Chris Norton had the best Memorial Day weekend

Adam Wilson | The Des Moines Register

Show Caption Hide Caption Chris Norton stands and walks at Luther College graduation Chris Norton, an Altoona native and Bondurant-Farrar High School graduate who suffered a severe spinal injury playing football at Luther College in 2010, stands and walks in 2015 during Luther's commencement.

DES MOINES — Sure, you had a good Memorial Day weekend. But Chris Norton's was better.

The 23-year-old Bondurant-Farrar grad from Altoona, Iowa, got engaged Saturday night to girlfriend Emily Summers. But that was only the beginning.

Norton suffered a severe spinal cord injury in 2010 playing football for Luther College and, at the time, was given very little chance to ever walk again. But walk he did Sunday during Luther's graduation ceremony on the school's Decorah campus.

With help from his fiancee, Norton stood from his wheelchair and walked across the stage to receive the diploma he earned months ago, bringing everyone else in attendance to their feet.

Once he finished classes at Luther last winter, Norton and Summers moved to Michigan where he's been rehabbing for this exact moment. He promised a year ago in a Register story that he'd walk across the stage to collect his diploma.

"It was like my gameday," Norton said, recalling Sunday's graduation walk. "I was in the zone, focusing on what I needed to do and not worrying about anyone or anything else.

"I didn't think it'd be so emotional. The energy in the room was really unbelievable, and it meant everything to have (Emily) there with me. It was the best weekend of my life. She's the most incredible person I've ever met, and to share it with her, the woman I'm in love with, it couldn't be any better."

They prepared together for the walk. The proposal, though, Norton had to plan without Summers finding out.

The couple's favorite restaurant, Rubaiyat in Decorah, was the scene. Summers thought they were swinging by to pick up a graduation gift for Norton but quickly realized there was more to the stop.

Their song, All of Me by John Legend was playing, and candles spelled out "Will you marry me?" It couldn't be a coincidence.

"I was in shock," she said. "I looked into the room and thought, 'Wow, this is so cool.' It was just perfect in there. ... It was really sweet, and he got a little choked up which I thought was cute."

Norton and Summers will return to Michigan soon, where Norton will continue to rehab. He said a year ago that he could only take a few steps using a walker and couldn't balance by himself for more than a few seconds. Now he's measuring his distance by yards (up to 60 or so per session) and minutes (10 minutes standing on his own). (Remember, doctors initially gave him only about a 3% chance of ever moving below the neck again.)

A few years ago Norton helped found the SCI CAN Foundation, which raises money to provide equipment and support for others who have suffered spinal cord or other neurological injuries. SCI CAN has distributed close to $375,000 to date, and on Tuesday will donate $60,000 for new equipment at Des Moines University.

He's made about 50 public speaking appearances, and a book with his father, written with author Christy Hayes and billed as "a father-son memoir" should be released later this summer.