A paralyzed student has wowed his classmates by walking across the stage to accept his master's degree.
Aldo Amenta suffered a debilitating spinal injury in 2015 that left him paralyzed in all four limbs.
But he hasn't let that slow him down. After making headlines by walking up to collect his graduation diploma in 2018, the Florida International University student has once again crossed the stage to receive his MA in biomedical engineering.
With the aid of an exoskeleton, Amenta walked up to the podium where he was met by cheers and applause from the audience.
In an interview with People, Amenta spoke about why he wanted to make the journey on his own two feet.
"I wanted to walk across the stage like my fellow graduates to show that we are all equally capable of achieving anything we set our minds to, regardless of background, culture, conditions or age," he said.
"Beyond degrees, titles or awards, I believe that true accomplishment is found in the journey. Consistent commitment and discipline are key, but believing and taking action is a must. Believe in yourself and you will inevitably become limitless."
In 2015, Amenta dived into the shallow end of a pool and broke his neck. As a result of the injury, doctors informed the Venezuelan international student that he was a quadriplegic and would never walk again.
At the time of his accident, Amenta was only a few months into his undergraduate degree at Florida International University. But despite doctors' predictions, he was determined not to be sat in a wheelchair when he graduated.
With the help of his physical therapist Guy Romaine and a robotic exoskeleton, Amenta was able to walk up to collect his undergraduate diploma in 2018.
On Sunday, he once again proved that you are capable of anything you set your mind to by walking across the stage to be awarded his master's degree certificate.
Amenta's injury inspired him to pursue biomedical engineering. With an MA under his belt, he is looking forwards to putting his own experience and knowledge to good use.
"I want to use my personal experience and knowledge as a biomedical engineer within the industry, so I can help expand on current research and help to develop new technologies for others who are living with a spinal disability," he said.
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