Posted on 06/20/2006 11:38:05 AM PDT by llevrok
As students and teachers lined a hallway at Hoquiam High School, sophomore Cori Rees stood up from his wheelchair Monday and took slow, deliberate steps on a journey that started months ago when he told a teacher he wanted to walk.
Clapping to the pace of his steps and being careful not to crowd too close, they willed him along.
With that encouragement and the strength he’s gained over months of training, Rees accomplished his goal of walking the length of the hall. Now he wants to keep going. He sees himself walking across the stage at graduation in two years.
He began Monday’s task with laughter and jokes and finished to an eruption of cheers and applause.
And what inspirational words did he offer upon completing the goal?
“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” Rees said with a grin. “I’m happy I made it down there.”
Rees was aided by a walker, his older brother Peter, a junior at HHS, and teachers Russ Skolrood and David Carpenter. Peter followed behind with Cori’s wheelchair while Skolrood and Carpenter provided support.
Rees, who has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic quadriplegia, said he was tired all over after the trip down the hall. But he’s already thinking about going farther next school year. Audi Sprecher, his special education teacher, said the walk was the culmination of weeks of hard work by Rees. They had discussed his goals early in the year, and walking was something he was determined to work on. She consulted an occupational therapist and a physical therapist to see if it was a viable goal, and they both approved
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