CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Cody Bennett is no rookie when it comes to gymnastics, but on July 24, 2024, honing his skills in a local Chesapeake gym changed his life forever.

Now, Cody is rendered a quadriplegic. He was participating in an open gym when he attempted a trick on a high bar and missed the foam pit below.

“I hit the ground and everything just kind of went numb. My first thought was that I was paralyzed,” he recalled.

After a friend called 911, Cody was taken to the hospital, where he realized he could not feel anything below his stomach. He was rushed into surgery within six hours of the initial injury to fix the fracture in his neck and relieve compression on his spine.

A few days after the surgery, Cody was able to make slight movements and have feelings that he couldn't have bef

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