ND Man walking on one of the First Symbionic Legs in the World - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Walking.

It's a simple task most of us never think about.

Except for the man you are about to meet.

For nearly 3 years one Bismarck resident has had to think about every step--until now.

Reporter Sarah Gustin shows you how advanced technology is giving a gift to a man who didn't know if he would ever walk again.  

(Steve Herman / Symbionic Leg Recipient) "It happened July 9th, 2009.  A memory like Pearl Harbor in my mind." 

The day a motorcycle accident changed Steve Herman's life forever.

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Steve is the first in the state, and one of only 40 in the world to be fitted with a symbionic leg.

Steve's old prosthesis had a bionic knee, but now he is walking on a bionic knee and bionic ankle. 

(Steve Herman / Symbionic Leg Recipient) "So now my leg and my foot just act fairly close, to a normal leg and foot." 

(Eric Lieux / Great Plains Prosthetics and Orthotist ) "One he got on to the prosthesis, felt comfortable, he took off." 

Eric Lieux is Steve's doctor.

Lieux says there's been bionic knees and bionic feet for years, but the two could never be used together--this is the first prosthetic in the world that is integrated with both. 

(Eric Lieux / Great Plains Prosthetist and Orthotist ) "The sensors in the toes allow Steve to go into all terrain circumstances. so if he is walking in the grass, and there is resistance on the toes. The prosthesis senses that. Puts a little more energy into the knee to keep it from unlocking and raises the toes higher so you don't have that particular resistance or drag." 

(Steve Herman / Symbionic Leg Recipient) "I travel a lot, I still do. I travel about 50-thosuand miles a year.All by air. I travel by myself. I golf three times a week."

Steve says he also now walks on the treadmill at least 4 miles a day.

(Steve Herman / Symbionic Leg Recipient) "I'm just grateful for where I am at. Everyday is a good day. I don't have a bad day anymore." 

Dr. Lieux (lee-r) says Steve's walking rate is between 1.8-2.5 mph hour.

He says you and I normally walk at about 1.7 mph.