bridging the gap: adaptive training foundation
Bridging the gap from basic functional rehabilitation and adapted sport, The Adaptive Training Foundation is supporting those living with physical or traumatic impairments to find empowerment through exercise and community.
We sat down with a handful of ATF athletes to learn more about their story and how their lives have been impacted by being a part of the ATF community.
OMAR IGLESIAS
What branch of the military did you serve in?
United States Navy
What motivated you to join and to serve?
Living on the small island of Puerto Rico and having a very humble beginning with two amazing Dads raising me, I knew my best option to travel the world and get an education was to join the military.
How did you stay connected with loved ones during your time in the service?
Emails, occasional calls home and letters.
Can you describe the connection/camaraderie that developed between yourself and those you were serving with?
It’s a bond that can’t be described. I’m also fortunate my younger sibling is active duty and he and I are super close because of our shared experiences that no other sibling in our family has.
How was it adjusting back to civilian life following your time in the military? Can you tell us a bit about what that journey was like for you?
Well, the transition is still happening. Sometimes my learning capability slows me down compared to my colleagues at work. I have short term memory loss and a TBI (traumatic brain injury). But, it’s one foot in front of the other.
How did you first find the Adaptive Training Foundation?
A great friend, who I now consider to be family, Billy DeWalt.
What has the Adaptive Training Foundation meant to you? How has it impacted your life?
It has been such a bridge to cover so many gaps in my life. I’ve learned the practice of meditation, being of service to others, and how to both love and more fully accept myself as I am, including anything I might consider to be one of my flaws.
Are there any connections that you’ve made since joining the Adaptive Training Foundation that really stick out to you?
Yes–along with my fellow class members, I’ve been able to connect with athletes in other classes and have been able to speak to current class members as well. The staff is also amazing. They hold everything down really, really well.
If you’re comfortable, can you tell us how you got your injury, and how you navigated recovery?
I was born with a congenital club foot (think of the cast from Forrest Gump) and I’ve experienced several injuries from a Humvee accident where I impacted my head, as well as other injuries from carrying heavy equipment in Iraq and fueling jets on an aircraft carrier.
How has Adaptive Training Foundation impacted how you now live with your injury?
As mentioned above, meditation helps keep me grounded. It’s the BIGGEST resource I found help me slow my day and calm myself down...especially living in NYC.
TREVON FERGUSON
What branch of the military did you serve in?
Army
How did you first get involved in the military? What motivated you to join and to serve?
I was born in Trinidad & Tobago so when I migrated, I felt I owed the American people my service for the opportunity to be here. I also needed the money attend college.
How did you stay connected with loved ones during your time in the service
When I wasn’t deployed, I'd stay connected via phone, text, email, and traditional mail. Deployments were different–staying connected meant a lot more communication via mail.
Can you describe the connection/camaraderie that developed between yourself and those you were serving with?
My experiences here were varied being a black man who was also an immigrant and my service was met with varied responses. On one hand, there were those who felt I did not belong. In those cases, I continued to show up and do my job, which led me to get a better understanding of how and why racism still existed and worked in the US. On the other hand, there were those who respected and appreciated my drive and work ethic. With those, I’ve formed life long relationships. Some of them have transitioned but they were friends to the end.
How was it adjusting back to civilian life following your time in the military? Can you tell us a bit about what that journey was like for you?
The adjustment was not too bad since I had a long term plan in place. What was difficult was getting the help I needed because of my injuries.
How did you first find the Adaptive Training Foundation
I was referred by some friends to go meet Board member Mr. Jim Gardner. I did and the rest is history.
What has the Adaptive Training Foundation meant to you? How has it impacted your life?
FAMILY! They are my tribe, an extension of me. They accepted me with everything that was wrong and challenged me to be who God created me to be. They have loved me through every step of the process, good and bad.
Are there any connections that you’ve made since joining the Adaptive Training Foundation that really stick out to you?
ABSOLUTELY! Kelly Butler, we were in Class 16 together. Kelly has MS like my mom did and that was something that we bonded over immediately. Kelly was the first person to get me to go running again, including a 5K we did together, which she did full in her wheelchair!
Derrick Ross, a wounded Army Vet, is another one of the strongest connections I’ve made. We first connected on work ethic and that quickly turned into so much more. We’re both family oriented, avid archers brothers in arms, and we both happen to be DJ’s. Those few connection points are where it all started and that’s strengthened our brotherhood over the years.
If you’re comfortable, can you tell us how you got your injury, and how you navigated recovery?
I was involved in a horrible Humvee accident during a training exercise. I suffered a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and now I live with epilepsy as a result. I also suffer from knee and back injuries.
Until I found ATF, I navigated POORLY! I needed counseling for my mental health issues which I never acknowledged and lived in constant pain (migraines daily for 23 plus years). All of this compounded in my social and family life resulting in a failed marriage, isolation from friends and struggles on the job.
How has Adaptive Training Foundation impacted how you now live with your injury?
ATF gave me three things that I summarize with the acronym ACT:
A: Awareness & Action
They made me truly aware of what was wrong. Not just in terms of awareness of my injuries and what I could not do, but they reminded me of who I had forgotten I was and what I could do. They really challenged me to take action and do something about it.
C: Community
A tribe, a family, a group of people who understood my struggles but respected me and loved me beyond them. A group of people who have not only supported my fight but who have endured some of the pain with me as I fought to get back on my feet.
T: Tools
From meditation, breathwork and nutrition, to an understanding of how CBD could help me, to getting me to go to counseling, they armed me with a host of tools to help me rebuild my life and navigate my new path.
JOSHUA SAGER
What branch of the military did you serve in?
Army
How did you first get involved in the military? What motivated you to join and to serve?
I joined the military at 18. I was motivated to be part of something bigger than myself, and I truly wanted to make a difference.
How did you stay connected with loved ones during your time in the service?I stayed connected through loved ones via phone and FaceTime as much as I could. Throughout my 8 year career, there was a 4 year period in which I wasn’t able to visit my parents at all.
Can you describe the connection/camaraderie that developed between yourself and those you were serving with?
It's immeasurable really. The men I served with are more my family then some of my actual blood. I would truly do anything for them, to this day. We still speak on a near daily basis.
How was it adjusting back to civilian life following your time in the military? Can you tell us a bit about what that journey was like for you?
Adjusting to civilian life was more difficult than I could have ever anticipated. I was not prepared to leave the military, after being severely injured and medically retired. I was angry, and dealing with a lot of hard changes during my transition to civilian life. I went from drinking every night, to finding a new home and community in the gym, and that’s when everything turned around for me.
How did you first find the Adaptive Training Foundation?
I found ATF through an old ATF alumni Ryan Zimmerer.
What has the Adaptive Training Foundation meant to you? How has it impacted your life?
ATF truly saved my life. Without the redefine program and the community ATF provides, I do not believe I would still be here today. ATF is my family. It helped improve my marriage, my family relationships, and my overall well being.
Are there any connections that you’ve made since joining the Adaptive Training Foundation that really stick out to you?
The biggest connections I made at ATF were with the people in my original redefine class. There’s 4 of them that I speak to on a daily basis and have become some of my closest friends.
If you’re comfortable, can you tell us how you got your injury, and how you navigated recovery?
I was injured in a parachute collapse in July 2015. I had another paratrooper steal my air, resulting in a total canopy collapse and a 40 foot fall. Upon impact, I shattered both my hips, and my right femur and knee, as well as compressed my spine and endured traumatic brain injury. After 18 months of rehab, I moved from a wheelchair to crutches to finally walking again. I didn’t run again until I found ATF. I now run 4-5 miles consistently every mornin and find ways to push myself daily.
How has Adaptive Training Foundation impacted how you now live with your injury?
I used to coddle myself and my injuries due to what doctors said. I now know this was holding me back. I was told I would never run again…I run, surf, snowboard–nothing holds me back. I don’t think any of that would be possible without ATF.