Monty K. Reed

Monty K Reed founder of They Shall Walk and LIFESUIT robotic exoskeleton test pilot.   An Army Ranger Disabled Veteran who overcame a learning disability as well as physical disabilities to found They Shall Walk. He is an avid chef and loves to teach cooking classes in peoples homes. He helps you save time and money on food and put the fun back in the kitchen.

Order his book online   “Get STARTED-don’t quit

In 1986, while serving as a US Army Airborne Ranger, he was paralyzed from a parachute accident.  An incomplete quad, he has recovered most of his functions and most days walks without a cane, bracing or a wheelchair.  On bad days he will climb into the LIFSUIT robotic exoskeleton and go for a walk.  After two decades of research he has nearly completed the work of making the gift of walking a reality for millions of paralyzed persons who want to walk again. You can see versions of the LIFESUIT in use in hospitals and clinics around the world now.

Monty K Reed at the PMR department, CMC, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India

In 1987 Monty K Reed was honorably discharged from the US Army while still in treatment for a broken back.  He took a job working for a local convenience store.   He laid on the floor because he could not sit or stand for longer than fifteen minutes at a time.   He counted the money and did the books for the owner Roger F. who wanted to play golf more than counting the money.  When asked about Monty, Roger F. said “I knew I could trust him, the money always made it to the bank”.

Monty had been told in high school “You do not understand, you are not going to college”  In spite of that Monty thought he might take some classes to better himself.  North Seattle Community College NSCC testing department determined he had a learning disability that explained a lot about Monty K Reed’s frustration with school growing up.   He enrolled and with in a few months was the president of the honors society Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Alpha Epsilon Omega chapter.   He even managed to earn a 4.0 in accounting.  Algebra and other math still haunts him today so he delegates math to engineers and other scientists.

While at NSCC Monty K Reed held a variety of positions: Student Government Representative, President of the Robotics Club, President of the Chemistry Club, Captain of the Golf team and managing editor of the Literature magazine Licton Springs Review. The 2002 issue won the state prize and the 2003 issue won the national prize.

Monty K Reed opened a retail sporting goods business under the stairs in his fathers house when he got out of the hospital. That business grew five times each year from 1987-1990.  In 1990 he purchased a mixed use property in Ballard a community in Seattle Washington full of Norwegians and Swedes.  Where he grew the business to include wholesale and mail order.  He also became a landlord and rented out several units in Ballard.

In 1994 Monty K Reed launched a business with Nihon Kenko Zoschin Kenkukia (Japan Health Research Institute).  He worked as a recruiter and trainer and traveled all over the USA and Canada.  He became very popular and was in demand as a speaker all around the USA and Canada.  He was known as the “Basic Horse Wellness Guru”.  He sold, recordings, charts and training programs on caring for the cowboys friend.

In 1998 he semi-retired to a 75 acre horse ranch in Monroe, Washington where he rode horses daily and worked as a gentleman rancher three weeks a month and traveled as a consultant and public speaker one week per month.

Just before 9/11 he sold the ranch to get more involved with They Shall Walk so that he could build the LIFESUIT robotic exoskeletons he had been experimenting with since the hospital days.

For many years he worked with teams of volunteers, students, and interns in Seattle, Lubbock Texas, San Francisco, and Vellore India.  His primary role is as the visionary and leader for the teams at They Shall Walk.  When you spend any amount of time with him and he will have you believing you can achieve your dreams too.

Monty advises non-profit and for profit ventures that have a focus on social entrepreneurship.

In demand as a speaker and coach.

$5,000 minimum speaking fee (If you are doing a few videos and you have the scripts ready you can spread the $5000 so you get an effective presentations for video or live talks.

$10,000 for a key note address

$25,000 for a day workshop

$50,000 for two day workshop or retreat

$25,000 annual fee for coaching.

Monty K Reed, founder of They Shall Walk

send inquiry to [email protected] or call (206) 250-5639

Mary Gates Scholar
NASA Space Grant Scholar