For most kids who suffer from it, muscular atrophy means giving up on big dreams. Progressively severe deterioration of their muscles means abandoning all hope of playing sports, performing in school plays, and starting a garage band. For one Minnesota high school student, though, an inspirational teacher is helping him overcome the obstacles set forth by his disease. Ethan Och, who'd previously assumed that the muscle disease weakening his body would force him to quit the school marching band, is now making waves as an iPad drummer [1] thanks to his determined music teacher, Mrs. Christopherson.

"I don't believe in 'I can't,'" Christopherson said of Och's physical obstacles — and the phrase has definitely left the drummer's vocabulary. Watch the clip to see exactly how his music teacher's innovation and undying belief in every student's potential has redefined marching band for Ethan, and trust us: you'll want to grab a tissue.