After a spinal cord injury left him paralyzed, Marty O’Connor wasn’t sure how he would go back to school.
As the thought of achieving a master’s degree in business administration at Chapman University became more difficult, it was his mother Judy who stepped up to help her son reach his goals.
The retired elementary school teacher moved closer to her son in Orange, Ca., and ended up attending every class with him to take notes and hand write test answers.
“My mom has been an angel to me. Not only everything she did for me in the MBA program, but how she goes above and beyond in taking care of me outside of school as well,” he tells Global News. “She has an amazing heart and I wanted to see to it that her hard work, which was so vital to my success, was recognized.”
Over the weekend, the 29-year-old graduated with a MBA, as his mother pushed his wheelchair on stage to pick up his degree. But to her surprise, O’Connor had planned something for his mother in return — her very own honourary MBA.
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“She was completely caught off guard and totally surprised… exactly how I had hoped,” he says.
“The cheers and ovation from my fellow students and the crowd really amplified the moment. It was a perfect culmination of two years of hard work and dedication. I am beyond blessed to call her my mother, and she is so incredibly deserving of this recognition. It was a pleasure to see it all come together.”
How the surprise happened
Before graduation, O’Connor had approached his university with the idea.
“When Marty came to me asking if Chapman could present an honourary degree to his mom — and to keep it a surprise — there was no hesitation to make this happen,” Chapman University president Daniele Struppa says.
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“The provost, the dean, and the faculty senate immediately approved my request. The dedication from both Marty and his mother in his pursuit for a master’s in business administration is nothing short of admirable. We were more than happy to make this happen.”
Teamwork for the win
O’Connor says he wouldn’t have been able to get his degree without his mom’s help — they truly worked as a team.
“She kept me organized, on-task, and focused and her encouragement kept me confident in my abilities to fight through the adversities that I faced on a regular basis. The efforts she put forth extended far beyond simply taking notes,” he says.
And living with a high-level spinal cord injury, one that O’Connor got after a fall in 2012, wasn’t easy either.
“She has done everything in her power to provide the best care possible so that I can live happily.”
Path to success
O’Connor, who was also featured on a university blog earlier this month, says the last two years had been a whirlwind.
He graduated from the University of Colorado in 2010 and after his injury, he didn’t know how he would be able to even attend class.
“I didn’t know how going back to school without being able to write, or use my hands, or raise my hand in class, any of that, would go,” O’Connor said in the blog.
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“It really challenged me to do some introspection and see what strengths I do have to utilize, and how I can use my situation to work on some new strengths. This has really forced upon me some patience and thoughtfulness in everything I’m doing. And I’m now doing better in school than I have in my entire life.”
And after this experience, O’Connor says his relationship with his mother is stronger than ever.
“It continues to grow stronger and stronger, which goes to show how bonds are solidified in persevering through challenges and difficult times together.”
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