Martyn Ashton has taken another huge step – or rather, steps – forward on his rehabilitation from the spinal injury sustained in a 2013 crash that left him paralysed from the waist down, posting a video showing him taking a “stroll” in hospital grounds with the help of a high-tech external frame called a Parawalker.
Posted to the Road Bike Party star’s Instagram account earlier today, the footage shows staff from the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, where the Parawalker was developed, helping the 41-year-old as he manages to do something most of us simply take for granted – move forward by putting one foot in front of another.
Several people commenting on the post mentioned how inspirational Ashton is, and few who have followed his story since a stunt went wrong in a trials demonstration at the British Moto GP at Silverstone three years ago would argue with that.
He first demonstrated the Parawalker – an external frame that allows paraplegic patients to walk ‘normally,’ with the user’s knees locked and the hips used to direct motion, with crutches or a walking frame providing stability – in November with a video that showed him going to the hospital cafeteria for a coffee.
> Martyn Ashton walking again (+ video)
His life-changing accident happened while he was midway through filming the sequel to the hugely successful Road Bike Party film, with Road Bike Party 2 completed with the help of his friends Chris Akrigg and Danny MacAskill.
In December, he said he was selling the Colnago C59 Disc bike featured in the sequel to pay for his medical costs. Fans rallied round, however, and launched a GoFundMe campaign that swiftly raised more than £50,000 for him.
> Ashton appeal hits £50,000 (+ video)
Most aero bar of all time but it's not available in a 360 mm width version.
Well, I thought it was large hands and a medium head, but the helmet manufacturer disagreed
This needs repeating more often! Most would be driven safely and the ones driven dangerously would eventually take care of the problem for us.
All my bikes are covered on the house insurance. I've done quotes with a few of these before and they all work out hideously expensive!
I also live in Cheshire and amy dealings with Cheshire Police have been variable....
I'm a saddo that does a bit of this because I can't be bothered to take the juice to be competive racing. When I tried to get a local KOM, I found...
Not been following closely, but I think Shimano have arrived at the point of being able to deliver an automatic drive train with e-bike, Di2 and...
Or a 4S, if they are still making that. Absolutely endorse Kinesis bikes.
I ended up in hospital last year after a careless chap didn't check to see if the junction was clear and drove head first into me. Another driver...
I grew up near to a notorious junction which accounted for a fatality every five years or so. It was only when a Mum and her twins were killed that...