Chris Norton - 7 Yards

“I was not a guy who shied away from contact”

D-3 sports are sort of built for Moonlighters. There are several D-3 programs in Iowa and their lineups are full of guys who might be a little undersized or overlooked by other programs. Men and women who love their sport and want to keep playing after high school choose to pay full tuition and take on the responsibility of being a full-time student athlete. While this week’s Moonlighter set himself apart for his efforts on the field, it was what he has done since being carried off of the field.

Chris Norton was a talented high school athlete who loved to compete. When his high school career was done in Bondurant, IA, he knew he wanted to keep playing and so he took an opportunity to become a Luther Norseman. Norton wasn’t an elite athlete but he was a competitor. He knew that as a 6’ tall guy, he wasn’t going to be the biggest or strongest but he always played with a lot of heart and effort. That level of hustle and his ability to play smart got him on the field more than any other freshman on the 2010 Luther football team. Being the kind of guy who wasn’t afraid of contact made him the perfect type of player to line up on the kickoff coverage team.

“Let’s go, I need to get off of the field”

When the kicker called for a short kickoff to the right side, Norton was pumped. He lined up on the right and wanted to keep the momentum building as Luther competed with Central. As he flew down the field, a much bigger Central football player was returning the kick. Norton remembers every moment of that play. He just mistimed his attempt at the tackle and instead of striking with his shoulder, his head collided with the leg of the runner. When the pile cleared, Norton was face down on the field and wondering why he couldn’t pick himself up. He said the moment fear started to overcome him was when the EMTs were calling for the helicopter because the local hospital didn’t have the ability to care for him.

The Moonlighter’s story really gets started as Chris Norton faced the myriad challenges of his paralysis. Underdogs face long odds and Norton was no different. He was given only a 3% chance of ever walking again. His faith, family, and friendships helped sustain him as he faced tremendous obstacles in his therapy and recovery. What started with a wiggling toe turned into walking across the stage at his college graduation and walking 7 yards down the aisle at his wedding. 

Chris Norton has taken his incredible story and turned it into his life’s work. He started the Chris Norton Foundation to support others facing neurological injuries and challenges. He is a motivational speaker and his story has been published and is now a documentary. You can watch 7 Yards on Amazon Prime or Netflix.

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