NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — An accident left Noblesville teen Griffin Smith unable to feel his legs.
Less than a year later, Griffin took the graduation stage on his own two feet...
...and he is still defying the odds.
When we first met Griffin, there was never a moment of doubt, despite the scary circumstances.
A rare spinal stroke in an accident last summer left the 17-year-old in a wheelchair. It is an injury so severe, most people don’t ever get back on their feet. Doctors said only 10-20% of patients ever see any kind of motor improvement.
Now, 10 months later, Griffin won’t stop moving.
He's a personal mission to retrain his muscles every day - and that wheelchair is nowhere to be found.
“It’s been a grind," Griffin said. "I’ve been really trying to get to 100 percent.”
While doctors initially said he might never walk, Griffin did just that this week, stepping across the stage to get his diploma.
“It was cool 'cause walking up the steps, no one helping me out. Doing it on my own will, that was the best part, just being able to do it for myself and by myself,” he said.
Griffin's graduation Thursday from Noblesville High School might only be his second most impressive feat recently. Last month, at the final game of Noblesville's lacrosse season, Griffin made a return to the field as goalie to close out the game.
"When you’re in the hospital and people are telling you you won’t be able to do things, you’re like 'no, I want to prove you wrong' and so just getting in, in those last 30 seconds, just felt like I was proving everybody wrong,” said Griffin.
Besides his scheduled physical therapy appointments, Griffin says he exercises on his own about 90 minutes every day. He plans to start working over the summer as he prepares to go to college next year to be a teacher and coach.
He also got his driver’s license this week.
His parents say they’re constantly in awe.
“It’s amazing," said Greg Smith, Griffin's father. "There’s nothing else to say but this is a miracle."