Negaunee Man Walks Again After Being Told He Wouldn’t

A Negaunee man is taking new steps thanks to a state-of-the-art artificial leg.

After 52-year-old Karl Wideman was diagnosed with bone cancer last year, he was told he’d never walk again.

He had to have his leg amputated at the hip.

But then he received a high-tech prosthetic limb, including a Helix 3D hip joint and a computer-controlled C-Leg.

He can not only walk again…he can cross-country ski again.

He’s been going to physical therapy at U.P. Rehab Services in Marquette since the fall.

Staff say he has a lot of motivation.

Wideman needed just 3 months to learn to balance himself again while sitting or walking.

It takes most amputees at least twice as long as that.

He’s also the first person in the area to have the Helix 3D hip joint and C-Leg.

Wideman says he has no limits, and that he’s working on his golf swing since his next goal is to hit the links this summer.