Davenport firefighter Robert Juarez fell off a ladder in 2008
FirefighterNation Staff
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An injured Davenport firefighter took his first steps in front of the public for the first time in over 10 years.
WQAD reports that former Davenport firefighter Robert Juarez used an exoskeleton to take those steps after suffering a spinal cord injury that left him with no feeling and movement from the chest down.
Juarez fell off a ladder while fighting a fire in 2008.
Since 2008 he helped create Quad City Adaptive Sports and has become an ambassador for Genesis Health System to advocate for people with disabilities.
Juarez’s goal is to raise money for Genesis to buy a second exoskeleton for outpatient rehabilitation.
He says staying positive is what keeps him healthy and staying healthy allowed him to qualify to use the exoskeleton to walk for the first time since his injury.
