In June 2010, Garrett Bazany seriously injured himself in a trampoline accident when he was 15-years-old. He was practicing a double front flip on his trampoline when he landed on his head, resulting in him being paralyzed from the chest down. He was confined to a wheelchair and told he'd never be able to use his legs again.
Seven years later, he surprised everyone at the Calvin College commencement when he walked across the stage to grab his diploma. When he crossed the stage with his walker, the whole crowd gave him a standing ovation.
Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Bazany is involved in a variety of activities.
"I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie," Bazany admitted to Leigh Ann Towne in our Morning Mix interview. He said instead of focusing on the stuff he couldn't do, he started concentrating on the activities he could do.
Bazany enjoys activities like rock wall climbing, dancing, wake boarding and water skiing. He says that every new activity comes across as a new challenge to conquer.
He's also very involved in the community, volunteering with Special Olympics and Mary Free Bed. He even traveled outside of the United States, going on a medical missions trip to Tijuana.
Bazany hopes to head to graduate school to become a physician's assistant. He says he wants to have as much contact with patients as possible, and to help those with conditions like his.
