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Bloomington teen paralyzed graduates high school
Ethan Glynn, a Bloomington teenager paralyzed during a football game nearly four years ago, graduated high school with his class on Friday. FOX 9’s Maury Glover has the story.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - Graduation season is here, and for one Bloomington teenager, crossing the stage means more than just a diploma.
Milestone years in the making
What we know:
Ethan Glynn was paralyzed from the chest down while making a tackle during his first freshman football game for Bloomington Jefferson nearly four years ago. He suffered severe neck and spinal cord injuries and lost feeling below his shoulders, beginning a long and difficult recovery.
Despite the challenges, Glynn maintained a positive attitude, attending every football game to support his former teammates while undergoing several surgeries and physical therapy.
"Obviously, I got down because I'd never be able to walk or do any of these things again, but I also knew there's always something to do in the recovery process. I took my mind off of that," Glynn told FOX 9.
'I get to go through with all my friends'
What they're saying:
Glynn’s family rebuilt their home to make it ADA compliant and started a foundation called JustBeGr8 to help other families in similar situations.
His father, Corey Glynn, said, "It's been exciting to watch him grow through the years into the man he is now to watch all of his friends grow with him in many different ways. I'm just really proud it's a huge accomplishment for him to go across that stage with everybody today."
'I did it"
Dig deeper:
For Glynn, graduation is more than just a ceremony.
"I'm nervous but I'm excited to get on with my life I guess," said Glynn. "This is the final step of being done with high school and I think I'm going to take it all in and probably think of some memories I had and just try to live in the moment."
The ceremony marked the end of one chapter and the start of another.
Glynn said, "Excited and anxious. I guess I don't know what's gonna happen. So I'm excited to see what happens."