October 26th marks the 25th anniversary of the end of Marc Buoniconti's football career.

It also marks the beginning of a life that's had a greater impact than football ever could have.

25 years ago, Marc Buoniconti, the son of former Miami Dolphins Hall-of-Famer Nick Buoniconti, was paralyzed from the neck down while playing in a college football game for The Citadel.

"Sometimes, it seems like yesterday," Buoniconti said Wednesday.

Marc's injury inspired the creation of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. At the time, the scientific community scoffed at the name. Cure paralysis? Unrealistic, they thought.

"We took a lot of risk, made bold decisions and it's paying off," said Buoniconti. "The same people criticizing us in 1985, are applauding us now."

The Miami Project has come a long way in 25 years.

"We started in a little closet, had one scientist and a lot of hope," Buoniconti recalled.

Today, they have a staff of 250 doctors, scientists, technicians, researchers and Marc, the president. And it's not just a title. Despite being a quadriplegic, he's actively involved. He leads fund-raising efforts, which have brought in more than $350 million, and he's the biggest champion for a cure, which is more realistic now than ever before.

The Miami Project's scientific director, Dr. Dalton Dietrich, says they're close to a breakthrough that uses a patient's own cells to repair a damaged spinal cord. The cells are called Schwann cells.

"We have not cured paralysis by any means," Dr. Dietrich said. "But we think Schwann cells, plus other drugs that we're working on...that combination approach, would provide even better function in the future."

The Schwann cell transplant has worked in lab animals, giving movement to animals that were paralyzed. Buoniconti says he expects FDA approval for a human trial next year.

"I might not be able to do the things I did before," Buoniconti explained, "But if I'm up and I'm independent and I'm more active and I can take care of myself, that would make life a whole lot better."

The breakthrough would also help the millions of others who suffer from spinal cord injuries and that's what drives Buoniconti every single day.

"Here I am 25 years later, a part of something that's going to change the world," he said.

Nobody expected Buoniconti to live to tell his story 25 years later. But thanks to improvements in medicine and his incredible willpower, he now has a normal life expectancy and lives an active life from his wheelchair.