HOUSTON – A standing ovation erupted at the graduation ceremony at Texas Woman’s University’s Houston campus Saturday as one graduate did something no one in the room will forget: he walked across the stage to accept his degree.
DaQuan Minor, now a Doctor of Occupational Therapy, has lived in a wheelchair since a car crash in 2013 left him paralyzed from the waist down.
But at his graduation ceremony, Minor stood up and walked using a device that sends electrical signals through his legs to activate his muscles, something he says he has never done publicly before.
“Definitely just a lot of mixed emotions for sure,” he said. “Especially because all of my support system was there.”
For others navigating life after a catastrophic injury, Minor’s message is simple: the accident doesn’t define your life.
“Once you sustain a catastrophic injury, life isn’t over,” Minor said. “I try to inspire others to let them know; it isn’t over. It’s just the beginning of the journey.”
Minor says his mobility is still limited, and he can only walk short distances with the device.
Now, as an occupational therapist, he hopes to turn his pain into purpose, helping others take their own first steps forward.
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