North Texans overcome obstacles in the gym with the help of Adaptive Foundation at APEC
FORT WORTH – Each Wednesday, a group of people gather at the APEC training facility in Fort Worth to work out. The workouts may look ordinary, but the progress being made through the help of APEC's Adaptive Foundation is extraordinary.
Luis Carlos Garcia has experienced the progress first-hand.
"The oxygen that gets pumped into your brain when you're exercising, I just felt immediately the progression into a better path, of that to begin with," Garcia said.
Garcia became an amputee three years ago after losing one of his legs in a motorcycle crash.
"There's been a lot that I've had to overcome physically, obviously, but most importantly, I think mentally was, the toughest part," Garcia said. "The program has helped me drastically improve in my mobility and my strength, but I think, most importantly, it has helped me mentally overcome some of those barriers that I've placed on myself by being an amputee."
The Adaptive Foundation at APEC gave Garcia his physical and mental strength back. He learned from workout partners like Scott Odom who was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma when he was starting high school and has been an amputee since the age of 14.
"That's why I like coming," Odom said. "I've kind of been down that road for a long time, so I kind of know the tips and tricks of what not to do and what to do and can help other people because everybody is in a different stage."
Adaptive Foundation coach, Anthony Angulo, guides the workouts providing specific instruction to each participant. He said the impact of these workouts is hard to describe.
"It helps them fight this battle that they fight alone, when they go home," Angulo said. "But when they're here together, whatever issues that they're struggling with, or anything of that nature, we come together as brothers and we come and work out, let it all out, and we have a good time."
"These relationships with these guys, including the staff means a lot to me because I've been able to go from a dark place, to seeing the light, you know, in life and in the community," Garcia said.
While many of the Adaptive Foundation participants are amputees, the program also supports those with neurodivergent conditions, brain injury, military injury, spinal cord injuries, visual or hearing impairments and even poverty.
"I think if I could put it in one word, inspirational," Angulo said. "Seeing them come through, on their hardest days and they share it, And to see how much they improve, I mean, I'm speechless. I'm speechless every time."
It's a workout that is about more than lifting weights.
"Reach out to this kind of community and, and quickly you will realize that everything is going to be fine," Garcia says.
The Adaptive Foundation provides these workouts for free thanks to donors and sponsorships. Applications to join the Wednesday night workouts can be found on APEC's website.
