Cameron Clapp

Last updated
Cameron Clapp (triple amputee)
Born (1986-02-18) February 18, 1986 (age 38)
Occupation(s) motivational speaker, actor, Athlete
AwardsShining Star Award (2005) [1]

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.

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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]

On February 13, 2024, Clapp was arrested by the FBI in Los Angeles for his role in the January 6 United States Capitol attack in Washington, D.C. Clapp was sentenced to probation on November 4, 2024. On January 20, 2025, the first day of the second presidency of Donald Trump, Clapp was pardoned along with nearly every other participant in the riot.

Amputation

Accident and recovery

On September 15, 2001, at the age of 15, Clapp was hit by a high-speed Union Pacific freight 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] 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."[ citation needed ]

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.[ citation needed ]

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,[ citation needed ] 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 .

On February 13, 2024, Clapp was arrested in Los Angeles by the FBI for his participation in the January 6 United States Capitol attack. [16] On November 4, 2024, Clapp was sentenced to probation. [17] On January 20, 2025, the first day of the second presidency of Donald Trump, Clapp was pardoned along with nearly every other participant in the riot. [18]

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, [19] Jesse was found dead from a drug overdose in a home in Grover Beach, California. [20] [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amputation</span> Medical procedure that removes a part of the body

Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventive surgery for such problems. A special case is that of congenital amputation, a congenital disorder, where fetal limbs have been cut off by constrictive bands. In some countries, judicial amputation is currently used to punish people who commit crimes. Amputation has also been used as a tactic in war and acts of terrorism; it may also occur as a war injury. In some cultures and religions, minor amputations or mutilations are considered a ritual accomplishment. When done by a person, the person executing the amputation is an amputator. The oldest evidence of this practice comes from a skeleton found buried in Liang Tebo cave, East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo dating back to at least 31,000 years ago, where it was done when the amputee was a young child.

In medicine, a prosthesis, or a prosthetic implant, is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through physical trauma, disease, or a condition present at birth. Prostheses may restore the normal functions of the missing body part, or may perform a cosmetic function.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Purdy</span> American actress and athlete

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Cleverley-Bisman</span> Quadruple amputee, face of New Zealand meningococcal campaign (born 2003)

Charlotte Lucy Cleverley-Bisman is a New Zealander known as the face of a New Zealand campaign to encourage vaccination against meningococcal disease after contracting and surviving severe meningococcal sepsis. She was nicknamed "Miraculous Baby Charlotte" by her fellow New Zealanders as a result of making headlines worldwide after recuperating from a series of life-threatening complications. She is the daughter of Pam Cleverley and Perry Bisman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Herr</span> American rock climber and bioengineer

Hugh Herr is an American rock climber, engineer, and biophysicist. When he was young, both of his legs were amputated below the knee during a blizzard in a rock climbing trip. After months of surgeries and rehabilitation, Herr began climbing again, using specialized prostheses he designed for himself, becoming the first person with a major amputation to perform in a sport on par with elite-level, able-bodied persons. He holds the patents to the Rheo Knee, an active ankle-foot orthosis, which is the world's first powered ankle-foot prosthesis.

LeTourneau Engineering Global Solutions (LEGS) became LIMBS International in 2010 and is a non-profit initiative based in Longview, Texas, focused on bringing innovative, extremely low cost, high-quality prosthetic technology to people in developing nations. The focus of LEGS/LIMBS technology is its M1 Knee, a polycentric knee joint that meets international standards and can be manufactured locally for as little as $15 USD.

Amy Palmiero-Winters is a below-knee amputee, long-distance runner, and triathlete. She holds eleven world records in various events. In 2010, she was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States and the ESPN ESPY Award as the top female athlete with a disability in the world.

Paul Martin is an American amputee athlete, Paralympian, speaker, and author. Paul is considered one of the foremost amputee triathletes in history and holds or has held several records in various events.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">T44 (classification)</span> Para-athletics classification

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A2 is an amputee sport classification used by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD).for people with acquired or congenital amputations. A2 sportspeople have one leg amputated above the knee. Their amputations impact their sport performance, including having balance issues, increased energy costs, higher rates of oxygen consumption, and issues with their gait.

A3 is an amputee sport classification used by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD) for people with acquired or congenital amputations. A3 classified sportspeople have both legs amputated below knee. Their amputations impact their sport performance, including having balance issues, increased energy costs, higher rates of oxygen consumption, and issues with their gait. Sports people in this class are eligible to participate in include athletics, swimming, sitting volleyball, archery, weightlifting, badminton, lawn bowls, sitzball and wheelchair basketball.

A1 is an amputee sport classification used by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD) for people with acquired or congenital amputations. This class is for sportspeople who have both legs amputated above the knee. Their amputations impact their sport performance, including having balance issues, increased energy costs, higher rates of oxygen consumption, and issues with their gait. Sports people in this class are eligible to participate in include athletics, swimming, sitting volleyball, archery, weightlifting, badminton, lawn bowls, sitzball and wheelchair basketball.

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References

  1. ↑ Metzger, Sherry. "Unquenchable Spirit: The Cameron Clapp Story". oandp.com. The O&P EDGE. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 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. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  3. 1 2 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. Archived from the original on August 26, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  5. ↑ "I'mPOSSIBLE". InMotion. 23 (2). Amputee Coalition: 4. March–April 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-01-31. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
  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. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Camp No Limits : August 2013". CharlotteCleverleyBisman.com. Archived from the original on 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2014-02-24. 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. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 3 4 5 Metzger, Sherry (February 2006), Unquenchable Spirit: The Cameron Clapp Story, The O&P EDGE, archived from the original on 2009-04-15, retrieved 2009-07-22
  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. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
  16. ↑ McDougall, AJ (2024-02-13). "FBI Arrests Triple Amputee for Jan. 6 Capitol Break-in". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  17. ↑ "Cambria man sentenced in connection with Jan. 6 Capitol attack". KSBY-TV . 2024-11-04. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  18. ↑ Richer, Alanna Durkin; Kunzelman, Michael. "Trump grants sweeping pardon of Jan. 6 defendants, including rioters who violently attacked police". Associated Press . Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  19. ↑ "~~Arroyo Grande High School, California~~". FallenClassmates.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  20. ↑ "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.[ dead link ]
  21. ↑ "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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