A military veteran from Alberta in Wilcox County is learning to walk again thanks to an exoskeleton technology while under the care of the Department of Veterans Affairs or VA.Â
A story from the VA said that in 2004 Jeffery Williams was severely injured after an IED explosion while he was traveling in a vehicle in Ramadi, Iraq. The blast left him paralyzed from the chest down and two other soldiers dead.Â
Williams grew up in Alberta but now resides in Huntsville. Some time after the explosion he was sent to Spinal Cord Injury Center at the Augusta VA where the healing process began.Â
He met other veterans and worked with staff to adjust to his situation. Eventually he began participating in the VA Wheelchair Games with the help of his rehabilitation specialist at the Birmingham VA Health Care System.
While taking part in a game Williams found out about the Ekso Indego Powered Lower Limb Exoskeleton, a technology that allows a person to stand and walk.
He was fitted in 2024 and has been training at VA sessions to walk again. He has also earned a bachelor's degree and owns two vehicles.Â
"Williams’ journey is a testament to resilience, perseverance, and the power of innovation in transforming lives," the story says. "From the battlefield to rebuilding his future with the support of VA, he has redefined what is possible after paralysis."
Read the full story here.Â
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