UTC student overcomes brain injury and makes it to graduation

CHATTANOOG, Tenn. (WDEF) — After a serious brain injury, a UTC student triumphs over tragedy and makes it to graduation.

It was quiet on UTC’s campus as students get ready for graduation. Hannah Boulware is one of those seniors.

“Because the brain injury was so intense, they thought I wouldn’t even be able to graduate high school,” Boulware said.

When she was a junior at Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts she had a seizure and fell down these stairs.

She was in a coma for two weeks.

“I didn’t think, Oh I am in the emergency room. I thought it was all a joke. It turned out to be more serious than I thought and I wasn’t eating. I didn’t know how to eat. I had to relearn how to eat. I had to relearn how to do everything,” Boulware said.

After getting out of the hospital, she went to a rehabilitation center for three months. At first she was told she could not go back to high school, but she did and graduated.

“My main goal was to go to prom, which sounds really shallow, but I made sure I got that goal,” she said.

After UTC, she’ll next head to Kent State for grad school, where she’ll major in rehabilitation counseling.

“So I had a lot of cheerleaders while I was at Shepherd Center in getting my rehab and I want to be a cheerleader for people who have disabilities like that,” Boulware said.

For people going through a similar situation that she overcame, Boulware says keep trying and never give up.

“Your biggest support system will always help you and they will help you achieve your greatness,” she said.

UTC’s graduation ceremony will be on Saturday at McKenzie Arena.

Categories: Education, Featured, Local News

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