Robert Cassidy was never named to The Clarion-Ledger’s Dandy Dozen football team.

He wasn’t All-State or recruited by colleges all across the state either.

But to this day, he is still the most inspirational athlete I have ever covered.

Cassidy, for those who don’t remember, played football at Ruleville High School and was paralyzed from the chest down on the opening kickoff of a game against rival Gentry back in September of 2006. It was his junior season: the first and last game of his football career. (See story below)

I still remember the first day I met Cassidy as he lay in the hospital bed two days after his injury. Despite his circumstances, he managed to smile that day.

He remained upbeat throughout the process and his faith never wavered and he kept a positive outlook on life.

Cassidy had that big smile again on Saturday when he earned his degree in business administration from Delta State University.

“Man it was like I finally did what I set out to do,” said Cassidy. “I was living in the moment, but I was already thinking about the next move. That moment when you graduate only lasts for a day a few minutes, so I was already thinking about my next move and what was next.”

Cassidy says he will take a few months off from school, but plans to return in the summer to work on his masters in sports management.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said. “It seems like it just went by so fast. Sometiemes it got rough, and I wanted to give up and say ‘man, forget this.’  But I couldn’t because I had so many people supporting me. The toughest part was just maintaining that discipline and continue to work.”

Cassidy, one of the most popular students at his high school, carried that over to his college years.

He was president of his college fraternity and vice-president of the Panhellenic Council at Delta State and was involved in other organizations as well.

He would someday like to write a book about his journey and help other people who have had to endure similar injuries. He would also like to become a motivational speaker, traveling the world.

“I was fortunate with people all over the country helping me,” he said. “Now I want to help those who have paralysis and just do whatever I need to do. There are some people out there that didn’t get the good end of the stick like I did with all the support. You don’t go through situations like this just for you, you go through it for others.”

Here’s a look back at one of the earlier stories on Cassidy.

       A Journey of Faith (Written in 2007)

By Rod Walker rwalker@clarionledger.com

RULEVILLE – Robert Cassidy could be angry.

Angry with God.

Angry about life in general, his in particular. Angry about that play – that one single, cursed play – on the football field last September that left him paralyzed from the chest down.

But he isn’t.

Instead, 17-year-old Cassidy flashes a contagious smile as he clings to an unwavering faith that he’ll someday walk again, a single-minded determination that has made him the darling of this Delta town.

Cassidy returned to school last November and is scheduled to graduate in May.

“Everywhere I go it seems like people are just happy to see me,” said Cassidy, reclined in his motorized wheelchair and speaking in a slow, thoughtful manner that belies his age. “My faith is what keeps me going. There are times when I get depressed. Times when I wish things could come back faster. That’s usually at night before I go to sleep. But I just kinda keep that to myself and try not to stress anyone with it. “A lot of people always tell me that I’m an inspiration for them. I’m glad to know they feel that way because I never thought in a million years I would be an inspiration.”

But he has been, capturing the hearts of the 3,200-plus folks inRuleville. In a town whose most notable daughter is late civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, Cassidy has become perhaps its most beloved son.

“Robert has had a tremendous impact not just at the school but in the whole county,” said Thomas Edwards, a Ruleville native and longtime educator who has spent the past 10 years as superintendent of Sunflower County schools. “I really don’t know of anyone who could have handled the injury with the attitude that he has handled it. “He has not wanted anyone to feel sorry for him. He’s very spiritual and always tells me that everything happens for a reason. Those of us who are older understand that everything happens for a reason. But can we say it with the sincerity that Robert says it and means it? I don’t know.”

Reflecting a year later

Sept. 7 was supposed to be a bitter Friday for Cassidy.

It was the day the Ruleville Central Tigers played their county rival, the Indianola Gentry Rams -the same Rams that Cassidy was playing against when he suffered two broken vertebrae while trying to make a block on the opening kickoff on that night in 2006.

“He was actually excited, and all he kept talking about around the house before the game is how it was his anniversary,” recalled Birteen Burnside, Cassidy’s aunt and legal guardian with whom he lives in nearby Cleveland. “After the game, he came home talking about how all the girls were around him.”

But Cassidy admits it was tough.

Just not for the reasons one may think.

“It was tough,” he said. “I would do it again. I never would have thought in a million years that I would be sitting in a wheelchair. Never in a million years. I would have done something a little bit different. I never wanted to go out like that.”

But there Cassidy was, serving as the game’s honorary captain and watching from the sidelines, in a wheelchair, as he relived that opening kickoff in 2006 that changed his life.

“Right after the kickoff, I sorta estimated the time that I was out there laying on the field,” said Cassidy. “Then the estimated time when I went to the hospital. Then a little later I thought, ‘OK, I’m flying to the University (of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson) now.’ The next day I am in ICU. I relived all of that. Seven days later, I’m in rehab. ”

Making progress

Thirteen months later, Cassidy still is in rehab but now twice a week at the Bolivar Medical Center.

“Oh, wow, he’s come so far,” said Sonya Terrell, Cassidy’s physical therapist. “When he first came, other than when muscle spasms would kick in, wet noodle would be the best way to describe him. He had no muscle control whatsoever of his trunk and very little with his arms. We were basically starting at square one.”

Cassidy now has good use of his shoulders and elbows, with limited wrist and hand functions. He has to rely on his upper body to deal with his trunk. And he still has no voluntary leg movements.

But he’s able to perform basic tasks like eating, brushing his teeth and writing, which he does with an adaptive tool. Oh, and he can text message, too.

“He’s faster than I am when it comes to that,” said occupational therapist Abigail Russell, with laugh.

Terrell has worked with Cassidy every Monday and Wednesday since he was released from Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson last November.

“There’s rarely a day when he’s not happy and smiling and feeling good about stuff,” Terrell said. “His motivation is a little exceptional. Early on, so many people would go through extreme depression because it’s such a massive change. If he ever went through that, it was before he got to me because every time he comes in, he’s always like, ‘OK, whatever I need to do, let’s do it.’ ”

Going on faith

Cassidy says the rehab process isn’t easy. His therapy session last Wednesday included an exercise in which he went from a reclined position to a sitting position-squirming with determination throughout.

He was also lifted into a standing frame, stretching to his entire 6 feet, 2 inches. “You didn’t know I was this tall, did you?” Cassidy gloated.

A few hours later, Cassidy rubbed his shoulders and said the therapy gets tougher and tougher – but is worth it.

In his bedroom, filled with donated sports memorabilia, including autographed items from the likes of NFL stars Deuce McAllister, Donald Driver and Eli Manning, Cassidy reflects on his next goal.

“I feel like I’ll walk again when the time comes,” he said. “Sometimes it just seems like that time is not coming fast enough. But the Bible says ‘faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.’ ”

Cassidy is quick to share with others his faith -and the belief he will walk again. Family members have heard it.

English teacher Loretta Hunt has read it in his journal.

Essie Carson, Cassidy’s school-appointed assistant, has helped him write it.

Akeem Scott, who sits beside his best friend in class and props his leg back in position after an involuntary spasm, has had talks about it.

“You don’t find many young people today who openly discuss their faith like that,” said Edwards, who attends New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Ruleville with Cassidy. “Robert’s faith has never wavered. He always says he is going to walk again. What we’ve always done is tell him that anything is possible. Doctors can say one thing, but God has the final answer.”

“Faith is just something that is deep rooted in him,” said Burnside, Cassidy’s guardian. “Faith in God. And faith that he’ll walk again.”

What’s next

Cassidy plans to attend Delta State University next fall and major in business. But for now, he is enjoying his senior year. He was voted Mr. Ruleville Central High School by his peers.

“Robert would have won even before the accident,” Principal James Johnson said. “He just has that kind of personality.”

Which may explain the loud roar that filled the Ruleville Central gymnasium last Wednesday when Cassidy was introduced and crowned Mr. RCHS in a ceremony during homecoming week.

Cassidy stopped and posed for several pictures after the ceremony. Smiling, of course, for each and every one.

“Everybody always tell me they love my smile,” Cassidy explained. “I never knew this big, goofy smile would be something that everybody enjoys, but I’ve always loved to smile. I don’t know where that comes from, but it’s rare when you are going to see me mad or upset. And if I am, you really can’t tell because I’m going to be smiling. No matter what.”