Emotional moment Paralyzed shooting victim, 25, uses a robotic exoskeleton to walk up the stage
A paralyzed shooting victim was able to walk across the stage and collect his community college diploma with the help of a robotic exoskeleton – bringing the crowd down in tears.
Khalil Watson, 25, from Henrico, Virginia, was paralyzed from the neck down after being shot just weeks before he graduated high school seven years ago.
Now, he has earned an associates degree in pre-social work at Reynolds Community College and was able to walk across the stage to collect his own diploma – thanks to a robotic exoskeleton that attached to his body.
There was a full-house standing ovation when his name was called – as his fellow graduates and spectators in the crowd cheered and clapped for his sensational achievement.
He rose up from his wheelchair, steadied himself, and then used the breakthrough technology to walk across the platform and receive his certificate.
Khalil Watson, 25, from Henrico, Virginia, rose from his wheelchair and was able to walk the stage with the help of a robotic exoskeleton, seven years after being paralyzed from a shooting
Watson has now earned an associates degree in pre-social work from the Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Virginia – and he wants to continue his education to gain bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Watson posed for a photo, holding his diploma, as the beaming crowd cried and cheered for him at the Siegel Center in Richmond.
In the weeks running up to graduation, Watson was practicing his walk in cutting-edge technology to make sure that the momentous occasion would be perfect.
Watson said: ‘It felt great knowing that my hard work has paid off and that I’m rewarded and acknowledged.’
The robotic exoskeleton was supplied by Sheltering Arms Physical Therapy – and Watson has had years of specialized therapy to help him overcome his disability.
Speaking about his achievement, Watson told WTVR: “Having to sit from the hospital bed in high school, and now being able to actually experience it physically, means a lot to me.”
‘If it wasn’t for God, and my family and friends, and my therapist I wouldn’t have been able to experience this moment, and it feels great.
‘When you’re sitting down all the time, things can start to get uncomfortable. Being able to get upright, on your feet, being able to get any type of leg movement, whether having someone stretch your legs for you or walking, feels amazing.’
The breakthrough technology helped him walk across the stage – something he was unable to do for his high school graduation
There was a full-house standing ovation for the man when his name was called – as his fellow graduates and spectators in the crowd cheered and clapped for his sensational achievement
Watson’s bravery and perseverance left the crowd in Virginia teary-eyed.
The 25-year-old had to relearn how to speak and breathe after he was shot in the neck and back in May 2016, causing a devastating spinal cord injury – and over the years he has worked to gain back some small movements.
At the time, he was forced to experience graduating from Highland Springs High School from his bed. He also could not go to prom, which happened a week after the shooting.
He described learning how to breathe, eat, and speak as feeling like being a baby again.
Despite all the obstacles, Watson has now earned an associate’s degree in pre-social work from the Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Virginia.
He plans to transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University to earn his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work – something he believes he will excel at, thanks to his own experiences.
In the weeks running up to graduation, Watson was practicing his walk in the cutting-edge technology to make sure that the momentous occasion would be perfect.
Watson, from Henrico, Virginia, was paralyzed from the neck down after being shot just weeks before he graduated high school seven years ago in May 2016.
The robotic exoskeleton was supplied by Sheltering Arms Physical Therapy – and Watson has had years of specialized therapy to help him overcome his disability.
Watson added: ‘We all need assistance, some more than others. I feel like I’m the best fit for that profession.
‘Going through what I experienced has enabled me to easily connect with individuals and understand individuals who have similar situations as mine, or worse.
‘I’ve always been determined and self-driven. I just try not to let anything stop me, regardless of my circumstances. I feel like things can always be worse than what they are. That’s how I’m able to keep going.
Christina Smith, who is a physical therapist at the Sheltering Arms Institute, told Legacy Newspaper: ‘When we started therapy after Khalil’s injury, he needed significant assistance for any mobility.
‘Now, he is progressively increasing the amount of movement he can do on his own. Every time I see him, he masters a new skill.’
Giving words of wisdom to other young disabled people, Watson said: ‘Anything is possible. Despite the circumstances, keep going.
‘You never know, one day I might be out of this wheelchair.’