Many of the crowd rose cheerfully as Samantha Lewis walked across the stage at George Mason University’s spring graduation ceremony. Just three months ago, she couldn’t walk.
Lewis suddenly lost his emotions on both feet after undergoing major surgery and other treatments late last year. She was diagnosed with functional neurological disorders, or FND.
Her advisor to George Mason told her it was best for her to leave the semester. However, Lewis had a different goal and set her site at graduation in May.
The Psychology major has enrolled in six classes. This is difficult under normal circumstances.
“I’m going to do my best because I can’t give up unless I try it first, and I was able to apply that mentality to recovery too.”
At the INOVA Rehabilitation Center on Mount Vernon, a physical therapist helped her believe in her ability to walk again.
First, Lewis used the harness in a small stopping step before continuing to work with them and increasing their strength.
She said she did her class work as much as she could.
“It’s not that difficult to listen to lectures between treatments,” she said.
Calling himself “first,” Lewis said he was confident that the alumni were closer to May.
“My perception occurred when I won 100 in the math final in mid-April,” she said.
Before the graduation ceremony, she still used a wheelchair often. Lewis coordinated with disability services to plan. She was walking to get her diploma.
“I knew I could get to the stage, not just physically but academically, what I was doing with physical therapy,” she said.
When that moment came, the crowd was standing up to cheer and praise her as she saw her out of her wheelchair and walk across the stage.
Lewis says that it later found out she jumped to their feet, but she can hear them.
“I didn’t know that I had received that response until I got that response. “I really didn’t know, but I heard it.
Also, there were so many in her heart that day – her late father, who died of cancer when she was 16 years old. He graduated from George Mason in 1989.
“I was thinking about him because I know I’m proud of him,” she said. “I know he’s there and probably holds my hand.”
According to her, the results are a great testament to her faith.
And when she step into her next chapter, this is what she takes:
“What inspires people is who you will, despite what you’ve gone through.”
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