Horrifying moment squat machine lever crushes the neck of a man, 42, at Brazilian gym, as surgeon says there is a 1 percent chance he ever walks again

• Regilânio da Silva has not regained mobility in his legs after the lever of a squat machine collapsed on him at a gym in Brazil on Friday
• The 42-year-old underwent surgery Saturday to stabilized his neck and is in stable condition
• The surgeon who operated on the father of three children said there is ‘less than 1% of the return of motor and sensitive functions’

Dramatic video footage captured the moment a man was seriously injured by a bodybuilding machine at a gym in Brazil, leaving him with a 1 percent chance of ever walking again.

Regilânio da Silva, 42, had just taken a break in between his workout and was sitting on the bench when the machine holding 330 pounds of plates collapsed over his neck on Friday at a training center in Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará.

Three men can see seen quickly removing the lever off da Silva’s back and signaling for help while he remained sitting on the bench.

Da Silva, a father of three children, underwent emergency for four hours at Santo Antônio Hospital to stabilize his neck.

Regilânio da Silva sits on the squat machine bench moments before a lever with 300 pounds of plates fell on stop of his neck at a gym in Ceará, Brazil, on Friday. The doctor who performed surgery on the 42-year-old man on Saturday said that there is less than 1 percent of a chance that he may walk again 

Regilânio da Silva suffered a serious neck injury when a squat machine lever holding more than 300 pounds of plates fell on top of his neck at a Brazilian gym on Friday

The last medical updated indicated that he was in stable condition, but he has no mobility in his legs.

His sister, Maria das Dores, said that he has mobility in his arms. 

Neurosurgeon Dr. José Correia suggested that the chances of him being able to walk again are very slim.

‘It depends a lot on the degree of injury at first, the level of return of previous functions,’ Dr. Correia said, as quoted by Brazilian news outlet G1.

‘There are neither motor nor sensitive components, unfortunately. It is the most serious injury there is from the point of view of neurological damage. The chance is, statistically, less than 1% of the return of motor and sensitive functions.’

Dr. Correia added that ‘the thoracolumbar junction, which is the transition from the rib cage to the lumbar region, has lost bone continuity. It doesn’t touch one bone to another.’

According to 220 FIT gym, the machine was purchased less than 60 days ago and was in perfect condition.

Gym customers rush to help 42-year-old Regilânio da Silva as soon as the bodybuilding machine’s lever collapsed on top of his neck

Quick-thinking gym customers lift the lever off Regilânio da Silva’s neck moments after it fell over him

Cícero Aparecido, a manager at the training facility, said the equipment has plates on the side with a center lock and that customers performed ‘conventional squats on the machine rather than freestyle squats.’

Da Silva’s family said that loved ones and the gym split the cost of the $7,000 surgery.

Since then they have set up an account on the crowdfunding site, Vakinha, to raise funds for da Silva’s recovery.

‘Let’s pray that Regi recovers quickly and that his progress is blessed by divine grace to regain leg movement,’ the family said.

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