Cameron Clapp

Cameron Clapp (born February 18, 1986) is an American athlete. As a triple amputee, he has become a motivational speaker, mentor to young amputees, and amputee activist. He is also an actor.

Cameron Clapp (triple amputee)
Born (1986-02-18) February 18, 1986
Occupation(s)motivational speaker, actor, Athlete
AwardsShining Star Award (2005)[1]
Websitecameronclapplive.com

He has been characterized as the "quintessential California teenager" for "his blond hair, buff torso, and megawatt smile" albeit "on a pair of shiny, state-of-the-art robotic legs."[2]

Amputation

Accident and recovery

On September 15, 2001, at the age of 15, Clapp was hit by a train. He had been drinking at a ceremony commemorating victims of the September 11 attacks and was unable to remember passing out on a railroad track near his home in Atascadero, California.[3] His blood alcohol content was found to be .229.[4] He was hit by a freight train travelling at high speed. His injuries required the amputation of both his legs above his knees and his right arm slightly below his shoulder.

Clapp underwent extensive rehabilitation at the Hanger Clinic.[5] He mastered independent walking only five months after the accident, an exceptional accomplishment.[6] He is quoted as saying, "I left the wheelchair five months after the accident and I don't want to have to use it again."

Prosthetics

Clapp has used a series of increasingly advanced prosthetic limbs.[2]

He has three different sets of specialized prosthetic legs: one for walking, one for running, and one for swimming.[2]

Amputee activism

Clapp has become a mentor and inspiration[7] for amputees. He is a certified peer visitor with the Amputee Coalition of America. He advocates breakthrough technologies as a means of shattering the barriers between the disabled and the mainstream.

Clapp has devoted hundreds of hours in counseling young amputees as to the endless possibilities of attaining mainstream functionality after life-altering loss of limbs. As part of this effort, he attends Camp No Limits in Maine, and mentors amputees such as Charlotte Cleverley-Bisman.[8]

His amputee activism has included extensive visitation and counseling of returning veterans of the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan who have sustained the loss of limbs. This includes multiple appearances at Walter Reed Army Medical Center's "Warriors in Transition" program.[9]

In November 2005 he was honored with a Shining Star award at the 58th annual Shining Star Awards Gala,[10] an honor previously bestowed upon Christopher Reeve and Ray Charles. Sponsored by Just One Break Inc. (JOB), a national nonprofit organization[11] founded in part by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1947[10] to promote the employment of disabled World War II service veterans, the award "recognize[s] individuals and organizations whose achievements and/or support further the potential of people with disabilities, either by example or by supporting JOB in its mission of helping qualified applicants obtain sustainable employment."[10]

Athletics

Before the accident Clapp had been an active athlete.

He has since participated in numerous athletic competitions for amputees. He competed in the University of Central Oklahoma's Endeavor Games from 2002 to 2005.[12] Cameron's gold and silver medal accomplishments include running 100 meters in only 18 seconds and swimming 20 laps.[12]

He aspires to compete in the Paralympic Games,[3][12] although he jokes that "there aren't enough athletes in my category. I'm the only triple amputee that runs!"[12]

He is additionally an accomplished golfer.[12]

Acting career

Clapp's acting career has spanned television and film.

In 2005 his accident and miraculous recovery was featured on the Discovery Channel series Medical Incredible.[13]

His television roles have included Jake, the no-legged boyfriend of the one-legged Didi (played by Tracy Ashton) in NBC's My Name Is Earl.[14][15] He also appeared in HBO's Carnivàle as the character of Management.

He portrayed a wounded service member in the 2008 feature film Stop-Loss. He also played the role of "The Total Package" in Comedy Central's Workaholics.

Personal life

Cameron Clapp was born on February 18, 1986, along with an identical twin brother named Jesse. Clapp lived in Arroyo Grande, California. On January 2, 2008,[16] Jesse was found dead from a drug overdose in a home in Grover Beach, California.[17][18]

References
  1. Metzger, Sherry. "Unquenchable Spirit: The Cameron Clapp Story". oandp.com. The O&P EDGE. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  2. Marriott, Michael (October 10, 2005). "Robo-legs: new prosthetic limbs are providing increased mobility for many amputees--and blurring the line between humans and machines". New York Times Upfront. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  3. Slater, Emily (2004-06-24). "Nothing's impossible". Times Press Recorder. Archived from the original on 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
  4. Olson, Walter (December 5, 2008). "December 2001 archives, part 2". Overlawyered. Cato Institute. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  5. "I'mPOSSIBLE". InMotion. Amputee Coalition. 23 (2): 4. March–April 2013.
  6. Cameron Clapp Speech Preview, archived from the original on June 22, 2011
  7. Schorn, Daniel (December 29, 2005). "Amputee An Inspiration To Others". CBS. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  8. "Camp No Limits : August 2013". CharlotteCleverleyBisman.com. Charlotte reunites with her friend and mentor Cameron Clapp at Camp No Limits, Maine, USA August 2013
  9. "WRAMC > Warriors In Transition". Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  10. Silver Linings: 58th Annual Awards Dinner Dance Gala (PDF), New York, New York: Just One Break, Inc. (JOB), November 30, 2005, archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-09-07, retrieved 2009-07-23
  11. "Just One Break, Inc. (JOB) Family of Services". Just One Break, Inc. Archived from the original on September 5, 2013.
  12. Metzger, Sherry (February 2006), Unquenchable Spirit: The Cameron Clapp Story, The O&P EDGE
  13. Cameron Clapp, Medical Incredibles, archived from the original on June 12, 2011
  14. Pemberton, Patrick S. (November 22, 2005). "His loss is his gain". The Tribune. Cameron made the local news yesterday... also don't forget to watch Cameron on "My Name is Earl" tonight, Tuesday 11/22/05, on NBC... He's on the beginning of the show so don't tune in late!
  15. Keveney, Bill (October 17, 2005). "Behind the scenes, 'Earl' is as quirky as its plotlines". USA Today. Van Nuys, California.
  16. "~~Arroyo Grande High School, California~~". FallenClassmates.com. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  17. "Brother of a young Five Cities triple prosthetic athlete found dead in a Grover Beach home". KSBY 6. 2008-01-03. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  18. "Trilateral amputee to share story with JLA students". Judson Independent School District. 2009-01-23. Archived from the original on September 4, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
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