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Paralyzed Georgia high school basketball player walked across stage during graduation ceremony

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby: Lawrence Fernandez05/28/25lawandfern
Georgia high school basketball

Georgia high school basketball player Brandon Simmons was living a dream when he walked across the stage during his graduation. It was a moment that nearly didn’t happen following a car crash that caused him a spinal cord injury.

That condition gave him a less than one percent chance of regaining any sensation from the waist down. However, the former Union Grove High School standout wanted to defy the odds by undergoing physical therapy at Buckhead’s Shepherd Center.

According to WSB-TV’s Michael Seiden, those sessions over a two-month period helped Simmons regain feeling on his hands and legs. The progress he made inspired him to not just be present during his high school graduation but to receive his diploma on stage while walking.

With his physical therapist beside him, Simmons crossed the stage to the cheers of his fellow graduates. While he was holding onto a walker, this touching moment had him feeling the support of everyone present.

This moment is a testament to the resiliency of this former Georgia high school basketball player who dreamed of playing college ball. While that wish seems far-fetched for now, he’s on the right path after regaining his ability to walk.

Before the accident, Simmons played three games for Union Grove, averaging 7.7 points, three rebounds, and four steals per game. In two varsity years, he averaged 3.7 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.

While those are not jaw-dropping numbers, Pro Elevation Inc. described him as a “steady floor general every team needs.” They added about the 6-foot-1 point guard, “Understands tempo, pace, matchups and how to control a game, while creating opportunities for his team.”

With Simmons injured, Union Grove finished the 2024-25 Georgia high school basketball season with a 19-11 record. The Wolverines qualified for the Class 4A state tournament but lost to Pace Academy in the quarterfinals.