MONTY REED AND HIS MARVELOUS ROBOTIC “LIFE SUIT” Editor: Marty Lindemann . repost from Rotary club
Monty Reed presented his unfolding dream for creating the ultimate walking robotic suit for paraplegic therapy at the club meeting on February 15th. (shortlink for this page http://theyshallwalk.org/?p=527 )
President Alan Leader presided, Rich Morse gave the inspirational thought for the day, and Dave Spicer (tone-deaf Dave to his friends) led the singing (go figure). Dave Weaver introduced visiting Rotarians and guests.
We welcomed back from surgery our good friend, Dr. Pete Chatard. Dale Hicklin and Mason Sizemore made a unique presentation to Judy (Tiger) Lovelace (see separate article), and we were saddened to hear from Carolyn Hathaway of the death of one of our key members, Walt Weber, on February 8th after a lengthy illness (see separate article).
THE PROGRAM
Kristine See introduced our speaker, Monty Reed, dreamer, inventor, fund raiser and college student. Monty related the story of his life’s passion to create, build and deliver a therapy device called a “life suit” which can give the gifts of movement, jumping and walking to paraplegic person.
Monty was severely injured at age 21 in an Army Ranger night parachute jump and told that he would never walk again. His “mantra” which he repeated often was “Monty shall walk!” During his nine months of convalescence, he got a vision of a “life suit” after reading a science fiction story, “Starship Troopers.”
Monty had a miraculous recovery (over nine years of therapy) and recovered control of his muscles. Nineteen years later after another career in sales and marketing, he returned in 2001 to his passion to make the “life suit” a reality. This time his “mantra” is “They shall walk!”
Working at North Seattle Community College on his prototypes while going to school, he built prototypes one through twelve which are powered by a compressed air system. He created his own major, “biosynthetics,” and moved on to his present job of working on a degree at the UW while running a lab in the mechanical engineering department. The lab has 24 volunteers working on the device under the direction of Monty and Dr. Steve Stiens, a UW professor specializing in spinal cord rehabilitation.
Monty’s made lots of progress and in 2008 he should soon demonstrate prototype #15. Each year he straps into a “life suit” and enters the three mile long St. Patrick’s Day Dash, surprising many as he walks the course.
When the “life suit” is finished, it must pass extensive tests before it can be used for rehabilitation of victims of stroke, spinal cord injuries and cerebral palsy. Someone asked Monty, “How much money does it take?” Monty replied, “All of it!”
Perhaps the best reason for continuing is the hope the device gives to the disabled. One young man in Singapore was contemplating suicide when he heard of Monty’s work. He wrote Monty and said, “Your machine gave me hope. I will wait for it and stay alive to use it.”
Now the Rotary Club of Vellore and the Rotary Club of Shoreline are inviting other Rotary clubs partner in a joint project to give the gift of walking to Inida.
If you want to help, contact Monty to volunteer or to contribute. If you would like to have Monty Reed come speak to your club or your board you can contact him directly at (206) 250-5639 or monty@theyshallwalk.org see http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29757493/39096996
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