Doctors said he would never run again. Now, this Philadelphia teen will compete at the Penn Relays.
A junior from St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia will be competing at the Penn Relays on Thursday after doctors said he would never run again.
Three years ago, Stone Stefan had a catastrophic injury to his hip and was told he'd never run again.
"It felt like the whole world just shattered because running was my outlet," Stefan said.
"That was probably one of the hardest things I've had to watch him go through," Kim Koschineg Stefan, Stone's mother, said.
After a good cry, Stefan's mother found second opinions, and he eventually ended up in rehab at Shriners Hospital.
"A lot of time and effort, but it was all worth it," Stone Stefan said.
Now, Stone Stefan is training for the Penn Relays at Franklin Field, and it will be his first time back in the place where the injury happened.
"Exciting and scary because I'm going back to the place where everything changed for me, but at the same time, I'm excited to work with people and run a race I love," Stone Stefan said.
This comeback isn't just from the injury. During rehab, Stone Stefan was diagnosed with scoliosis, but it hasn't kept him away from the track.
"Its been a blessing to watch his perseverance," Kim Koschineg Stefan said.
Stone Stefan isn't just talented on the track. He's also a gifted student and patient ambassador who hopes to inspire others.
