Student who are paralyzed in accident hikes to accept diploma

Greenville, SC (Fox Carolina) – Owen Recio was said that he would never go again with quite certainty after having broken his back. Three years later, he proved that everyone who doubted him.

Recio, a student of network system management at the Tri-County Technical College, was paralyzed from the waist when he fell in January 2022.

He was operated on to realign his spine and spent months in rehab in the Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital by Prisma Health.

Although he was informed that there was a chance of 99.9 percent that he would never run again, the Recio was determined to exceed the impossible opportunities.

After the recio returned home from stationary rehab, he began to get some feeling in his leg. It was all the motivation he needed to get ahead.

“When I came home from rehab, I knew that everything was on me to see progress while walking and motor returning,” he said.

His right leg is equipped with an AFO, a biomechanical device that is attached to his ankle to raise his foot.

His left leg has a full bracket from the hip that uses a computer chip and a hydraulic press to control its knee function. The leg is also equipped with a kfo to stabilize his knee and search.

On May 12th, Recio arrived in his wheelchair at the final ceremony of the TCTC. After climbing the ramp, he stood out of his wheelchair, grabbed his hiker and went to accept his diploma. It was the first time that he has been in public since his paralysis.

“The reaction of the audience felt like me like all of my battles and mental warfare, which initially held me back,” said Recio. “The answer of the crowd was a good memory that you can achieve your goals.”

After the emotional moment, the audience gave reflexes a standing ovation.

“It is so worthwhile to graduate after months of commitment and take the stage and make plans for the future,” he said.

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