Teen With Cerebral Palsy Inspires Classmates
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DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) - There's a special game Friday night in Denton when cross-town rivals Ryan and Guyer meet. Among those with the football spirit is an 18-year-old who's spent his life in a wheelchair due to Cerebral Palsy... but who still participates.
At Ryan it was seniors and parents appreciation day. And there in the thick of the arms and legs and hugs and tears, Tanner Lowrey basked in the shared attention. "I just feel really, really special. And I know that they care about me," he told CBS 11 News.
So he's strapped in a wheelchair? No problem. Strap the school flag on, too, and take off. Not just for touchdowns, but also to accompany the Ryan Strutters drill team for their shows. "He just gives the team a lot of inspiration to do better all the time and he just, like, lifts everybody's spirits every day he is here," said senior Strutter Jackie Garcia.
Fellow drill team member Maddie Glover has been a classmate since kindergarten. "I think the confidence that he just goes out and does this every Friday night... it gives us confidence to go out and perform,"
Assistant principal Ronda Bean said Tanner got the inspiration at previous senior days and asked to try out for the Honor Guard. Bean called him "The Epitome" of Ryan High school with friends everywhere. "People respect him, people acknowledge him, we've been fortunate to have Tanner at Ryan High School," she said.
Jay Lowrey is one proud papa. "Extremely proud. From everything he's been told he can't do...to what he's doing? It's unbelievable." Wife Tammala told CBS 11 News Tanner has not been bullied during his public school years. And while he's wheelchair-bound he remains active. "He does horseback riding competitively. And has been for the last 7-8 years," she said adding, "That's his sport....He's got four buckles to prove it, he's got about six first place ribbons."
Tanner tells us his heart feels huge when people applaud his efforts. "The whole place blew up when I came to this gym (for Senior Day). And it made me feel really, really happy. It made me proud to be what I am today."
And he says he will miss the friendships when he graduates. "I will know those who still care and love me."
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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