Graduation time brings plenty of great stories around the college football world. Just yesterday we touched on a couple of players who made a promise to college football coaching icons Joe Paterno and Bear Bryant. Well, here is one more inspirational graduation story for you to digest. This one comes from UCF.
Back in 2012 former UCF defensive end Robert Pritchard suffered a heart attack and stroke that left him unable to walk. The ability to walk may have been lost, but he remained committed to furthering his education. Pritchard had already earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and just this past weekend he received his graduate degree in criminal justice. But that is only half the story. Pritchard walked across the stage to accept his degree.
“I’m very lucky and very blessed,” Pritchard said. “People who have strokes, it’s not easy to make this kind of recovery. Being an athlete, as far as having that competitive drive, and being motivated to do rehab and do the stuff to help get me back to where I was before.”
Congrats to Pritchard on his latest accomplishment, and may this serve as inspiration for others facing similar circumstances.