For the first time since that fateful day back in April of 2018, Ryan Straschnitzki has taken his first steps.

Ryan’s dad Tom posted the video below on Twitter of Ryan working with his therapists, training his brain to once again learn how to take steps.

The two members of the Straschnitzki clan left for Thailand at the beginning of November and Ryan underwent surgery to have a stimulator implanted in his injured back. The stimulator sends electrical currents to the spinal cord to stimulate nerves to move his legs and allow him more core control. The implant can be programmed to stimulate certain nerves that are mapped out by the surgeons and therapists.

Read more here: VIDEO: Straschnitzki makes remarkable progress after implant surgery in Thailand

Ryan was left paralyzed following the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in April of 2018.

Tom said seeing Ryan take those steps was a big moment.

“The therapist [said] you’re going for a walk,” Tom explained. “I didn’t think he was ready, I was afraid his knees would buckle or his ankles, but they made him go and he was training his brain.”

“I went holy s#!*, last time he walked was when he walked on to the bus.”

Tom said Ryan is happy with the progress, but he knows there’s still a lot of work to do and that this is just one step in a long process.

Ryan has a couple more weeks left in Thailand. When they return home he will continue therapy with Synaptic, a private clinic based out of Calgary that specializes in spinal cord injuries.

 

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