NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore’s wife reveals his struggle on Earth: “His endurance is…”
Now back on Earth, Wilmore is struggling with the effects of long-term weightlessness and has to go through several months of recovery.
Astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore is expected to spend eight days on the International Space Station (ISS). Instead, he and astronaut Sunita Williams were trapped in space for 286 days. Now back on Earth, Wilmore is struggling with the effects of long-term weightlessness and has to go through several months of recovery.
Wilmore and Williams returned on March 18, descending on the Florida coast. Their bodies have been weakened in space for nearly 9 months and are now adapting to the gravity of the earth. Experts say astronauts may lose up to half of their muscle mass, while nearly 20% of bone density may lose space, making recovery a slow and difficult process.
Wilmore’s wife Deanna shares the challenges of this period. “Barry said gravity is not his friend,” she told the Daily Mail. “He has very low stamina and they have to rest a lot because they aren’t strong yet.”
Almost a year later, the party with Willmore with his family was exciting, but quiet. His daughters Daryn and Logan welcome him home, and Logan prepares for her high school graduation, a milestone her father almost missed. Deanna spent her birthday, Christmas and 30th anniversary without him, describing their first hug as “a lot of hugs and enjoying this moment.”
NASA prescribed 45 days of rehabilitation, including physical therapy and mobility training. However, it can take more than a year to fully recover. Despite the challenges, Wilmore and Williams have gone within 24 hours of their return, an impressive achievement.
While Wilmore is focusing on regaining strength, his family plans on a long-lasting trip this summer. After months of space, he finally returned home, but his most difficult journey has just begun.
