In 2000, Abdul Nevarez started golfing after work with co-workers.
To learn golf, he read Tiger Woods’ book, “How I Play Golf”.
LIFE CAN CHANGE IN AN INSTANT
October 22nd, 2012
Abdul was minutes from arriving home on his motorcycle, when a car swerved into his lane & caused him to crash into a pedestrian pole. He was wrapped around it with his right leg behind his head.
THE CAR NEVER STOPPED.
Prior to his accident, Abdul lost his sister, Brenda, to liver failure in 2010,
and lost his brother, Noe, as an innocent drive-by shooting victim,
20 days before Abdul's accident.
Abdul was airlifted to a hospital 30 miles away & immediately taken into surgery to save his life. He endured multiple surgeries for his injuries: Compound fracture of left humerus, causing brachial plexus, comminuted pelvis, and torn bladder. Thankfully, his right arm was unscathed, but his left arm and left leg have severe nerve damage. His surgeons also made sure to save his tattoos!
On the 23rd, Abdul went into surgery for compartment syndrome below his right knee to save his leg. The upper leg was dead on the 24th so they amputated his right leg above the knee to save his life. Abdul lost more than 100 units of blood, 10x the average humans hold; no other living person received that much blood in the hospital’s history & survived. He was in the ICU for the next 10 days, recovered in the hospital for 6 weeks, & came home just in time for christmas!
In 2014, two years after his accident, Abdul couldn't find gear he would rock that supported the disabled community. That's when he founded Amplife® Clothing, empowering people with and without disabilities all over the world.
This wasn't enough though. With Abdul's drive to help as many people as possible, he knew he had to do so much more.
Amplife® is the curated marketplace, community and resource for Everything Adaptive® & Everything Disabled®, bringing the disabled community together and empowering people worldwide.
Before co-founding Amplife® with his wife, Priscilla Nevarez, Abdul was a journeyman sheetmetal worker in San Francisco for 14 years.
Abdul grew up in the 510, Richmond & San Pablo Bay Area. It was a rough area in the 1990’s resulting in him being shot in the foot & back on two separate occasions, and also doing 5 years behind bars at the California Youth Authority, San Quentin, Jamestown, and Vacaville penitentiaries.
GETTING BACK INTO GOLFING
While recovering from his near fatal hit & run motorcycle accident, Abdul played Tiger Woods Golf on Wii and stood with his walker to hit the ball. Trying any way to get back on the greens, Abdul went to the driving range, hitting with one arm, cane in the other arm, standing with his walker.
On his 3 year accident anniversary, Abdul played a round. 2nd hole, 2nd shot, he lost his balance and fell back, breaking his left wrist. He played 2 more holes since it was a good shot, then went to the ER to have surgery on it. He also had his drop wrist fixed during surgery so some good came out of the fall.
After that, he researched for an adaptive golf cart and discovered the ParaGolfer.
It’s controlled by a joystick with one hand which allows Abdul to steer, raise himself, even past 90°, to stand up and hit the golf ball. It’s light enough to go on the greens without leaving marks or affecting anyone’s game, and it keeps up with pace of play without issue.
He kicks ass golfing with one arm since he’s a right above knee amputee with severe nerve damage in his left leg & left arm!
EVER SINCE THEN,
Abdul has become a decorated golfer and leader in the disabled community.