RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Nine months after a crash left him paralyzed from the chest down, Jaiden Picot walked across the graduation stage at Virginia Union University (VUU) thanks to his determination and a robotic exoskeleton.
Picot, 22, suffered a C4 spinal cord injury in August 2024 after a truck hit him while he was riding an e-scooter to work. The injury left him unable to move his arms or legs, but on Saturday, May 10, he crossed the stage at VUU’s commencement ceremony on foot with the help of two therapists and robotic technology.
“I’m thrilled, I’m excited for myself. I honestly didn’t know how this was going to go, but we’re here now, and we’re going to do it,” Picot said ahead of his walk.
Graduating with a degree in business from the Sydney Lewis School of Business, Picot said walking the stage was a moment he never thought would be possible. Like many students who graduated during the pandemic, Picot was also unable to walk across the stage at his high school graduation which made this moment even more special for him.
“I’m just grateful I have literally the opportunity to walk across the stage,” he said.
Following his injury, Picot underwent months of rehabilitation at Sheltering Arms Institute. There, he worked to regain strength, mobility and independence all while staying on track with his studies.
“Graduating college is not easy, and going through rehabilitation after a spinal cord injury is not easy,” said Eli Haag, Picot’s outpatient physical therapist. “Doing both at the same time is impressive, and it’s a testament to how hard he works and his overall work ethic.”
Haag, who helped guide Picot in therapy sessions and stood beside him on graduation day, said the experience was one of the highlights of his career.
Picot credited his mother, girlfriend and care team for encouraging him through the hardest moments.
He also hopes his story of perseverance inspires others along the way.
“Just to motivate people not to give up,” he said. “We live in a world now where there’s a lot of technology out there to help us do the things we think we can’t.”
Now that he’s earned his degree, Picot said he plans to focus on recovery and enjoy a well-deserved break.
