CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Whatever you’re going through right now, the many valleys of life that test your strength, there is still an opportunity to turn it into a blessing.
Just ask Chris Norton.
In 2010, Norton suffered a severe spinal cord injury while playing college football. The injury left him partially paralyzed, and doctors initially gave him only a 3% chance of moving on his own again.
Fast forward 5 years later, Norton, with the help of his then-fiancé Emily, walked 4 ½ yards across the stage at his college graduation, which moved everyone in the room in tears and was a moment that quickly went viral.
In 2018, Norton and Emily walked 7 yards, side by side, down the aisle at their wedding, another moment that captivated and inspired many.
This week, a feature-length documentary about his life premiered. 7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story shares Norton’s journey from injury to graduation to marriage and now a husband and father to six children, five of whom are adopted.
During an interview with NewsNation on Wednesday, Norton said he hopes people take away after watching his documentary.
“I hope they see that what’s possible when you just keep going, when you choose faith over fear and you see your possibility versus your disability,” Norton said. “For me, I’ve always just believed in myself and took it one day at a time, and I hope that people will find that courage in themselves to see that they can do this, that they can get through this hard time.”
Norton said he greatest source of strength everyday is his “faith in God.”
“Right from the beginning of my injury, when I was lost, that’s what gave me light and hope; that despite this mess that maybe something good can out of it. I didn’t know what that was I questioned it, don’t get me wrong, but I just believed that with God all things are possible.”
His foundation, the Chris Norton Foundation, has raised more than $1 million to help people with spinal cord and neuromuscular disabilities live their best lives.
You can watch 7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story on Prime Video and Apple TV.