From hospitals to the classroom: Local teen receives $2 million in scholarships, 70+ colleges offers

ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — A St. Louis teenager has earned more than $2 million in scholarship money and has been accepted into more than 70 colleges across the country.

"Every scholarship fair going on in St. Louis I was there. Every application. I’m talking 2-3 o’clock in the morning we were up filling it out, says mom, Kenyatta Patrick-Griffin.

Imarion Griffin is a senior at Cardinal Ritter, who has defied the odds after spending the start of his high school career in the hospital. He was diagnosed with a heart condition that left him in a wheelchair.

"I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t stand up without passing out. I lost 90 pounds," says Cardinal Ritter senior, Imarion Griffin.

"The final diagnosis was Orthostatic Hypotension. It’s when your blood pressure drops when you stand up and his heart rate increases," says Patrick-Griffin.

With the help of doctors at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Imarion is back healthy, about to graduate and take on his freshman year at Mid America Nazarene University.

"I want to be great. I got to. I’m not in a hospital bed. I’m not in a wheelchair. I’m trying to show the world what I can do."

In total, Imarion has received 77 college offers and $2.2 million in scholarships.

"You really can go to school for free and not have your mom pay no money. You don’t have to have your dad pay no money," he says.

"First scholarship came in I’m like okay. Second scholarship I’m like it’s not enough. I don’t have enough money to pay for you to go to school," Patrick-Griffin says.

He plans to major in kinesiology.

"Keeping a 3.8 and above GPA since freshman year and even getting a high school diploma and making it to see my senior year in high school in the City of St. Louis that’s Black History.

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