DES MOINES (KRON) — An Iowa college student who was told he would probably never walk again, defied the odds and walked the stage at his graduation.
After more than four years of physical therapy, 23-year-old Chris Norton on Sunday stood up from his wheelchair, with some help from his fiancee, and he walked across the stage to receive his diploma. The emotional feat brought everyone else in attendance to their feet.
In 2010, Norton suffered a severe spinal cord injury playing football for Luther College. He was told he had very little chance to ever walk again. But on Sunday he took careful step after step to receive his diploma in an event which he described as his “game day.”
The graduation walk wasn’t the only highlight of Norton’s memorable weekend. Just the day before, on Saturday, he proposed to his girlfriend, Emily Summers.
Norton said that having his new fiancee on that stage by his side meant everything to him.