Watching their son speak to the media with joy and happiness in their eyes, Addie and Andre Taliaferro sat and smiled.

Adam had enrolled for a summer class, spent some time Friday night with his friends and, most importantly, walked into The Bryce Jordan Center media room.

In a world where too many things are taken for granted, Adam Taliaferro doesn't take anything too lightly since his spinal injury against Ohio State only five months ago.

Adam was a split second away from never walking again or never feeding himself or anything one can imagine doing.

Taliaferro, doctors grimly thought, might be permanently paralyzed because his neck took an awkward jolt when making a tackle as a freshman on the Penn State football team.

But now, Taliaferro calls his progress a miracle. After only months of rehabilitation, Taliaferro walked, talked and moved just like he was never injured — although he said he still has a little tightness in his right hand.

Saturday evening, just before the Penn State men's basketball game, Taliaferro held a press conference to answer any questions those in the media still had to ask about his future.

Not only can Taliaferro walk now, he is starting to lift weights today and use the swimming pool for aquatic therapy. Taliaferro's story goes way beyond the pride and commitment Penn State sports hold as its standards.

Adam knows he is lucky. If the swelling around his spine was a tad bit more severe, he would still be laying in a hospital bed with cards from Penn State alumni poring in and people remembering him in a somber mood. But now, Taliaferro is a hero for so many with spinal cord injuries.

Saturday night, in front of a packed house in The Bryce Jordan Center, Taliaferro got a standing ovation from more than 15,000 proud, relieved and happy Penn State fans. Taliaferro kindly stood up, waved a few times and smiled because he was back home in Happy Valley.

He said the doctors found no reason why he wouldn't be able to play football again, but the risks of getting another injury would be greater.

Taliaferro doesn't want to take that risk and no one can blame him.

He's seen enough doctors, hospital beds and physical training facilities to last him a lifetime.

The Taliaferro family didn't have the chance to wipe their smiles off their faces because their son was playing Penn State football before they were sitting over him in a bed crying because he was paralyzed. The Penn State football staff plans to utilize Adam by having him help the cornerbacks and review tapes during this upcoming season.

Taliaferro will continue to go to school at Penn State with one class this summer and then a full load in the fall.

Adam also said there are early plans for him to lead the football team out in its game against Miami, the opening game of the 2001 season in the newly renovated Beaver Stadium.

But I don't really care.

Watching film, helping cornerbacks and leading the team out in front of 110,000 people to a standing ovation isn't a big deal to me now.

I just care that Adam isn't paralyzed, laying in a bed and watching his life from a hospital bed.

I only care that Adam can walk.