"A Car Accident Robbed Him Of His Ability To Walk, But Here’s How Doctors Got Him Back On His Feet In Time For Sunday’s New Balance 5th Avenue Mile" - Noah Goldberg and Leonard Greene
The horrific Florida car crash that robbed Peter Schreiner of the use of his legs just one year ago did not touch his competitive spirit. Schreiner, with the help of a robotic exoskeleton, is not only back on his feet, but he is ready to pound the pavement. The 27-year-old former scuba instructor is set to participate in the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile on Sunday. Schreiner spent five weeks in intensive care before beginning his rehabilitation. Doctors at Manhattan’s Mount Sinai Hospital, where Schreiner has been recovering, said the event will be Schreiner’s biggest test. “He was a real mess when he first came,” said Thomas Bryce, MD, director of Mount Sinai’s Spinal Cord Injury Program. “He couldn’t even sit up by himself. It has been amazing to see his progress.” This year’s New Balance event will be the first time an entire heat has been dedicated to paralyzed athletes using exoskeletons.
- Thomas N. Bryce, MD, Professor, Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director, Mount Sinai’s Spinal Cord Injury Program