Lions' Aidan Hutchinson visits recovering paralyzed Marine recruit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - One marine recruit who was paralyzed from the neck down is buckling in and making a beeline for the bright lights, all part of learning to walk again.

20-year-old Jacob Rinehart, from Chesterfield Township suffered a spinal cord injury in October 2023 while carrying a fellow Marine on Parris Island.

"I got hurt in Marine Corps Boot Camp," said Rinehart. "I was carrying someone on my neck. It was a drill -that as if you were getting shot at and you had to carry someone out of combat."

But the fellow marine squeezed Rinehart's neck so hard, it caused his spinal cord to swell, cutting off blood flow. But he returned home for rehab at the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.

"At first, they said I'd never walk again," said Rinehart. "At first I couldn't even eat my own food. I couldn't pick up my head, no function at all. When I first started coming, I was in a wheelchair and then I was on crutches and over time I got strong enough to walk on my own."

And then something amazing happened. Another man getting strong enough to walk on his own after breaking his leg, Lion's Defensive End, Aidan Hutchinson, showed up at his house.

"Aidan Hutchinson walks in the door - and I like - freaked out - I couldn't believe it," said Rinehart. 

Hutchinson even had him Facetime with fellow superstar, Lions Wide Receiver, Aman-Ra St. Brown - whose autograph Rinehart was able to get at the Thanksgiving Day game.

"On top of that, I got to meet the Ford family, and they gave me tickets to the Super Bowl. So I'll be at the Super Bowl this year as well," he said. "Hard work and dedication does pay off and even certain limitations shouldn't hold you back from living the life you want to live."

He's hoping to cheer the Lions on to victory, having learned what it's like to make a comeback.