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Paralyzed Man Uses Exoskeleton Suit So He Can Get Down on One Knee and Propose in Heartwarming Video

Josh Smith wasn't going to let anything get in the way of him getting down on one knee to ask his girlfriend to become his wife.

Smith was paralyzed from the chest down after a swimming accident in 2014, he told Good Morning America. Since he was 23, he's been a C-6 quadriplegic, unable to walk.

After four months of rehabilitation, he was able to return home. In under a year, he was able to drive, work full-time, participate in sports, and even began inventing products to help individuals with motor impairment.

"It was kind of just my own drive that really pushed me forward to get independent and learn new things," Smith told GMA.

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However, despite making strides in many areas of his life post-injury, he admitted: "My self-confidence kind of went down the drain a little bit. I didn't really think anybody would want to date me, let alone marry me."

That is, until he met his now-fiancée Grace Thompson on a dating app last year.

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paralyzed man proposes
paralyzed man proposes

"The pandemic played a huge role in how serious we became because we went on the perfect amount of dates to where we both felt safe and comfortable not being in public anymore," Thompson, 26, told GMA. "We were pretty lucky in the timing of it all."

So, when Smith decided to pop the question, he knew he wanted to make it special. With the help of his physical therapists, he was able to figure out a way to get down on one knee for the moment.

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"I had this huge idea, and I didn't know if it was even possible because I don't think I've ever seen anybody do it before," Smith said. "So, I reached out to my therapists and told them I wanted to try to get down on one knee to propose, and I was hoping that we could use the exoskeleton to help with that."

In a video from the special moment, Thompson asks "Are you serious?" as she walks into their deck to the sight of Smith on his knee.

"Dead serious," he responds. "You are the most amazing thing in my life. I'm so glad that God brought you into my life. You are the most perfect person for me."

RELATED VIDEO: Ms. Wheelchair USA 2021 Erica Myron's Story of Determination After Attack Left Her Paralyzed

Not only was Smith able to propose on one knee, he was also able to stand up and embrace his new fiancée after she said 'Yes.'

"It was really cool that he was able to get on one knee," Thompson said. "But to see him stand up -- I've never seen him stand before, so that was really great and it was really strange to, like, have him hug me standing up! I wish we could do that more!"

The happy couple is planning their wedding for October 2022.