During his football career in college and the pros, G.J. Kinne has encountered some of the fiercest competitors.

The toughest? That would be the college sweetheart who became his wife three years ago.

“I tell her that all the time,” said Kinne, the University of Hawaii football team’s offensive coordinator. “That’s part of the reason I married her. She’s so tough — mentally, physically. She’s very strong in her faith.”

That grittiness was displayed this month when Summer Kinne underwent surgery for trigeminal neuralgia, a condition that can generate an excruciating sensation from the face to the brain. In Summer’s case, an artery was compressing the trigeminal nerve that is located below the brain. The surgery in Los Angeles involved placing a Teflon pad between the artery and nerve to negate the compression.

“It’s effective in about 85% of patients, and so far, so good for her,” G.J. said. “She’s pain-free from her TN and off the meds and just recovering at home and taking care of (17-month-old son) Lincoln.”

G.J. said family members have traveled from the mainland to help. He also said he has received support from athletic director David Matlin, head coach Todd Graham and his wife Penni Graham, the other coaches, their families, and his players.

“That’s part of the reason I came here,” said Kinne, who was hired in January after serving as an offensive analyst with the Philadelphia Eagles. “I knew it was a family atmosphere. In times like this, you lean on your family and your faith, and that’s the only reason we were able to get through this.”

In May, G.J. and Summer were watching television when she experienced pain in her face. “The pain took her to her knees,” G.J. recalled. “I didn’t know what was going on.”

They went to Queen’s Island Urgent Care. After reviewing tests, the doctor believed Summer was suffering from TN.

“We immediately started Google-ing everything,” G.J. said. “That’s where the process started.”

Matlin and the Grahams helped arrange an appointment with Dr. Brandon Hirota, a neurosurgeon. It then was recommended that Dr. Mark Linskey, a neurosurgeon based in Orange, Calif., would treat Summer.

Because of the pandemic, G.J. was told he could not be in the operating room nor visit in the recovery room. Both also would have faced quarantine after returning to Hawaii. They agreed that G.J. should stay behind to take care of their son while Summer would be accompanied by family members to California.

“It was a situation where it was best for me to stay here,” G.J. said. “I just felt helpless. It wasn’t an ideal situation. … My wife is very, very strong, and she was able to get through this, and she assured me she’ll be fine. That was obviously tough.”

Summer went to California a week ahead of the Aug. 11 surgery for pre-op appointments. Meanwhile, the wives of UH coaches helped with the grocery shopping and, when G.J. had to work, watched Lincoln. “We’ve had a lot of support,” G.J. said.

G.J. said Summer is back in Hawaii and recovering. For now, she is restricted from lifting anything weighing more than 20 pounds. G.J. said they are hopeful it will be “a couple months until she’s up and around and driving and kind of doing every-day activities.” A full recovery usually is about a year.

Summer occasionally will experience “ghost pain,” a common reaction to the trigeminal nerve healing.

“She’s a rock star,” G.J. said of Summer, whom he met when both attended the University of Tulsa. “That’s no doubt. She’s definitely on the backbone of this family.”