Teen with cerebral palsy has dream to play for basketball team come true

ByCOURTNEY SCHELLIN
January 19, 2017, 12:21 AM

— -- For Morganton, North Carolina, teen Mitchell Greathouse, challenges are something he has faced since he was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy when he was 9 months old.

Has that stopped him from reaching his goals? Never.

According to his peers, Mitchell is the No. 1 fan of the Freedom High School basketball team. When head coach Casey Rogers challenged him to do 50 steps in his gait trainer to earn a spot as a starter for one game, you'd better believe it was game on.

Mitchell met his first challenge in one day. Rogers told Mitchell that he would make him a starter in Freedom's big rivalry game against Patton High.

The entire community came together to watch Mitchell's dream come true. As he walked onto the court, both sides of the gym roared for him. On his first play, he passed and was awarded an assist following his teammate's basket.

According to WSOC TV,?Rogers said this moment was much bigger than the game; it was one young man's living example to his peers of triumph over adversity.

"They learn about how someone's spirit and strength and courage can affect so many people around them," Rogers said.

Mitchell's peers couldn't agree more, according to Madison Devinney, who recorded the big moment.

"Mitchell shows that the sky is the limit and to never give up," Devinney said. "It was a moment that no one will ever forget."