Local family uses scuba diving therapy to help people learn to walk again

CLERMONT, Fla. — A local family is using techniques from scuba diving to help people learn how to walk.

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The idea came after their son was told he would never be able to walk again following a risky surgery to remove a tumor.

David Lawrence’s son, David Jr. was diagnosed with an astrocytoma tumor directly on his brain stem when he was only 11 years old.

“One week he was at football camp the next week, we found that he had a debilitating tumor,” Lawrence said.

He survived the risky surgery but was left paralyzed from the neck down.

Lawrence was told his son would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

“He said ‘Dad, I don’t want to be in a wheelchair the rest of my life, I want to, want to walk again.’”

Insurance wouldn’t cover a much-needed therapy called hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT.

So, David Sr. turned to an old hobby, scuba diving.

David started by getting his son in the water in a standing position and then walking.

The idea, combining aquatic therapy with the concept of HBOT.

Allowing more oxygen than normal to the body, and promoting healing in damaged and oxygen-starved tissues.

Within about a year, David Jr. Was walking, despite being paralyzed on the left side of his body.

The family wanted to share this therapy to help others, so they opened Scuba 4 Life in Clermont.

And over the past 15 years, they’ve helped dozens, particularly those with brain injuries from strokes or accidents.

People are now walking examples of scuba therapy’s results.

See more in the video above.

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