
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 24, 1993                   TAG: 9305240104
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.                                LENGTH: Short

EX-JET BYRD GETS HONORARY DEGREE

Fairleigh Dickinson University bestowed an honorary degree Sunday on Dennis Byrd, the former New York Jets defensive end who overcame a paralyzing injury to walk again.

Gathered for commencement exercises, the 2,000 FDU graduates and some 10,000 guests rose as Byrd shuffled to the podium in the Brendan Byrne Arena to pick up his Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Byrd wiped his eyes as he recalled his Nov. 29 injury at Giants Stadium, just a few hundred yards away. The on-field collision broke Byrd's neck, and doctors predicted he would never walk again.

"I am a fortunate man," Byrd said. "My experience has taught me about the fragility of the human body and the resilience of the human spirit. Never doubt your capacity with faith and hard work, and the faith and hard work of others, to achieve miracles."

Among those honored with Byrd was Elie Wiesel, the Nobel laureate who lived through the Nazi death camps.

by CNB