Quadriplegic Daniel Hillyer walked and danced at his wedding, despite being told he’d never walk again

Quadriplegic Daniel Hillyer did the seemingly impossible – he walked down the aisle at his wedding and danced with his wife.

Daniel Hillyer with his wife Maryanne Harris on their wedding day in 2017. Picture: Carly Tia

Exclusive: Daniel Hillyer was told he would never walk again after being injured in a balcony collapse in 2010.

Then a miracle happened.

Immense determination and intensive rehabilitation using robot technology allowed the quadriplegic to defy his doctors.

In an astounding breakthrough, Mr Hillyer was able to walk down the aisle and dance at his wedding in 2017.

The former chef can also use his hands to julienne vegetables again thanks to rehabilitation and a revolutionary new neuro-controlled exoskeleton.

He is now able to lift himself out of his motorised wheelchair and walk up to 210m using a walking frame.

“Basically, I was diagnosed with quadriplegia and told I wouldn’t have any movement from my shoulders down,” Mr Hillyer said.

Daniel Hillyer, with his wife Maryanne Harris. Daniel became a quadriplegic after a balcony collapse in 2010 but has regained use of his hands and can now walk using a special frame. Picture: Supplied

His girlfriend, now wife, Maryanne was doing a degree in exercise science at the University of Wollongong when Mr Hillyer sustained his injury, and was determined to get him moving again.

In 2012 she discovered the Cyberdyne exoskeletons made in Japan that rebuild the connection between brain and body and help support people as they learn how to move again.

“They can move for people if they can’t perform a movement themselves,” Ms Hillyer said.

With repeated practice, muscle tone improves and the robot adjusts to that change so the person does more of the movement themselves and relies less on the exoskeleton to do it for them.

The aim is to retrain the brain so it can find new ways of making muscles work when spinal or brain damage cuts off the normal pathways.

The exoskeleton used at a rehab gym in Woollongong. Picture: Supplied

The couple imported a series of the exoskeletons in early 2021 and set up the RoboFit rehabilitation centre in Wollongong.

During the NSW lockdown, Daniel used the robots in a 12-week program to improve his walking.

At the start he could walk 75m in six minutes; by the end he could complete 210m in a walking frame.

“We’ve had clients who have had a stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Guillain Barre Syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury,” Ms Hillyer said.

Daniel Hillyer became a quadriplegic after a balcony collapse in 2010 but miraculously has regained use of his hands and can now walk using a special frame thanks to intensive rehab using exoskeletons. Picture: Supplied

Another client with a C4 complete spinal cord injury was able to take their first voluntary step in two years after using the exoskeleton for four months, she said.

In 2016, Elio Vergoli suffered a stroke, had to be resuscitated twice and was left with severe weakness and stiffness on the left side of his body.

Daniel Hillyer with his wife Maryanne Harris on their wedding day in 2017. Picture: Carly Tia

Unable to walk unaided or be on his own for any length of time, the 64-year-old began travelling from Melbourne to Wollongong a year ago to regain his strength in the RoboFit gym.

The exoskeletons have improved his posture and balance and increased his capacity for walking.

Daniel Hillyer spent eight months learning to dance for his wedding. Picture: Carly Tia

Meanwhile, Mr Hillyer was on a secret mission of his own.

He said Maryanne had devoted so much time to improving his independence he was determined to surprise her at their wedding.

“It was an eight -month build-up in secret with Maryanne not knowing,” he said.

“It was a beautiful moment for us both,” said Ms Hillyer.

Mr Hillyer’s progress began with a flicker of feeling in his big toe six months after his accident, and 11 years on, he hopes to move about using a walking frame and resume work as a chef.

“It’s very humbling to be able to work alongside people and seeing somebody stand up for the first time and them and their family wearing a smile because they’re breaking some of those things that they were told that they would never be able to do again,” said Ms Hillyer.