TRUSSVILLE –Collin LaFon is well known to his classmates the Trussville community as a state champion in track. He holds state records in shot put, discus, javelin, and the 100. He’s well recognized among his fellow students as he maneuvers his wheelchair through the hallways of Hewitt-Trussville High School. But during Tuesday night’s graduation ceremony, attendees saw another side of LaFon as he stood up from his wheelchair and walked across the stage to accept his diploma.
The decision had come early enough for LaFon to make a practice walk during the rehearsal on Monday. He made it across the stage without crutches, but decided to use the crutches during the actual ceremony, his mother said.
“He was a little nervous to do it without his crutches in front of such a large crowd,” Michele LaFon said. “He uses his crutches around the house, but it’s just not practical at school.”
When Collin LaFon rose from his wheelchair on the stage, he was greeted be a thunderous applause from his classmates and the crowd. Everyone on the stage joined the crowd in standing to cheer the Hewitt-Trussville senior.
This fall, Collin LaFon will be playing wheelchair basketball in college at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill.
Watch the video below to see Collin LaFon make his walk to accept his high school diploma 1:05:31 mark.
7 Comments
Leslie Hoffman
This was beautiful to watch! Thank you for this story!
Tracy Bibb Slone
Not a dry eye around us. Standing ovation. Such an inspiration.
Cathern Hinkle
Kay I was at the grad. Great to see wheelchair not used.
Rhonda Michelle
This young man is amazing!!!! There is nothing he can’t do!! He will succeed in everything he tries to do. I am so proud to know him and I will miss him terribly next year!!
Jill Honeycutt Green
It was such a wonderful thing to watch!!
Shannon Walls Deller
Lauren Burden Easterling Traci Marek Bacon
Traci Marek Bacon
It was an amazing moment… As if we hadn’t all been crying enough already❤️