing program. “When we were renting out a house, a lot of us were sleeping on a living room floor,” said Junior, “Just sacrifices.”
But after a misunderstanding with the landlord, the Fehoko’s found themselves back in the same circumstances as years earlier.
“My dad was working doing scaffolding, but then he was getting older so his hours started getting less and less,” said Barbara. “The cost of living went up and it was kind’ve weird timing. We had enough money to survive, but we didn’t have enough to put a down payment down to rent out a house.”
Meanwhile, Junior was turning into a standout at St. Francis. In his senior season, he helped guide the Lancers to a CIF Division 2-A State Championship and became a Bay Area News Group first-team All-Bay Area.
In 2018, the same year Junior signed with SJSU, the Fehoko’s settled into a home in East Palo Alto and haven’t left since.
“Means a lot to make it to where I am today just thinking about my past,” said Fehoko. He paused for a few seconds and with a sigh of relief said, “Came a long way.”
When Junior’s name gets called in the NFL draft – likely to be on day three – pundits and fans will hear about his role in rebuilding SJSU from woeful to 2020 Mountain West Champion.
What they didn’t know was something that even Junior didn’t know the week leading up to it.
“My whole life from day one, adversity has been there,” said Junior.
Six days before the Mountain West Championship, Junior’s mother Alisi felt abnormally sluggish, but she brushed it off.
As the day progressed her symptoms worsened. It became clear that she needed medical attention. That night she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
While Alisi and the Fehoko’s grappled with the life-altering news, Junior was in Las Vegas preparing to stop Boise State’s high-octane offense.
Alisi was adamant that the family delay informing Junior about her condition, fearing it could deter his focus for the biggest game of his life.
She later told him, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean not to tell you, but I wanted to help you to find your future.”
By May the following year Alisi was in remission. “I can’t stress it enough, but we’ve grown our faith in the lord,” said Barbara.
That fall of 2021, Junior won his second straight All-Mountain West First Team and led SJSU in tackles for loss (10.5), sacks (seven), and forced fumbles (three).
Then halfway through his 2022 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year campaign, Junior received devastating news: Alisi had another cancer diagnosis, this time with a more dire outlook.
It began one October day when Alisi felt the familiar sluggishness of her original diagnosis in 2020.
Unfortunately, once again her intuition was correct.
The cancer had metastasized into her lungs. Additionally, after a grueling few weeks of tests, Alisi was determined to have a second cancer, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
She was told she had a year to live.
“When she first got diagnosed we were all crying and stuff and she was kinda smiling and was like, ‘Stop that, it’s going to be OK,'” said Junior.
This time around, Junior was told immediately and the news gave him a greater purpose and reason to focus.
“There might be times where I’m feeling down, but I got to wipe it off my face and keep going because my mom’s fighting a bigger battle than I am, so she helps me stay strong,” said Junior.
He notched six of his nine sacks and 11.5 of his 19 Mountain West-leading tackles for loss in the second half of the season. The Spartans reached their second bowl game in three seasons for the first time since 1986-87.
As Junior prepares for the biggest opportunity of his life, she continues to be an inspiration and reminder to see his highest potential.
“I make sure I don’t ever forget what my mom’s going through and make sure it motivates me as much as it can,” said Junior.
And now, Junior can only dream of the scene in his living room when his name gets called.
“We’ll all be crying and laughing and all the emotions are going to run wild that day.”