In a moment widely being described as nothing short of miraculous, Samantha Lewis surprised everyone by rising from her wheelchair and walking across the George Mason University graduation stage to receive her diploma—a move that has since gone viral and inspired many people on the internet.
Lewis was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a rare disorder that interrupted her body’s function to move and left her temporarily paralyzed after a serious surgery. Although physically and emotionally exhausted from her sickness, Lewis persevered. Told by her academic counselor to take time off for a semester, Lewis opted to keep moving instead, registering for six classes in an effort to graduate on schedule.
Juggling Academics with Therapy
Refusing to let her illness stop her in her tracks, Lewis devoted herself to intense therapy at Inova Rehab Center in Mt. Vernon. There, her physical therapists assisted her in getting the first steps, first with a harness under her feet as she gradually regained her mobility and confidence.
“Between therapies, it’s not really that difficult to listen to a lecture,” she explained about how she juggled treatment with coursework.
Lewis’s dedication to her recovery and to her studies worked. “My epiphany occurred when I received a 100 on my math final in mid-April,” she said, describing how the grade reaffirmed her conviction that she could do what she set her mind to.
The Plan for Graduation Day
Even though she continued to use a wheelchair in the weeks prior to the ceremony, Lewis collaborated with the university’s disability services to create a graduation day plan. She was resolute about walking across the stage.
“I knew I worked that hard for it, not physically, but in school, too, that I knew I could make it across the stage on what we’d been working with physical therapy,” she said.
On graduation day, Lewis carried out her plan. She stood up from her wheelchair and walked across the stage as the audience exploded with applause.
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“I didn’t realize I got that reaction until afterwards because I was too concentrated on, you know, the dean, reaching her and reaching the finish. I didn’t fully realize, but I could hear,” she explained.
Her tale has rapidly gained traction on social media, as individuals have referred to her journey and strength as a ‘miracle’ in real life. Having been commended for her steadfast grit and optimism, Lewis has emerged as a beacon of hope and resilience, motivating people who have their own respective struggles to continue moving forward.