Student Who Was Told That He Would Never Walk Again Graduates On His Feet Twice

Several months into his first year at Florida International University, Aldo Amenta, a student from Venezuela, experienced a Stroke.

According to reports, the Venezuelan student fractured his neck in 2015 when he plunged into the shallow end of a pool.

And, while he was able to walk again when his heart stopped during the trauma, doctors told him he was now a quadriplegic and would never walk again.

The challenges he faced as a result of this incident’s actions were so severe that he considered dropping out of college, but they continued to afflict him after he decided against it.

“Now, I depend on a lot of people to assist me accomplish my daily activities,” Amenta said. So, simply in my day-to-day life, that’s become a major challenge.”

But, with the aid of his friends, family, and a scholarship program called FIU’s ignite AMPAGN, Amenta persevered and obtained his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 2018.

Not only that, but with the aid of the robot exoskeleton device we see here and his physical therapist Guy Romaine, he’d finish up walking across the stage to obtain his diploma.

Amenta went out of his wheelhouse for yet another graduation as the crowd cheered him on and Romaine accompanied him once again.

He had, however, earned a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at the time. And he intends to one day utilize what he’s learned and his personal experiences to develop new technologies to aid those suffering from spinal injuries.

He’s also hopeful that he’ll be able to fully recover, and believes that stem cell therapies and a stimulator transplant are his best options.

That doesn’t mean he hasn’t taken the time to consider what he’s just said.

“This is one of the biggest events of my life,” he says. “I’m ecstatic, appreciative, and overjoyed to be here.”

In terms of his graduation walks, Amenta hopes that they inspire individuals to consider themselves as “limitless” when it comes to making the right decision.

“I wanted to walk across the stage with my fellow graduates to show that we are all capable of achieving everything we set our minds to, regardless of background, culture, conditions, or age,” he continued.