Paralyzed Former Football Player Walks Across Graduation Stage After 12 Years in Wheelchair

By Darby Jones August 27, 2021

Twelve years after being told he may never take another step, Corey Borner walked across the stage at his graduation to receive his diploma.

A former high school football player was paralyzed during a game 12 years ago and told he may never be able to walk again. This summer, he defied all odds when he walked across the stage to accept his college diploma at the University of North Texas at Dallas.

“I WILL CONTINUE TO NEVER GIVE UP & INSPIRE THE WORLD WITH MY TESTIMONY. I WALKED AGAIN!” Corey Borner tweeted. “TOUGH TIMES DON’T LAST LONG TOUGH PEOPLE DO!”

Borner has been in a wheelchair since 2009 when he made a tackle and never got up. His paralyzation never deterred his spirit, and he went on to become a motivational speaker.

“We all go through something. That’s one thing about life. But as long as you continue to stay focused and stay positive, anything is possible,” Borner told NBC DFW.

Borner took his first steps at the Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation just months before his graduation. With the assistance of an exoskeleton suit, he was able to cross the graduation stage.

“It’s just a dream come true. I haven’t seen him take a step in 12 years,” his mother Charlotte Borner told NBC News. “Whether he was able to even do this or not, you know, I know he’s going to do something that is positive. He’s going to motivate people. He’s here for a reason. God kept him here for a reason.”

Image source: NBC News