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Chris Norton is a former American Football defensive back who played Division III Football for the Luther College Norse. Chris's career ended in 2010 when he became paralyzed while making a tackle during a kick off in a game against Simpson College. Chris was given a 3% chance of ever regaining movement below the neck but has continued to recover sensation and mobility throughout his body -- including his hands, legs, feet and torso. Today Chris lives in Florida with his fiancée where he manages his non-profit foundation and works full-time as a motivational speaker.

Injury
On October 16, 2010 Chris fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae in the 4th quarter of play during a football game against Simpson College in Decorah, Iowa. The fracture occurred on impact as Norton's head collided with the ball carrier's thigh during a kick-off return. As the pile cleared Chris lay facedown, motionless on the ground. Norton was transported off the field via ambulance and taken for emergency care to Winnishiek Medical Center where doctors put his neck in traction in order to alleviate pressure on his spinal cord. The procedure stabilized him for an immediate airlift to neighboring Mayo Clinic.

Later that night at Rochester's Mayo Clinic Chris underwent intensive surgery in which doctors used a piece of his hip bone to fuse together his C3, C4 and C5 vertebrae. Prior to the surgery doctors gave Norton a 3 percent chance of regaining any movement below his neck; while Chris was undergoing the procedure the mdeical staff delivered the prognosis to his family in the adjacent room. The surgery ended after three hours without any serious complications.

Recovery
The morning of October 17, 2010 Chris awoke with his neck immobilized and a tube placed in his throat to supplement oxygen flow. Although he couldn't initially speak he was able to shrug his left shoulder ever so slightly -- defying the doctor's prognosis. He spent the next five days in the ICU before being transferred to the hospital's rehab wing where he received near-daily occupational and physical therapy sessions for the next five months.

Five weeks into his rehab Chris had regained movement and feeling throughout his upper body but still was unable to move anything below his waste. On Thanksgiving day 2010, surrounded by family and friends, Chris was able to wiggle his left big toe. Eventually the former ahtlete regained enough movement in his hands to operate a power steering configuration for an electric wheel chair. In March of 2011 Chris moved into the Ronald McDonald house of Rochester which allowed him to continue rehabbing in Mayo Clinic's outpatient program for the next three months.

On May 20, 2011 Norton moved back home to Bondurant, Iowa where he continued his rehabilitation throughout the summer. During that time Chris regained enough strength throughout his torso and arms to operate a power assisted wheel chair under his own control. In the fall of 2017 Norton returned to his studies at Luther College where he was able to live in campus housing with a group of former teammates. Chris's sister, Alex, a registered nurse, moved close by to help facilitate the transition.

In December of 2014 Chris vowed to walk across the stage at his graduation ceremony. He graduated from Luther a semester early and moved to Detroit, Michigan to rehab full time at the Barwis Methods training facility in anticipation of the upcoming ceremony.

Graduation Walk
On May 24, 2015 Chris returned to Luther College to accept his diploma in Business Management. In front of a packed gymnasium he walked across the stage with assistance from his fiancée, Emily, whom he had proposed to the previous day. The video of Chris's walk soon went viral, having reached over 300 million views as of January 2017.

Foundation
In 2012 Chris and his family founded the SCI CAN Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization aimed at raising money for individuals with spinal cord injuries in Iowa and throughout the midwest. SCI CAN hosts annual fundraising dinners and various functions throughout the year that ultimately pay for grant opportunities used by surrounding rehab facilities, hospitals and individuals. As of 2017 the SCI CAN Foundation had raised over $800,000.

SCI CAN mission statement:

"Our mission is to promote the long term health, wellness, recovery and quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders by providing additional funds to facilitate opportunities that would not otherwise exist."

Speaking Career
Chris began sharing his story while still in college, traveling around northern Iowa to speak with church groups, college clubs and local sports teams. Along with his dad, Terry, he published a father-son memoir, "The Power of Faith When Tragedy Strikes" in 2015. The book alternates between his and his father's accounts of the injury and his path to recovery. After college Chris started his own speaking company, "Norton Motivation" and currently runs the operation out of Port St. Lucie, Florida. He continues to travel the country and share his life story.

Family
Chris's family remains a constant theme throughout his memoir and in his speeches, he often attributes his recovery success to their support. His parents, Deb and Terry, live in Chris's hometown of Bondurant, Iowa where they help operate the SCI CAN Foundation. He has an older sister, Alex, an RN who has often acted as a primary caregiver during Chris's recovery, and a younger sister Katie who attends Iowa State University. Chris's fiancée Emily is a native of Muscatine, Iowa.