Laurel High School Senior Walks At Graduation Ceremony Three Years After Being Paralyzed By Football Injury

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

NEW CASTLE (KDKA) -- 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.

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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.

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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.

• Football