Exoskeleton suit gives man chance to walk again

DARIEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Cutting edge technology has a Darien man taking miraculous steps.

He was paralyzed after he was struck by a car while riding his bike, training for an ironman four years ago.

Mike Loura was beaming as he was walking and showcasing this amazing robotic exoskeleton technology. He was doing something he never imagined he'd be able to do again.

"Ever since the accident all the doctors said you're never going to walk again," Loura said.

However, the husband and father of two girls is walking again. Thursday was day 15, the day Loura strapped on the wearable robot, a breakthrough technology, but it's the first time he's taking steps for others to see.

"Every time I take a step I kinda have to balance myself in a certain position for the machine to know that it's ready to take the next step," said Loura.

"It has an exoskeleton system with battery powered motor that allows someone who can't feel and can't move," said Dr. David Rosenblum, "who's paralyzed, the ability to go from sit to stand to actually taking steps."

Dr. Rosenblum is the medical director of Rehabilitation at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, the only center in Connecticut to offer the Ekso Bionics' Robotic Exoskeleton technology to patients with spinal chord injuries.

"We're using it as a tool to work on balance to get someone up and moving," said Dr. Rosenblum. "From a wellness perspective to improve their quality of life."

For Loura, it's a major step for the future.

"I want to keep things simple and try to go slow," Loura said. "Just to walk, just to walk again, be able to stand up and have a conversation without looking up all the time."

And a reality check of what life can be.

"I can look at you guys, eye to eye, and it's like it used to be," Loura said.

The hope is the technology will be available for use outside facilities like Gaylor, three to five years from now.

Loura has two daughters and hopes to dance with them at a father and daughter dance.

Gaylord is only one of 20 facilities to offer Ekso, which has been named one of the best inventions by a number of media outlets.