Step-by-step, Edmonton man continues pursuit to walk again

WATCH: An Edmonton father is doing his best to walk again – with the help of some incredible technology and the support of strangers. Su-Ling Goh explains.

EDMONTON – It’s been nearly five years since a serious collision left Denny Ross fully paralysed.

The recovery process wasn’t easy for the father of three. He was diagnosed with depression and admits he “had no interest in anything.”

Ross used a wheelchair for more than four years until receiving an unexpected phone call in 2014. He was asked to be one of the first people to use the ReWalk Exoskeleton as a study participant at the University of Alberta. The device powers hip and knee motion; leaning from side-to-side triggers a step.

“It was something that I looked forward to everyday: to get up and get ready and go in there,” explains Ross.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It was something that I looked forward to everyday: to get up and get ready and go in there," explains Ross.

“That was like my hour, hour and a half of glory everyday, after that it didn’t matter what happened.”

Watch: A device that’s new to Canada is giving people with spinal cord injuries new hope. Edmonton has acquired the first ReWalk Exoskeleton in the country. Su-Ling Goh reports on an Edmonton man who’s one of the first people to try the device. 

Ross has finished his role with the study, but his pursuit to walk again is far from over. He has launched a crowdfuning campaign on youcaring.com to raise the $80,000 needed to buy his own ReWalk.

“Just being able to go outside and be able to walk. Like say you go out and walk the paths and your kids ride the bikes. Just the amount of exercise that I would get that day is way more than I could ask for in a week just sitting in a chair.”

As of Jan. 6, nearly $59,000 has been donated towards the purchase of the device.

“It’s very heart warming and it’s wonderful seeing when you can see all these people come together to help somebody that they know accomplish a goal and reach an elevation that they’re striving for,” says Ross.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's very heart warming and it's wonderful seeing when you can see all these people come together to help somebody that they know accomplish a goal and reach an elevation that they're striving for," says Ross.

Louise Miller with the Northern Alberta Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Centre Society says the ReWalk would have an enormous impact on Ross’s health.

“It impacts them with the medications. They end up getting rid of all of them or at least half of them. The whole digestive system now begins to work in a normal way which has a profound impact.

Ross is currently a stay-at-home dad. He’s not sure if a ReWalk will change that, but he knows it will change his outlook on the world from both a physical and mental standpoint.