Paraplegic Man Participates in First of Four Races During Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., (Jan. 5, 2017) — Adam Gorlitsky, (Charleston, S.C.) took part in the Walt Disney World 5K on Thursday despite being paralyzed from the waist down. With a throng of spectators cheering him on along the way, Gorlitsky, 30, participated in a portion of the 5K with the use of a robotic suit that enables him to stand and walk.

Gorlitsky lost his mobility 10 years ago when his spine was severed at the T9 level in a car accident. He was told by doctors that he would never walk again.

But his prospects changed dramatically in recent years when he was chosen as a candidate for the wearable exoskeleton machine that allowed him to stand and walk again for the first time since the accident. Since April 2016, he has walked in a few races using the suit, challenging what it means to be a paraplegic. This weekend, Gorlitsky will participate in not one, but in parts of all four races of the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna.

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