CEDAR FALLS - Work hard.

Never give up.

Pray.

Almost every student graduating from the University of Northern Iowa can say they relied on one of more of those motivational mantras to keep them focused at least once during their college career. Neil Francois is no different.

But for Francois, the road to graduation took many twists and turns that some said would stop him forever.

He was just 21 when his car collided with a train near his hometown in Masonville in 1999. It was an accident that changed his life.

"The accident pushed me from happy college athlete world. Night and day difference," Francois explained.

He had played baseball in high school and college. The doctors told him he would never walk again.

He already has proven them wrong.

His professors called him an exceptional student. Now, a brain injury makes talking so difficult he must use a text-to-voice machine to convey most of his thoughts. He uses just one finger on his right hand to peck out his comments, pausing to compile his thoughts before beginning each answer.

Many told him earning his college degree would be impossible.

Saturday he proved those naysayers wrong, too. Francois was one of about 1,500 UNI students to receive their degree during the spring commencement ceremonies.

"He has always been someone who never gave up. When this first happened, we didn't know what was going to happen in the future," said Brian Francois, his father. "He's really hung in there. That's one thing we were proud of him for doing. … You can't take his college education away from him."

Francois restarted his quest for a degree at Hawkeye Community College, where he earned his degree as a computer networking technician. He said adjusting to people's assumptions and communicating with professors and classmates was actually harder than his schoolwork.

But he persevered.

After graduating from Hawkeye, Francois decided to go back to UNI and finish the degree he had started so many years ago. At UNI, he worked closely with Karen Cunningham, the individual studies program coordinator, to develop a major that aligned with his interests and abilities. The option is available to all students.

"We tried to focus on his skills and put him in a position to get a job working with computers," Cunningham said.

Associate professor Reg Pecen was designated as Francois' academic adviser. The two had met prior to Francois' accident, and Pecen had always been impressed with his dedication and intelligence.

Though Francois' abilities had changed before his second stint at UNI, Pecen said his determination never waned.

"He has a great hope. He never loses his hope. Sometimes, when I get depressed or stressed, I see him around and it gives me energy," Pecen said. "His compassion energizes me, and I forget my sadness or daily troubles. Working with him has been a great lesson and great experience."

Francois said he threw himself into his studies as a way to forget that which he couldn't change.

"Words can't express how much I miss playing ball!!!" Francois said. "College classes and homework is the best way to keep my mind out of the past. I take it day by day and I take it as it comes."

Like his classmates, Francois now is looking to start the next chapter of his life. He knows his limitations better than anyone - he couldn't do a job that required physical labor - but hopes others will see past those and focus instead on his abilities.

He has a strong desire to be independent. He spent some time in his family's home after the accident, but pushed early to move out on his own. His father understands that need and works hard to balance that desire with Francois' physical needs.

"We always wonder what he's doing and how he's doing … but we want this for him, too," Brian Francois said. "It takes a lot of help to do this, but he wants to be his own guy. We don't want to dwell on what he can't do too much."

When asked where he sees himself in five years, Francois is quick to type in his answer.

"Get a job. … Look for internship to get feet wet in the field," he said.

Nothing more than any other graduate wants as they leave their college campus for the final time as a student.

Contact Emily Christensen at (319) 291-1520 or emily.christensen@wcfcourier.com.

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