Paralyzed Football Player Makes Dream Of Walking Across Stage At Graduation Come True

Harrison Lee10 years ago

Back in 2010, Chris Norton was a first-year football player at Luther College where he was excelling on special teams. On October 16, while covering a kickoff in the third quarter, he went to tackle the returner when his head got caught on the returner’s knee. Norton lay motionless before being carted off. X-Rays revealed that Chris’s neck was fractured, and his spinal cord was compressed.

After undergoing a successful three-hour surgery, doctors gave Chris a three percent chance of being able to move below the neck again. Chris had other plans. He wanted to walk at his graduation, so he worked his ass off in the classroom and in rehab.

Chris finished his classes last winter. He then spent his time doing rehab to prepare to walk this past Sunday at Luther College’s graduation. This is the result of hard work:

That girl who helped him? Yeah, he proposed to her on Saturday night before graduation, and she said yes. Have yourself a weekend, Chris. Here’s to hoping nothing but the best for you..

[via USA Today, Luther College, Des Moines Register, Sports Illustrated]