Chris and Emily Norton’s wedding
After the year we’ve been through, we’re all looking for something inspirational and uplifting to watch on television. “7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story,” set to release today on AppleTV and Amazon Prime Video, is just such a movie.
Lake Highlands High 2003 grad Katie Jenkins Norris created 7 Yards through her filmmaking company Fotolanthropy as “a documentary that will inspire you to overcome.” It’s the tale of Chris Norton, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a 2010 college football game and was given only a 3% chance of ever moving again under his own steam. After the sweat and tears of rehab, he defied all odds and walked 7 yards down the aisle to marry his bride.
Chris credits devoted health providers for his recovery and recalled one nurse in particular during an interview with CNN’s Michael Smerconish.
“I’m lying there scared, it’s the middle of the night, and this woman comes in to check my vitals. She gets down on one knee and says something that I never expected. She tells me to look her in the eyes, and she tells me in that moment, when I was just crying, ‘Chris, you will beat this.’”
Wife, Emily, was bursting with pride as she spoke to Smerconish.
“He’s got this determination. He’s never going to let his struggles determine who he is and where he goes. I think the biggest thing that attracted me was how he not only went through something difficult, but instead he wanted to do something for other people. He wanted to use those difficulties and what he learned through it to help others.”
Also included Norris’ repertoire of uplifting films is “Travis: A Soldier’s Story” and “The Luckiest Man.” 7 Yards can be rented today for $4.99. Here’s a clip. Gather the entire family.
