High School Senior Walks At Graduation Ceremony Three Years After Being Paralyzed

A video of a high school graduate walking at high school graduation several years after being paralyzed by a football injury is going viral

[June 9, 2021: Josh Shavit]

A video of a local high school graduate walking at high school graduation several years after being paralyzed by a football injury is going viral.

Three years ago, Hayden Hamilton was left paralyzed from the neck down, suffering a spinal injury while attempting to make a tackle while playing football for the Laurel Spartans.

Fast forward to earlier this week, and Hamilton, with the help of leg braces and a walker, with his therapist by his side, walked across the football field to receive his diploma at graduation.

Hamilton’s walking across the field was met with a standing ovation from the crowd.

“That felt better than any touchdown I ever scored,” Hayden told the Post-Gazette’s Mike White.

Former Steelers player Ryan Shazier, whose football career was cut short due to a spinal injury of his own, was among those to chime in with words of praise for Hamilton.

Hamilton told the Post-Gazette that he just wanted to be able to walk off of the field because he didn’t get the chance to do that on the night he was injured.

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Tags: #Good_News, #Sports, #Medical_Good_News, #The_Brighter_Side_of_News


Joseph Shavit
Joseph ShavitSpace, Technology and Medical News Writer
Joseph Shavit is the head science news writer with a passion for communicating complex scientific discoveries to a broad audience. With a strong background in both science, business, product management, media leadership and entrepreneurship, Joseph possesses the unique ability to bridge the gap between business and technology, making intricate scientific concepts accessible and engaging to readers of all backgrounds.