Steve Wampler
Adversity: Cerebral Palsy
Advocacy: Established various advocacy pathways to show children with disabilities that their dreams are possible.
“My advocacy allows kids to see their full potential. What I mean is that they can get their way with anything they do in life. Camp Nedejdly turned my life around, and now I’m watching these kids have the same experience I had.”
Steve J. Wampler came into this world with a severe case of cerebral palsy – a cohort of disorders that lead to brain and nervous system dysfunction. Though these challenges have kept Steve wheelchair-bound with the full use of only one limb, they have never dampened his feisty, passionate and altruistic personality. Steve earned a degree in environmental engineering, married his supportive partner Elizabeth, and has two wonderful children.
Beyond these accomplishments, Steve has transformed his battle with cerebral palsy into a blessing for his community. He was the very first disabled person to brave the ominous El Capitan of Yosemite. Fighting through fear and hardships during the six-day climb, Steve succeeded in raising money to re-open a life-changing outdoor children’s camp. In 2002, Steve established the Wampler Foundation, a program that financially enables disabled children to attend his two-week camp of outdoor adventures, environmental exploration, physical rehabilitation and social development. Camp Wamp’s appeal to “make your disability irrelevant” is certainly working, for with the loving support of his team, Steve has reached thousands of children delighted to find that their dreams are indeed possible. One need only follow Steve’s blog, volunteer for a Camp Wamp adventure, watch his award-winning documentary “Wampler’s Descent” or meet Steve in person at a public speaking gig to see how he truly encapsulates A2A’s vision.
Advocacy Links
- Steven J. Wampler Foundation
- Wampler Foundation – Facebook
- Steven Wampler – Blog
- Stephen J. Wampler Foundation, Inc. – Guidestar
- Wampler Foundation – YouTube