CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A local student who was paralyzed after a trampoline accident when he was 13 years old walked across the stage of his high school graduation Wednesday evening.
A special moment for Makai Lloren at his graduation ceremony from Buchanan High School as he was able to walk across the stage to receive his high school diploma.
“All the people cheering for me just made it very exciting,” Lloren said.
Lloren is paralyzed from the waist down after a tragic trampoline accident at Defy Clovis in 2019 when he was just 13 years old.
“I was doing a double front flip and my hoodie got stuck on my head and when I landed it caught and snapped my neck,” he explained.
After landing from that flip, Makai immediately knew something was wrong.
“Yea so when I first tried to get up I felt like I was trying to get up and I couldn’t, and I didn’t get knocked out or anything – I was just, freaking out,” Lloren said.
Since the accident, Makai has been fighting hard to relearn his motor skills and has had a rally of support from his family, classmates, and community
Lloren says that his goal when he started physical therapy was to be able to walk at his high school graduation and Wednesday night, he succeeded.
“From there we had a goal, when I first met Steve, it was about four years ago and he said we’re going to walk across the stage, so we had a goal the whole time,” he said.
The entire Veterans Memorial Stadium erupted in cheers, encouraging Lloren with each of his 25 steps, made possible by a special device and the work of his physical therapist.
“It was very exciting and my therapist Steve he helped me and then every step I took I was able to lock out,” Lloren explained.
Now that he’s graduated, he plans to work alongside his brother D.J. in property management.