Ryan Shazier surprises families impacted by spinal cord injuries

ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Former Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier was busy spreading holiday cheer Wednesday morning as he surprised families at the JCPenney store in Ross Park Mall.

Shazier presented two families who have a family member suffering from a spinal cord injury with $5,000 JCPenney gift cards and talked with them about his struggle and recovery.

Shazier suffered a devastating spinal cord injury during a head-on hit as he attempted to tackle a Cincinnati Bengals player in December 2017. Doctors only gave him a 20% chance of walking again. Though he is still recovering and undergoing physical therapy, he is able to walk.

“Our goal is to allow people to have some sense of normalcy and to ease their minds while dealing with Covid and having a spinal cord injury,” he said. “We want them to remember what it’s like to enjoy Christmas again.”

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