Louie George Wood was born prematurely at 28 weeks and has quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy, a brain injury called periventricular leukomalacia and delayed development.
He needs round the clock care but with the help of his parents Jodie Morgan and Tom Wood, he has defied many expectations.
Doctors said he would never speak but last year said the word ‘mum’.
And now thanks to a special device, he has taken his first ever steps.
Proud mum Jodie, 33, captured the amazing moment on film and says she had to ‘fight back the tears’ as she watched on.
Louie was attached to his dad Tom, 34, with a Leckey Firefly Upsee harness that enables him to stand and move.
Without the device, which costs £400, the youngster cannot even crawl on his own.
Full-time carer Jodie said: ‘I was absolutely bursting with pride to see Louie walking – I had to pick my heart up off the ground.
‘As a four-year-old boy he should running all over the place but he can’t because of his conditions, so see him up and about like that was absolutely huge.’
‘Louie was so excited, he was doing loads of ‘oohs and ahhs’. His face said it all, he was grinning like a Cheshire cat.’
Louie lives with mum Jodie, dad Tom and eight-year-old brother Jake in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
Jodie said: ‘Louie has a very cheeky character and he’s also very loving.
‘He knows what he wants and when he wants it and he’d not afraid to let us know.’
The Leckey Firefly Upsee uses straps and footholds so it can facilitate gradual weight-bearing, standing and walking with the assistance of an adult.
Since getting his Louie has enjoyed playing football with his brother Jake while standing up for the first time ever.
Due to his condition the family haven’t been able to leave the house since lockdown began.
Jodie said: ‘It has been so difficult, usually Tom and I have help from family but at the moment we obviously don’t.
‘We’re both absolutely knackered.
‘We don’t know when we’ll be able to go out again but we can’t wait to get Louie walking down the street and playing in the park.’
The family are fundraising to pay for a life-altering surgery for Louie. You can donate here.
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