Meet this weeks campus celebrity, Alex Shelton! Six years ago, doctors told Alex he only had a 10% chance of living and now he is back at ISU getting his Speech Pathology degree. Alex is a true inspiration to the lives of many and HerCampus got the inside scoop of his amazing story!
HerCampus Illinois State: Can you briefly tell us what happened 6 years ago?
Alex Shelton: In January of 2008, I was on a Fraternity Leadership Academy Experience down in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I slept walked off a balcony and had traumatic brain injury. I had a 10% chance of living, that’s a 90% chance of death. I had brain surgery and went to IPMR, which is a rehab place in Peoria and now I’m back here at ISU.
HC: What made you to come back and finish getting your degree?
AS: Nowadays you need a degree in order to get a job, which was definitely my main reason to come back. I also wanted to meet all the new people.
HC: What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
AS: I would say the walking and seizure part. Just the physical aspect was the hardest part.
HC: Who was your biggest supporter during all of this?
AS: My mom, definitely.
HC: What are your plans for the future?
AS: I plan on getting my bachelor’s degree in the next two years, then my master’s degree four years after that in Speech Pathology. So in six years I’ll be out and hope to start my job working at the places that helped me out.
HC: Going through what you have been through, what have you taken away that you can share with others?
AS: There is no obstacle that cannot be overcome. Honestly, you have got to keep pushing, keep grinding it out. I know it’s hard but you’ve got to keep pushing. Look at me, I had a 10% chance of living and now I’m going back to school. Keep on keeping on!