FORMER PARAPLEGIC WALKS OUT OF REHABILITATION CENTER IN POUGHKEEPSIE

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — Stanley Auclaire was shot in July of last year. One of the bullets fractured his spine, and he was paralyzed from the waist down.

“I got shot twice in my stomach, and then I was 12 days in a coma and 43 days in ICU,” said former paraplegic Stanley Auclaire.

Doctors told him he would never walk again. But on Wednesday, Auclaire, 32, was discharged from the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at River Valley in Poughkeepsie.

“Been down here working with the therapy crew getting me to walk, taking my first steps and everything and pushing forward, and not giving up,” Auclaire said.

“He showed tremendous determination, work ethic and working hand-in-hand with our outstanding team at the grand,” said Dan Muskin, the regional vice president of Grand Healthcare System. “Walking out of here is a true miracle.”

When he got to the rehab center, Auclaire immediately started working on regaining mobility in both his legs.

“I’m already past my goals. I was just hoping maybe I could be able to walk around in my house and then be in a wheelchair outside, but I can walk a lot more than that now,” Auclaire said.

Rehabilitation therapists said Auclaire has been working tirelessly over the past six months to get back on his feet.

“Stanley was very determined when he first got in here. He was going to walk again and he was going to leave here that way,” said Director of Rehabilitation Valerie Tucci.

“At first, it was just starting out stretching my legs and then trying to stand up, and get my balance on the balance bars, and then eventually, it turned into taking a couple of steps at a time,” Auclaire said.

Auclaire was fitted for custom leg braces, which provide the additional support he needs to walk.

“I can actually stand by myself for a little while and keep my balance and walk further,” Auclaire said.

Specialists said Auclaire is a big motivator for other patients.

“He comes down every day with a smile on his face. Even with he’s done with therapy, he will still come down and work out more,” Tucci said.

Auclaire said this is just the first step on his road to recovery.

“I’m gonna keep pushing, walking even if I got to walk outside and I fall, and get back up. Just keep going,” Auclaire said.

Auclaire said he will return to South Carolina in the coming weeks to be reunited with his family.