ST JOHNS, Fla. — The Ask Anthony team is helping a paralyzed horse jockey get back on his feet.
Fifteen years ago, Michael Straight was paralyzed due to a horse racing accident in Illinois. He now lives in St. Johns County. In 2014, he purchased an exoskeleton device that helps him walk. This summer, it suddenly stopped working.
Straight says he went to the first ever jockey school in Kentucky.
Since he was a child in New York, Straight knew he wanted to be a professional horse rider. In March of 2009, he won his first race.
"I won my first ever race as a huge, long shot. It was meant to be. Got to live out my childhood dream the fullest you could," Straight added.
His childhood dream was fulfilled, and then unfortunately cut short about five months later, after a horse racing accident.
"I was riding in Chicago. I got cut off and fell...and paralyzed."
He's now in a wheelchair and paralyzed from the waist down. In 2014, he was introduced to a new device that would change his life.
"It's the world to me. My only physical therapy. It kicks my butt so much I need days to recover. I do it 2 to 3 times a week. That was my physical therapy for the last 10 years," Straight added.
Straight uses a ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton. According to the company's website, it offers people with spinal cord injuries a new level of independence with life-changing robotics.
This technology allowed Straight the ability to stand in front of his bride on his wedding day.
"Ten years ago, I could never picture myself putting one foot in front of the other. Now, I've walked close to 400,000 steps."
The device cost him almost $100,000. He was able to raise the money to cover the payment through family and friends in the horse racing community.
About two months ago, this pricey exoskeleton stopped working due to a wiring issue with a watch battery that he uses to control the device.
Straight tried to reach out to the company for help, but he said no one would answer his questions or even call him back. "They don't have to do anything for me. But just tell me where I can purchase a battery."
After using the device for 10 years, he was put back in his wheelchair full-time. But, his family wanted him to walk again and called Anthony Austin for help.
"It's extremely frustrating and extremely disappointing that we can't get that answer," Matthew Straight, Michael's twin brother, said
The name of the company that produces the exoskeleton is called Lifeward. Its corporate office is in Massachusetts. Anthony immediately contacted the company, and within a few days, he heard back from Lifeward CEO Larry Jasinski.
Anthony wanted to know why no one was providing answers for Straight.
"We had some changes in the company recently and some numbers might have gotten outdated. We have audited to make sure every one of our phone lines is manned," Larry Jasinski explained.
Jasinski apologized for the lack of communication and poor response. He said after learning of this issue, he was able to find a solution.
"The smartwatch wasn't a major problem. It turned out to be the batteries just wore out after all those years. We just replaced it. We gave him a brand-new one. It was simple," Jasinski said.
After Anthony got in contact with the company, they overnighted Straight a new watch and it works.
"I'm back on my feet. Thank you for all your hard work," Straight said in a recorded video.
According to Lifeward, since Straight’s device is now more than 10 years old, they are encouraging him to replace it.
This year, Medicare started covering most of the costs of the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton. The company's CEO says the machine is only guaranteed to last about five years before it needs to be replaced.
Jasinski said they will help Straight get a new exoskeleton if he wants one. According to Jasinski, about 800 people currently have the device.