At Reynolds Community College’s graduation ceremony on Monday, 25-year-old Khalil Watson, who was paralyzed in a shooting seven years ago, walked across the stage in an emotional moment.
Watson was shot in his neck and back the week before his senior prom in 2016, according to WVTR, missing both the dance and his high school graduation while recovering in the hospital, where he was for several months. He suffered an injury to his spinal cord, which left him paralyzed.
“It’s been a journey; it’s been lots of ups and downs,” Watson told NBC12. “I had to learn how to eat, speak and breathe on my own.”
Over the last seven years, as Watson worked to regain his mobility and independence, he also worked toward another goal: to continue his education.
“After going through the things that I have experienced, I’ve been focused,” Watson said.
Assisted by a robotic exoskeleton from Sheltering Arms Physical Therapy, Watson stood up to a cheering crowd, walked across the stage, and accepted his associate’s degree in pre-social work.
“I have a passion for helping others, and after going through the things that I have experienced, I feel like I’ll be easy to connect with and understand individuals who have similar or worse situations,” he said.
“Khalil’s resiliency is an inspiration to us all. We congratulate him and the 1,446 graduates of the Reynolds Class of 2023!” the college tweeted.
“I did this for God, myself, friends, and my family. I mean, if people only knew how I got to this point,” Watson added.
He said that this moment shows that “anything is possible.”