From the brilliant minds of Marvel Comics came the beloved superhero Iron Man. Empowered by his suit of armor, Iron Man represents strength, perseverance and the power of technology. Friendswood ISD has its very own Iron Man and his name is Magnus Talton.
Magnus is a second-grader at Westwood Elementary. He has cerebral palsy which has affected his ability to move, leaving him wheelchair-bound for most of his life. In order to help Magnus with his mobility, his mother invested in a robotic walking device called Trexo.
Trexo is a robotic gate-training device that is fitted to the wearer in order to teach their muscles how to walk. It is advanced technology that can track progress over time as it measures things such as how many steps are taken in a session and how frequently muscles activate and/or resist the machine. There are approximately 200 devices worldwide.
“I honestly do not remember the first time I saw a Trexo, but it was always on the back of my mind,” Magnus’ mother Shawna Talton said. “After the pandemic started, we were not able to have in-clinic [physical therapy] and it was hard to find someone to come to the house to do his therapy. It was one of those things where I thought, ‘Okay, this will keep him moving, this will keep him healthy.’ Then, I started to think about the social aspects of it and I was convinced this was what he needed.”
The process to get the Trexo was not easy. It required a significant amount of time, energy and money; however, according to Shawna, it was all worth it the first time she saw Magnus in the Trexo.
“We turned it on for the first time…his head came straight up and he had these wide eyes,” Shawna said. “It was magical. It was like he was feeling his body in a way he had never felt it before.”
Desiree Mataya, Magnus’ physical therapist, was there for the touching moment.
“Everything he has done up until this point has been other people helping him,” Mataya said. “This is the one thing he could do where nobody has to touch him, nobody has to support him, nobody has to be on him – it’s him. It’s the only thing since he was three that I have seen [bring him] joy.”
Even though it is a personal device, Magnus’ therapist and teachers have integrated the Trexo into his school day.
“We were in contact with the District and our director who learned about it and sat through a lot of meetings with us and the team to talk about if we could support this, how we could do it and what would be the best way to integrate this into his day,” Mataya said. “They were 100 percent on board. We want to fight and advocate for our students. It was such a good feeling to know we have this available to a student.”
Typically for 20-30 minutes each day, Magnus uses the Trexo and walks the halls of his school. In doing so, he has attracted a lot of positive attention from his peers who have come to know him as “Iron Man.”
“In Iron Man, when he puts on the suit, the suit makes a noise and is more or less walking for him,” Mataya said. “So, it is an easy way for a child to understand [the Trexo] and understand what it’s doing for [Magnus]. It’s not scary, it’s not going to hurt anybody; it’s exciting.”
Shawna agreed.
“For them to be at the same level is different and they have never seen him that way, and he’s never seen them that way,” she said. “I feel like it’s going to do a lot for him, socially, just being like them – having something else in common instead of something else different.”
Along with the social benefits, there are physical benefits as well. According to case studies, predicted benefits of consistent use of the Trexo are increased initiation of movement, greater range, improved sleeping, having more comfortable bowel and bladder function and overall greater happiness and quality of life.
“I hope this opens more doors for Magnus,” Shawna said. “I hope this makes him want to explore his environment more, be more involved and possibly trigger some communication. I’m hoping this is just the beginning.”
Mataya also has some optimisms for Magnus.
“There is a lot of hopes but primarily self-worth,” she said. “[I want him] to feel a part of the school, to feel a part of functions, to be a part of walking in the hallway and being upright with his friends and his family.”
She continued.
“It’s inclusion. The District is wanting to provide – it rings in my head – a meaningful experience for all students, and this is the meaningful experience that he would not have ever had. What better legacy?”
With each step he takes, Magnus Talton is leaving an immeasurable impression on Friendswood ISD. He is absolutely a superhero.
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