Five years after an injury that derailed his football career, Chris Norton fulfilled a dream… he walked across the stage as a college graduate.
Doctors gave Norton a 3 percent chance of regaining movement below his neck due to an injury sustained while attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff play as a freshman on October 16, 2010.
According to Norton, he set a goal of being able to walk across the stage at graduation. He did so, alongside his fiancee whom he proposed to the previous day, in receiving his diploma to a standing ovation.
“Thank you everyone for the nice messages about my walk. 6 years ago I suffered a spinal cord injury in a football game. I was paralyzed from the neck down. At that moment I was forced to make the choice to either give up and let my life be determined by my circumstances or fight and create something positive out of my circumstances!”
“I believed that I could turn that tragedy into an opportunity to do more, to be better, to inspire others and be stronger.”
“I started motivational speaking, I started a non profit to help others with disabilities and I created some incredible opportunities.”
“I met the love of my life, Emily, 3 years after my injury. She’s the one in the video. I would’ve never met her if I would’ve given up and let my circumstances define who I am.”
“My hope for you is that you make the hard choice to fight and make something positive from your tragedies, struggles and difficulties.”
“We are all capable of making that choice and I promise incredible things will happen!!”
Watch the incredible video below: