Not all heroes wear a cape
Adam Niskar will never forget Aug. 1, 1999 – the day that would change his life forever.
It was an extremely hot summer and Adam attended a lake party with friends. He decided to go swimming and, like he’d done many times before, Adam went running off the dock.
This dive was different.
Water levels were dangerously low. Adam hit his head on the bottom of the lake. What he thought was a safe level was only 30 inches of water. After he hit the lake floor, he immediately knew something was wrong.
Adam could not move his limbs. He was laying face down and in danger of drowning. At first, his friends thought he was joking. But this was no joke.
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Adam’s friends hurried to get him out of the water. Fortunately, a doctor had shown up moments earlier. She was able to resuscitate Adam before the paramedics arrived. Without her efforts, Adam would not be here today.
He was rushed to the hospital, the extent of the injury unknown. Two hours later, doctors told my family that Adam would not walk again.
He was always a fighter. Since the injury, Adam has demonstrated an incredible amount of mental and physical strength. He spent three months in therapy at Craig Hospital in Colorado learning how to approach life going forward.
After years of improvising, overcoming and adapting, Adam is doing fantastic. He uses courage and humor to overcome some of life’s hardest obstacles. Adam lives independently. This includes driving, working out and being a successful Sales Leader at Quicken Loans.
Adam understands that this is a lifelong struggle and that he needs to stay in top mental and physical shape. He’s constantly working out, watching what he eats and doing whatever it takes to stay healthy. Adam always makes himself available to other families that have endured a similar crisis. No one expects this to happen to their family, so they do not know where to get advice when it occurs. Adam’s strength and positive attitude have made him a resource for these families. He gives them hope in a time of need.
It is crucial for Adam to stay in shape. Although there is no cure today, hopefully we are not too far away from finding one. When that day comes, Adam wil be ready.
Thank you for your continued support,
Ross Niskar, Adam’s brother