Elevation Athletes
At Elevation we strive to give every patient the tools to elevate their possibilities. We support our patients in all of their adventures, from learning to walk with a new prosthetic to putting in as many miles as possible in seeking to Elevate their life.
Tumbleweed
Determined to go the distance, Rob has rebounded from his farm accident in 2015 that resulted in a right above the knee amputation, and has sought the outdoors for recreation and rehabilitation. He snowboards with a specialized sporting leg also good for wake-boarding and dirt biking. He paddles whitewater, and has even gone ice skating. In 2019, Tumbleweed completed all 2,650 miles of The Pacific Crest Trail. Tumbleweed is the first amputee to complete the trail.
Blair M.
Forever a positive individual, Blair does everything he used to do, he just does it a little different with a prosthesis. A dirt bike accident led to his right below the knee amputation in 2011. He went back to construction work as a master carpenter, and didn't miss a step with his family as a father of three. He is an avid skier and regularly logs 15,000 steps per day. He has been an Ossur product champion for 7 years and “lives life without limitations.”
MARK LICHTLE
Mark Lichtle is an Emmy Award winning cinematographer and extreme sports professional. For nearly 20 years Mark has traveled the world seeking extreme locations to skydive and BASE jump from. Mark holds many world record titles including the world’s largest skydiving formation at 246 jumpers, the world’s largest mass jump in Malaysia, the first and only Jet Ski skydive plus countless other records and stunts. At first filming was just a passion of Mark’s but quickly became his new career. He also holds many filming awards such as an Emmy he won in 2002 for his work on Evening Magazine and more recently an NCME Award for the work he’s doing on his current project Inspire. Besides skydiving, he also rides snowboard, hydrofoil, polaris razor and likes to scuba dive and play pickleball. With all that in his curriculum, he has to have a prosthetic socket that keeps up with his lifestyle!
Sylvia S.
A lifelong active outdoors person, Sylvia uses custom knee orthoses to support her extreme skiing and dirt biking habits. She has spent a career around European adventure motorcycles and embodies the Elevation spirit: following her dreams and overcoming adversity.
j.d.
Making perfect gait look easy, JD has to let people know he uses a prosthesis. He is a musician, skateboarder, swimmer, and philanthropist who lost his leg below the knee in a motorcyle accident in 2013. He is active in his church and is currently overseas volunteering and studying.
Rory lost his leg in a truck accident in 2006 and back then, it really changed his life. He came to realize that some of the things, like sports and his lifestyle would be different from here on. He sought a prosthesis from the big companies and after 10 different sockets that didn’t fit right, he finally met Michael Carlson, who was able to help and guide him (and make a great socket). His life changed for the better and his super busy lifestyle can prove that. He’s a retired copier technician that likes to tinker around with motorcycles and other projects in his shop. He also likes to work out on his Bowflex, hit the speed bag and loves fishing, snorkeling and traveling around in his trailer. Married with 3 children, in his free time he and his wife are officers in the American Legion Riders Chapter 587 in Forest Hill, Ca, where they help support local veterans with rides and other community events.
RORY
HOWARD KLIEVER
Howard Kliever is a 75-year-old Vietnam veteran and like over 2.6 million veterans that fought in that war, he was exposed to Agent Orange, which brought on peripheral neuropathy when he was 50. In 2015 it caused a condition where all of joints and bones detached from each other. A surgeon reconstructed his foot, but after 3 years the bone had a severe infection and he had to have his foot removed in a below the knee amputation.
An avid backpacker – prior his surgery, he climbed Mt Whitney 3 times – Howard also loves hiking, fishing and 4-wheel off-road driving.
AARON COLLIER
Aaron Collier is passionate about spending quality time with his family and engaging in activities such as camping, hunting, fishing, and bike riding. He is married to Jennifer, and he and his wife proudly manage a blended family of five children.
His journey is marked by the resilience to overcome physical challenges. Born with bilateral club feet, after underwent multiple surgeries, he decided to amputate his right leg below the knee in December 2012. This decision, although difficult, turned out to be the best for his overall well-being. During rehabilitation, he crossed paths with Michael Carlson, who has since become an important part of his support system. Through his experiences, he advocates for maintaining a positive mindset and accepting help when needed, emphasizing that seeking assistance is also a sign of strength.
For Sean, mountain biking is in his blood. A professional bike mechanic by trade, he constantly pushes the boundaries of what is possible with his prosthesis. He recovered from a traumatic motor vehicle accident and regained his ability to ride a downhill mountain bike. He has ridden Sea Otter and is seen here in the Auburn hills. Sean currently uses the Bartlett Tendon knee specific to mountain biking (fabtechsystems.com)
