---
title: "Paralyzed US Veteran Uses Exoskeleton to Complete a Marathon"
description: "Paralyzed veteran Terry Hannigan Vereline used an exoskeleton to complete the 2019 New York City Marathon over the course of three days."
date: "2019-11-12"
modified: "2019-11-12"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/paralyzed-us-veteran-exoskeleton-marathon"
categories:
  - "Health & Medicine"
tags:
  - "exoskeleton"
  - "health"
---

# Paralyzed US Veteran Uses Exoskeleton to Complete a Marathon

![Paralyzed Army veteran Terry Hannigan Vereline used an exoskeleton to complete the 2019 New York City Marathon over the course of three days.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/paralyzed-us-veteran-exoskeleton-complete-marathon.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: CBS News\</em\>*

Retired Army Sergeant Terry Hannigan Vereline [just made history](<https://www.cbsnews.com/news/paralyzed-us-veteran-finishes-new-york-city-marathon-using-rewalk-robotic-exoskeleton/>) at the 2019 New York City Marathon.

When she crossed the finish line on November 3, the 65-year-old became the first paralyzed American to successfully complete a marathon — and she did so with the help of a robotic exoskeleton.

"Words cannot express the feelings I had crossing the finish line," Vereline said in a [press release](<https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-paralyzed-american-completes-a-marathon-using-a-rewalk-exoskeleton-300952379.html>). "This has been a dream of mine, and I hope I can serve as an inspiration to others that you too can achieve what seems like the impossible — especially all of the disabled children I meet across the country."

Vereline served in Vietnam, and when she was in her late-20s, doctors diagnosed her with [sarcoidosis](<https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/sarcoidosis/learn-about-sarcoidosis.html>), a rare inflammatory disease linked to the chemicals she was exposed to while in the military, [according to the *NY Post*](<https://nypost.com/2019/10/30/meet-the-nyc-marathons-amazing-bionic-woman/>).

By 2011, the disease had paralyzed her from the chest down. The following year, Vereline began using the [ReWalk Robotics](<https://futurism.com/paralyzed-man-uses-exoskeleton-to-run-race-for-policy-change>) exoskeleton, the device she used to complete the marathon over the course of three days.

"Ever since the day I stood up in the ReWalk for the first time, opportunities I never thought I'd have again were laid out before me," Vereline said in the press release. "I trained hard, and was able to achieve something amazing. And I am grateful for the chance to be able to stand and walk again every day."

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)