.@nffmn Courage Award winner Josh Benson broke down the final huddle of the 2015 mini camp. pic.twitter.com/9wnRJBIJ6k
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) June 18, 2015
Sixteen-year-old Josh Benson watched the Vikings practice from his wheelchair on Thursday – a wheelchair that he hopes he’ll someday be able to rid himself of and begin walking again.
Benson, who played running back on the Hinkley-Finlayson football team before being paralyzed in an ATV accident last year, has support from Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
“He just said, ‘Keep your head up, believe in yourself. If you believe your legs are going to work, it will come back,'” said Benson, who got the chance to talk to Peterson, according to the Pioneer Press.
Benson was paralyzed last August when the ATV he and his girlfriend were riding in malfunctioned. The right suspension locked up when they were traveling at about 30 miles per hour; the crash severed Benson’s spinal cord, but not before he pushed his girlfriend out of harms way.
Last month, when Benson received the 2015 Courage Award from the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation, Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman invited him to watch a practice and socialize with players and coaches.
#MNfootballHonors Courage Award winner, @86fordguy. Thank you for your inspiration to always persevere pic.twitter.com/HMi3EVVnly
— Minnesota Football Honors (@NFFMN) May 4, 2015
Welcome to the #MNFootballHonors @86fordguy, our 2015 Courage Award winner pic.twitter.com/tAR0GbI7Ll
— Minnesota Football Honors (@NFFMN) May 3, 2015
Benson is entering his senior year of high school. You can follow him on Twitter via his handle, “@86fordguy.”
