“I always said he was the kind of kid you could drop off in a strange city and he'd find his way home. He's just very resourceful," his mom Jean Storie said.

Paul always believed he would walk again. And HE made others believe it, too.

“Initially I absolutely had a little hesitation. But he has a way about him of talking people into things," said Tami Isherwood, Paul's physical therapist.

Three years ago at a high school graduation party, a diving accident left Paul a quadriplegic. The former champion swimmer for Canandaigua went to Portugal for an experimental surgery last year. They took stem cells from his nose and placed them in his neck in hopes of repairing his injured spinal cord. Slowly, Paul is getting the feeling back in his hands and legs.

“Last year I went on a road trip to Michigan for the day and I got hot so I put my feet out the window and I could feel the breeze going through my toes and that was pretty cool," said Paul.

Stem cell surgery helps quadriplegic walk again

Three years ago at a high school graduation party, a diving accident left Paul a quadriplegic. The former champion swimmer for Canandaigua went to Portugal for an experimental surgery last year.

“I don't know of any other quadriplegic that has walked in one of them," said Isherwood.

While it's a milestone, it's not enough for Paul. “I feel really goofy, like I'm wearing stormtrooper boots."

Paul wants to look down and see his own feet hitting the floor not the boots on the braces. Paul is getting his therapy twice a week. The rest of the time he rides a special bike, swims at the Y, lifts weights and even drives his own car.

He is driving down to Atlanta again for months of intensive therapy at the Shepherd Center.

“Actually there are only two centers in the entire U.S. that receive the patients that have had this surgery from Portugal. And they really know what they're doing,” said mom.

Paul doesn't ask why this happened to him on his high school graduation day. His resourcefulness tells him there is a reason. He is a creative person.

"I don't like the hand controls in my car. And I want to ride a dirt bike and I am stubborn. And I will come up with the things and help everyone else out in my shoes who wants to do it," he said.

Insurance will not cover his intense therapy in Atlanta. If you would like to help Paul, you can click on this link www.paulspath.com.