A young man who is paralyzed and in a wheelchair vows to walk down the aisle to receive his diploma. Unbeknownst to his family, he has been receiving therapy, and he is learning to walk again on leg braces and crutches.
I can't wait until tomorrow!
Tomorrow is our graduation ceremony, and I am going to surprise my family. They don't know this yet, but I plan on walking down the aisle to get my diploma. On crutches yet.
My name is Hilton Hamilton, and I am about to graduate from high school. I am also a paraplegic; have been a paraplegic for the past three years when a drunken driver went through a red light and slammed into my car, breaking my back in the process. For the past three years, I have lived in a wheelchair, and frankly, life from a seated position is getting pretty stale after a while!
I have been working really hard at my weekly therapy sessions. I have been staying at a local rehabilitation hospital, and I am now walking again, albeit on forearm crutches and on long leg braces. It is hard, arduous work, and after a while, my arms, shoulders, and upper back get incredibly stiff and sore; but I AM walking. I am NOT a cheetah or anything, but at least I am starting to become more mobile!
I am so excited; it's been a while since Mom, Dad, and my little brother, Colt, have seen me, and the last time they saw me was just this past Christmas. Since then, I have been getting my physical therapy, and I have told myself that I am going to learn to walk again before I graduate from high school. I don't want to spend all my time in my wheelchair!
To tell you a little about myself, I am 17 years old, and I am 6'2" tall (if I were standing up), and I have curly, black hair and brown eyes; and the physique of a football player. I used to play football, but then, in 9th grade, during the Homecoming celebration, I was headed back home after the game, and this jerk ran a red light and hit my car. (I learned to drive early; I was 14. A friend taught me how to drive.) He (the driver, not my friend) was drunk, and the wreck was a bad one. All I really remember about the incident was this huge crash and the sound of metal scraping metal, and the sound of glass breaking; and then everything went black. When I awoke later, I found myself in the hospital, my parents crying over me. For a minute, I thought I was dying, but then I knew I was very much alive; I was just very badly hurt, and in the wreck, I sustained a back fracture that left me permanently paralyzed from the waist on down. My life as I knew it was instantly over in that short period of time.
Yet, I knew that I was lucky to be alive. I was also lucky to know that I still had a fighting spirit inside me, and I was also a Christian; and I knew that Jesus would get me through the dark days and months that surely lay ahead.
Flash forward to the present...
Now I am starting to walk again, and tomorrow I get to surprise my family by walking to get my diploma. I haven't walked for a very long time, only a few weeks, but I AM starting to get better at my walking. It is still tiresome, and afterwards, my arms, shoulders, and upper back still ache; but I AM spending SOME time out of that darned wheelchair, and I want to get to the point to where I can spend my time mostly on my crutches. And I want to go down the aisle to get my diploma ON MY FEET when it comes my turn to get it! Oh, what a surprise that is going to be!
Can't wait until tomorrow; I will let you know what happens. Until then, this is Hilton Hamilton signing off. I have to go to therapy again.....C-ya!
I love this story!!! And I have the feeling that I'll be spending lots of time in your port, because I can see that you have a treasure trove of stories about special people. I'm anxious to get to the second part and read what happens on graduation night!!! Hugs! AJ :o)
well see you tomorrow Hilton (Karen)...this is going to be a gem of a write...Hilton is is still going to the dance too...you will see...and be crowned king...with you as queen!!
oh, (((karen))) this is SO inspirational and beautifully written...one of your best! anyone can do anything they want to, if they put their mind to it...well done! (((HUGS))) and i agree with robert...YOU ROCK! love, karla. :)
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I can't wait until tomorrow!
