Shannon, a Center Manager for Drayer Physical Therapy at their Trussville location, helped Tim Alexander –UAB Football Director of Character Development –take his next step more than a decade after his last step when he was paralyzed in a car crash in 2006.

When they first met, Alexander told Shannon that a lot of doctors and therapists told him he would never walk again. Shannon didn’t care. She wanted to help so they worked three times a week for two years to make Alexander’s dream a reality.

On September 3, 2017, Alexander took his next step –literally –more than a decade later when he walked the official game ball to the referees at UAB’s first home game of The Return. Shannon was standing next to Alexander at the center of Legion Field that historic day and was one of the people he credited with making that event happen.

"Working with Tim taught me to never simply see something through textbook eyes,” said Shannon. “Always invest in people and their dreams –even if they seem unrealistic.”

This story was included in the Summer 2018 “SHP Snapshots: Heroes Issue”. Read about Natalie and other SHP alumni here.