When former South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore walked across the stage to receive his degree from the school on May 6, he was in a spot he never thought he’d be.

Lattimore is supposed to be in the NFL right now, cutting and plowing his way through defenses the way he did when he wore a Gamecocks uniform.

Of course, SEC fans know how Lattimore’s story played out. After a promising freshman year in which he ran for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns, his sophomore season ended with a major left knee injury. He recovered in time for his junior season, but dislocated his other knee and saw his college career come to an end.

One could certainly understand if Lattimore was still bitter about how his career played out, but according to a profile by Edward Aschoff of ESPN, he’s not.

“Life is a little bit more enjoyable now because of what I’ve been through,” Lattimore said in the ESPN story. “… I wouldn’t change a thing that happened — put those knee injuries back in my life. I’m such a better person, overall. I’m wiser and I’m grateful for every single day that I get out of bed and I can walk, and I can run if I want to. The little things, they matter a little bit more than they did in the past.”

Though doctors said there was only a 20-percent chance he’d walk normally again, Lattimore easily made his way across the stage to accept his diploma. Now he travels around South Carolina for speaking engagements and also recently became an assistant football coach at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia.

Football is still a part of Lattimore’s life, but he’s glad he doesn’t have the wear and tear of an NFL career taking its toll on his body. And being able to share his story with others is a cathartic experience for the former SEC freshman of the year.

“I’m thankful for those knee injuries,” he said. “They really saved me and now I feel like I can do anything. Every time I go speak, every time I’m able to stand in front of a crowd, I heal personally.”