When 18-year-old Foday Gibateh was involved in a car crash back in February, the spinal cord injury he suffered stripped him of his ability to walk.
But it did nothing to quench his gentle spirit, nor did it diminish his will to succeed.
"It's a blessing to still be here, to be on Earth, still living, and doing different activities," Foday told Action News.
And despite the fact that he remains at Magee Rehabilitation Center, he was able to attend the Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School graduation ceremony with a little help from Skype.
His principal, David Hardy, says Foday's drive to complete his schooling during rehab was extraordinary, but not surprising.
"One of the things he had going for him, was before the accident he was doing great. So he could have danced through the year, but he didn't do that. He never quit on us, and he fought his way through this thing and we are very proud of that," said Hardy.
Foday says the key was turning his tragedy into a driving force, something he says he was able to do with his mom by his side.
Foday has come a long way over the past three months. When he arrives at Penn State in the fall he will become the first person in his family to attend college.
Foday's perspective on what he is going through is nothing short of inspirational.
"I basically think of it as a long transition. That's how I motivate myself," he said.
Since Foday keeps getting stronger and stronger, he has set several goals for himself. The top three are to check out of Magee by the end of July, to graduate from Penn State with a business degree, and hopefully, some day, walk again.
