Kentucky teen, 17, runs Chicago Marathon less than a year after spinal cord injury Wyatt Anderson, 17, finished the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 3:56:28 on Sunday, less than a year after a basketball accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. He ran with his brother Jack to raise funds for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. A 17-year-old Kentucky teen who was briefly paralyzed from the neck down less than a year ago completed the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, finishing in 3 hours, 56 minutes and 28 seconds. Wyatt Anderson, a high school senior, crossed the finish line just months after he feared he might never walk again. He ran the race alongside his brother, Jack Anderson. Last November, Anderson was shooting hoops with friends when he tripped over his own feet going for a rebound and slammed headfirst into a wall, he said. The impact was so severe that it fractured his spine and left him unable to move.I blacked out right after for a little bit, and I could not move any limb on my body, Anderson told ABC News. He subsequently underwent spinal fusion surgery, followed by a monthslong rehabilitation period. Every single day, it was in the back of my head, I was like, Am I gonna walk again? Am I gonna be able to do the same thing that I was doing two weeks ago, a day ago?Inspiring Story Motivation AndersonAnderson recalled of the uncertainty he felt during his recovery. While he was going through physical therapy, one of his rehab therapists told him an inspiring story about a man who completed 50 marathons in 50 states in a year while in a wheelchair. That just, like, blew my mind and motivated me, Anderson said. So, I thought I wanted to do something similar.I wanted to walk or run a marathon within a year. As he slowly regained movement over weeks of physical therapy, the teen said that story inspired him not only to get better but to walk or run a marathon within a year. Anderson said there were times when it did not seem like things would get better, but he reminded himself that every day is a step forward and to just say yes to every opportunity.On Sunday, following months of physical therapy and his own hard work, Anderson did just that, with his brother Jack supporting him along the way. The siblings also ran to raise funds for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury through research and improving the quality of life for people impacted by paralysis. In a video message shared with ABC News after the race, Anderson offered advice to others.Anderson Advice Positive AttitudeJust take it day by day. You can do it. Most importantly, be positive and smile, he said. The most important thing I learned today was smile, even if it is faking a smile, because it really does change your whole attitude.It makes you feel a lot better, even if you are in a lot of pain, but just smiling is so important and saying yes to every opportunity. I just cannot emphasize that enough. I hope my story will help other people want to set a lofty goal for themselves and to believe that nothing is impossible, Anderson said. You can do anything if you set your mind to it.Anderson Message Nothing ImpossibleTruly, I mean, coming from someone who could not walk at a time and now is running.