Teenager who suffered brain aneurysm walks across stage at graduation

When 18-year-old Javier Dividu received his high school diploma in Deltona, Florida, the teenager's mere presence was a medical marvel.

Javier suffered a brain aneurysm a year and a half ago, at the age of 16. His mother says the emergency room doctor didn't expect him to survive.

"He said, 'Pray for Javier. He got only 24 hours,'" said Sonia Hilario-Dividu. “He stayed one month in coma and in intensive care, I stayed two months (with him). Oh, that was hard for me."

In spite of the odds, Javier woke up. He was unable to walk and couldn't move his right arm. His speech and memory were affected as well.

"Very hard, very hard," said Javier, when asked about what it was like at the time. "It was not easy. I didn't move."

When Javier began rehabilitation, his occupational therapist said he was considered a "max-assist" patient; he was reliant on someone else for all levels of care.

But Javier wanted to change that, with one major goal in mind: He wanted to walk for his high school graduation ceremony.

"By tapping into that goal every single time he was in the clinic, it gave him the motivation to know that yes, we can reach it," said Edmoly Plantijn, who was part of his care team at Orlando Health Advanced Rehabilitation Institute.

Over six months, he began the arduous process of re-learning basic skills such as how to stand upright, walk, tie his shoes, and hold his dogs again.

When the day arrived to don his cap and gown, his mom says she was nervous, but Javier was ready.

"I said, 'Javier, you sure that you stand up?' [He said] 'Oh yeah, mommy, I don't want a walker,'" said Sonia. "And he did it."

Watch this teen, who had a life-threatening brain aneurysm, walk to accept his diploma in the video below.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teen walks on stage to collect diploma after brain aneurysm