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Anthony Mouravski's life was changed forever when he fell and fractured his spine while skiing in March 2021, causing him to become paralyzed from the neck down.
Mouravski was recently given a free trial of Wandercraft's Atalante X, an exoskeleton technology at NJIT that gave him the opportunity to walk for the first time since the accident. A video clip can be seen on a GoFundMe launched in hopes of funding future treatments.
Mouravski, who now lives in Morris Plains, tells Daily Voice about the promising experience:
“It definitely felt amazing to be able to stand up again, and I didn't have any adverse reactions like muscle spasms or blood pressure issues,” he says.
“It felt really natural, too, in the video; it just looked really natural. It was a little bit hard, just because I don't really have any muscles below my chest, so I had to use my shoulders to propel my legs forward and my hips forward.”
Described as having a "relentless sense of optimism" long before his accident, Mouravski’s inspiring attitude and resilience undoubtedly continued, and perhaps multiplied, the moment he took his first steps — about 1,000 of them, in fact.
“It was crazy,” he says. “I was able to walk 1,000 steps my first session. I just kept pushing myself because I didn't want to take a break…It was intense. I was sweating.”
But what, exactly, does the exoskeleton technology provide for Mouravski?
“A lot of balance,” he explains. “It’s gonna help my shoulders; my shoulders are what control my balance and hold me in place while I’m sitting up, reaching over, and stuff like that. I felt, like, crazy benefits from that."
"Even just having my heart pumping again through my legs...I haven't been able to get a real exercise of that nature since my accident.”
Mouravski hopes to continue attending sessions twice per week, but at the cost of $2,250 per each 10, he and his family are relying on the community for support. The fundraiser launched for his ongoing treatments had surpassed $20,500 in just two weeks.
Meanwhile, Mouravski will be studying Business Administration at Kean University this Fall and says the exoskeleton’s cutting-edge technology is currently being developed into a model with fewer limitations — another reason his ongoing treatments are crucial.
“I really want to keep doing it because in two years, they're planning on releasing an outdoor use model, which would be absolutely crazy,” he says.
“I think about having something like that, and I can just go out with my friends, you know?”
Mouravski’s endless motivation has even prompted him to volunteer with Atalante X to help others obtain free trials with the device. He hopes to obtain a role as a spokesperson, where he’ll attend expos and speak with potential investors of the technology.
“We're trying to get more people involved in the program, so paraplegics, quadriplegics, people with degenerative issues are able to do a free trial,” he says.
“It really broadens horizons for people who don’t have a lot of options.”
Resilient, indeed.
Click here to view/donate on GoFundMe.
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