A combination of chance and an instinct to do the right thing changed Steve Palermo's life in 1991.

The Major League Baseball umpire attempted to intervene in the mugging of two waitresses in a restaurant parking lot—and one of the robber's bullets pierced his spinal cord. Left paralyzed below the waist, a neurosurgeon warned him he would never walk again.

However, Palermo's fighting spirit persevered and three months later he used crutches and leg braces to make his way back onto the baseball field. These days, he walks with a cane and a shortened brace.

Palermo, who now travels the country as a motivational speaker, is eager to share his story with others who may need inspiration to overcome a physical challenge.

Despite the shooting, Palermo maintains a positive attitude and insists he is grateful for both his career as an umpire and his current situation.

"I've really been fortunate with all of it," he told MLB.com. "To talk about the shooting, the prognosis and the doctor saying it's going to be virtually impossible for you to ever walk again—and to be able to do what I'm doing now—I guess I have to say all of it was worth it."