AKRON, Ohio _ When people talk about Bryce Swartz, one word tends to come up repeatedly: Inspiration.
Bryce's peers at Norton High School will tell you the many reasons they chose him as homecoming king this year _ his friendly demeanor, his words of encouragement, his cheers from the sidelines at sporting events. His parents will tell you the challenges he's overcome since birth, each one done with a smile.
But last Tuesday evening, Bryce inspired an entire room of people _ and overcame his biggest challenge to date _ with the longest walk of his life: a walk across the Akron Civic Theatre stage to receive his high school diploma.
"He not only had to work hard academically to walk across the stage," said Turranna Rice, Bryce's physical therapist at Akron Children's Hospital. "He had to work hard physically to walk across that stage."
Bryce was born with spina bifida, a birth defect where the vertebrae don't form properly around the spinal cord. Swartz's case is more severe than most, leaving the 20-year-old paralyzed from the chest down.
When he was born, doctors didn't expect him to live longer than two years.
"But God had another plan for him," said Beth Swartz, Bryce's mom. "It's just so heartwarming to see him every day. ... He's definitely our angel. We questioned it several times, like, 'why us, why us,' but we knew why us. He is why."
Flash-forward to high school, where Bryce was part of a cheerleading team and his favorite class was gym _ partially because it was taught by his dad, Rod Swartz, who also coaches the school's baseball team.
In January 2016, the Swartzes mused about the prospect of Bryce graduating along with the rest of his peers. His mom ventured even further to imagine him walking to receive his diploma.
She said she laughed the idea off, but at Bryce's next therapy session, Rod Swartz proposed the idea of walking to Rice.
As it turns out, Bryce could do both.
STEP BY STEP
Bryce spent the next 18 months in his weekly physical therapy sessions learning how to walk _ something he'd practiced only occasionally with Rice in the four years she worked with him before.
The sessions were tough. Along with the challenge of moving his muscles, Bryce also had to focus on technicalities, like following the correct sequence of stepping and making sure not to kick one of his canes.
"He really had to work hard to get there," Rice said.
Through sweat and tears, Bryce maintained a smile and often cheered others on in the process, Rice said.
"He's a great inspiration for other children," Rice said. "He encourages other kids and was in there working three times harder than them."
Bryce practiced down to the last minute, attending one more three-hour therapy session after his graduation practice Tuesday morning.
"He was bound and determined. I've never seen him so determined," Beth Swartz said. "He was ready. He knew this was it, this was our day we've worked for."
That night, after spending 15 minutes to put on his brace backstage, Rice gave Bryce one last pep talk.
"You're ready," Rice told Bryce Swartz before they stepped onstage. "Let's go out and do this."
Walk of a lifetime
Tuesday night, Bryce crossed the stage in about three minutes with the help of a brace that extends from his chest to his feet, specially made shoes to balance, two canes, his physical therapist and a deep desire to succeed.
Rice choked back tears as she held onto his back, lightly guiding him through each step. As they walked, she thought about the goal she's had since she was a child: helping kids learn how to walk.
"That's like, the highlight of my career," Rice said. "This is what I said I wanted to do."
Rod Swartz stood on the other side of the stage, watching his son wobble a bit as he lugged the 15-pound brace. When Rod Swartz saw Bryce start to get tired, he said, "Come on, buddy, you can make it."
With each step, the applause from the audience grew louder. When Bryce finally reached the other side of the stage, his father handed him his diploma that said he'd graduated magna cum laude.
"I think I cried myself out," Beth Swartz said. "I don't think there was a dry eye in the place."
Tuesday night was the longest and farthest Bryce has walked to date. Before leaving the stage, his dad picked him up and pointed him toward the crowd, where Bryce waved to those who cheered him on.
"It was quite the night," Bryce said. "It felt good."
