Never give up
What began as a tragedy for one man and his family, has resulted in hope for disabled people in the country.
Justin Smith, like many South Africans is a victim of crime. Smith was shot in the neck during an attempted hijacking in June 2004, when returning from a surprise birthday party for his mother.
The robbers stole his phone and wallet, and then shot him. Smith was paralysed from his shoulders down, but he was not broken. His determination to succeed was evident from day one, and Smith wasted no time in rising back to his feet.
He spent some time in rehabilitation, where he managed to regain a small amount of movement in his right hand and arm, but his physical strength was minimal.
Three months after the shooting, he was able to wiggle his toes and lift one leg, a monumental triumph given the circumstances.
He spent 18 months training with a man who had suffered a similar fate and overcame it. Smith gained 12kg’s of muscle.
He then travelled to America to participate in a programme, Project Walk. After nine months of extensive training, Smith was finally able to walk with the help of a zimmer frame.”The training was gruelling, but the programme worked for me,” said Smith.
Smith realised after returning to South Africa, that no one in the country was qualified to assist him to continue the programme. So he organised for biokineticist Justin Jeffereys and a physiotherapist to fly to America to learn about, Project Walk.
Smith set up a training room filled with equipment that would help him to ultimately regain his mobility and has become the only person in the southern hemisphere to own an Ekso. An Ekso is a bionic exoskeleton that enables people with spinal cord injuries, lower limb weakness or paralysis to stand up and walk.
He now uses the machine to help others.
“People can come to my studio, and they can walk,” he said. “Some might be lucky enough to one day own an Ekso of their own, while others only hope for an hour or two of mobility. Whatever their reasons, we give people an opportunity that no one else can, the opportunity to stand on their own two feet and walk.”
Smith has defied the odds. He has shown that standing up is only the first step. Putting one foot in front of the other might seem simple to you and I, but for people like Justin Smith it is a hefty challenge that is well-worth the reward.
Details: Just Walk Bionics
