Corey Borner was paralyzed from the neck down at the age of 16 after a freak accident took place while he was playing football in high school.
A college senior, who was paralyzed more than a decade ago while playing football, did the unthinkable and walked across the stage during his graduation ceremony over the weekend.
During the University of North Texas at Dallas commencement ceremony on Saturday, Corey Borner put one foot in front of the other as he miraculously walked across the stage to accept his college degree.
He took to Twitter to express his excitement and gratitude for the monumental occasion.
“When you surprise the world walking across to receive your communication degree! This is the biggest moment in my life!!!! I will continue to never give up & inspire the world with my testimony. I walked again!” he wrote.
RETWEET THIS FOREVER! SO I SHOCKED THE WHOLE WORLD! WHEN YOU SURPRISE THE WORLD WALKING ACROSS TO RECEIVE YOUR COMMUNICATION DEGREE! THIS IS THE BIGGEST MOMENT IN MY LIFE!!!! ! I WILL CONTINUE TO NEVER GIVE UP & INSPIRE THE WORLD WITH MY TESTIMONY. I WALKED AGAIN! #FINDAWAY ! pic.twitter.com/Puw9B09xcL
— COREY BORNER (@LILCOREY_TRILL) August 15, 2021
According to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, since 2009, the college graduate has been wheelchair-bound after he tackled a football player during a routine exercise that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
“He's a young man (who) I think is going to get a lot better, but it's just going to take months and months down the line," Borner’s football coach Claude Mathis told the NBC affiliate station.
Over the years, Borner remained positive and even became a motivational speaker.
People reported that although it wasn’t clear if he would ever walk again, the college graduate wanted to make sure that he uplifted those who felt hopeless.
"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," he said.
In June, Borner took his first steps in 12 years. Medical staff at the Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation witnessed a miracle when he showed them his ability to walk with assistance from the facility’s exoskeleton suit, which is the same one he used to receive his degree.
His mother, Charlotte Borner, told NBC News that this was “a dream come true.”
"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,” she said.
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