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SALT LAKE CITY — Eight years ago, Matthew Brewer lost both of his legs after a near-fatal heroin overdose.
He was alone, depressed and "full of shame and guilt."
"It wasn't until I came to another Hanger Clinic event called BAKA Bootcamp — bilateral above knee amputee boot camp — that I was able to actually connect with my community," Brewer said. "That weekend was a life-altering experience for me because I got to see other people doing things that I wanted to do."
On Saturday, Brewer was in attendance at the annual Utah Adaptive Mobility Clinic in Salt Lake City. This time, he was there as a patient ambassador for Hanger Clinic, helping others find their way back to doing things they once loved.
More than 50 amputees participated in the event hosted by prosthetic and orthotic care provider, Hanger Clinic (which has seven Utah locations from Logan to St. George). They were able to test out various prosthetics and running blades, connect with local adaptive sports and outdoor groups and build a sense of community.
"Patients ... can be exposed to adaptive programming meaning bike riding, rock climbing, running, yoga, fencing — all different types of activities that people can do with some sort of disability — so they're adapting to kind of get back to being active or getting into recreation," said Wendy Remington-Brewer, a clinical specialist with Hanger Clinic.
Companies such as Ottobock (the world's largest prosthetics company) and Blatchford were on hand to let amputees test out new prosthetic technology.
For Brewer and many other amputees, events like the mobility clinic can be "life-changing," he said.
As a bilateral above-knee amputee, which is widely considered the hardest amputation level to overcome, the first time Brewer attended a Hanger Clinic event was also the first time he met a fellow bilateral above-knee amputee.
"It's very motivating for new amputees to see somebody being able to accomplish something that maybe they haven't even set as a goal yet," Brewer said.
Remington-Brewer said Saturday's event — in its eighth year — was 100% run by volunteers, with the help of community partners that help bring things together.
Kurt Farmer, a Tooele resident and amputee for just over three years, is a Hanger Clinic patient and said that events like the mobility clinic allow him the opportunity to push himself and try activities that he normally might not have access to.
"They have a climbing wall out there I want to try, they've got cycling (so) I'll do cycling ... It just takes me back to my rehab and all the fun I had there and learning how to get my balance back," Farmer said.
Farmer said, as an older amputee, learning to adjust to day-to-day activities without a limb he'd had for his entire life was incredibly challenging.
"You have to learn how to do simple things. Using the bathroom is different. You have to adapt to your surroundings. Taking a shower is different," Farmer said.
The opportunity to join a community of other amputees, he said, is uplifting.
"It gives you a sense that there are things you can do that you didn't think you could, and you see other people making and effort and trying new things. You just see the human spirit come through, you know," Farmer said.
"We're going to face difficulties and challenges in life — unexpected challenges. I didn't plan on this and it was hard. But I found the secret to overcoming is trying to be as resilient as possible ... It's just daily effort that makes a difference."
In July, Hanger Clinic will host EmpowerFest in Salt Lake City — the mobility clinic, but "on steroids," said Brewer.
The national event will bring hundreds of amputees to Utah's capital city to explore the Wasatch Front, get active and build community. It will also include a trip to the National Ability Center in Park City, where participants can do ropes courses, horseback riding, archery, rock climbing, hand cycling and more.
After meeting Hanger Clinic patient ambassadors at his first clinic (one would eventually become his mentor), Brewer knew he wanted to one day return the favor.
Saturday's clinic marked the 15th he has attended as a patient ambassador.
"It's the best feeling ever," Brewer said. "To pay it forward and give back to the community like it was given to me, is really rewarding."
