Mike Droter was paralyzed during a trip to Hawaii after a he was hit by a wave and slammed into the sand.
He was with his then-fiance at the time, and his goal after that day was to be able to stand on their wedding day. The date was set for March 23, 2018.
While the wedding never happened, his goal to stand on his own remained the same.
"Just trying to mentally focus on myself," Droter said. "My main inspiration is finding others, so I like to show people that it's possible and spread the word for spinal cord people."
Last year he was unable to move his hands or legs. Now he's able to move his right hand to move his wheelchair and is slowly able to walk and stand.
"I'm almost there," Droter said. "A little bit closer. There are setbacks and it's literally one day at the time."
He's also ready for the next chapter in his life.
"One of the biggest accomplishments I want to reach is finding a significant other, being a parent, and being able to throw a ball, put a ring on a finger for a wife," Droter said. "Everything happens for a reason. Definitely devastating but I've inspired a lot of people and that makes me feel good."