FRISCO, Texas — Zach Wester, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Frisco, is learning to walk again -- with the help of a Texas superstar.
Zach has cerebral palsy. He endured three surgeries to correct scoliosis.
He set a goal for himself to walk 50 feet without resting.
The Wakeland High School freshman underwent his first surgery when he was a third-grader. Since then, he's had two other surgical procedures.
After the last one, he could only crawl on his hands and knees.
Zach’s father, James Wester, said his initial progress was very limited. “So for him to finally be able to heal up enough to be able to get moving and walking that far — it's been a long road," Wester said.
The sounds from the school's loudspeakers blared: “This is Colt McCoy, University of Texas quarterback.”
As Zach's friends, family and aides converged on the school auditorium for his attempt at his goal, a recorded message was played from McCoy. Zach's face lit up with joy.
“To get a message like that, it made such a big difference to him, and his reaction was priceless," said Marisa Wester, Zach’s mother.
After getting a boost from the Longhorns' quarterback, Zach started his 50-foot journey.
Slowly he inched across the floor. As he got closer to his goal, the cheers got louder.
Zach made it.
“I did a really good job," he said.
And as he sat back down in his wheelchair, Zach gave one last gesture to his adoring fans and favorite quarterback: A "Hook ‘em Horns" sign.
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
