Breathwork, Breakthroughs, & Belonging: Inside the Adaptive Training Foundation's Powerful Mission

A human baby, if it's not held, it'll die. Like, we're built for interpersonal relationship and connection. And football was my god. I went to church growing up and had faith, but I said I had a savior, but football was the lord of my life. And when that came crashing down from a devastating shoulder injury, I started coping with first prescriptions, and then I was out buying, right? And I was trying to hide it and doing it. I went through a terrible detox, lost 34 pounds, multiple seizures. It was a true bottom. As I got out of that, the gym was always this ecosystem where I could get out what I didn't know how to say. It was like therapy. My whole question to God as I cried out in this dark moment was, where do my gifts that he's given me benefit other people?

I have been so emotional just being here. The gift that you give so many is community.

Every time that they do something that the doctor said they would never, they meet a goal, they go over and ring the bell and the whole place goes nuts. Think about that. Like, how many places in your life do you have The camaraderie and the— I mean, come on, like, we played it. Come on. It's magic.

I'm dying. I want to know who right now. Hey, thank you for tuning in to the Amberly Lago Show. I have a special episode. I have traveled out to Carrollton, Texas. Dallas, people. Dallas, Texas, with my friend David Vivero. And I am here at his facility The Adaptive Training Foundation here. And I have just experienced— okay, so first of all, I came in with pages of questions. And I— yeah, throw them. They're out there. Yeah, because— so you're an entrepreneur. Y'all may know him as a former NFL player. But I came in here and you invited me to do the breathwork. that you have for your clients. And outside, people are ringing the bell.

Yeah, you're going to hear a lot of jamming out here, gym noise, things banging against racks in here. So we've got— right on time. You hear that?

Yeah.

We've got all of our— we've got 12 adaptive athletes. So people that have experienced trauma, limb loss, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, all the different things. And we bring them in from all over the nation. We house them, we feed them, we train them. And there's 9 weeks. of mind, body, spirit training. They think they're coming for the physical. That's like market entry in the door. But, as you know, with everything you've been through, it's this piece, right? And so, for them to have a new tribe, community, people that get them that have been through things similar, and then their new habits and new tools that they learn about how they can move their body and empowerment through that, it's like church out there.

Oh, yeah. You can hear the weights. But it is like church. But I have been so emotional just being here from so many different people that I have even met and their stories of all they have overcome. And I would love for you just to share, and we'll get into more of how this got started and everything.

Yeah.

But right before we push record, you told me you got to hug one of your friends For the first time upright in how many years?

7 years.

7 years.

7 years since he got hurt. Navy SEAL Dan Liccardo. Um, I'm gonna be emotional. It's like my brother that I, that I never had. And, uh, man, we've been through a lot together. He's been through so much. And, um, I can't tell you how many late-night calls and moments where if it wasn't for his son, he probably would have taken his own life. And, we've had a lot of those hard conversations. So, he just got new prosthetics. He's lost 85 pounds in the last 4 months. He's crushing it. And, to be able to give a big vertical hug out there made my whole week. Yeah.

I mean, from so many stories, there was a lady in the breathwork class. And, by the way, y'all remember—

Breathwork is no joke, huh?

I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into.

Yeah, I did that on purpose.

Yeah, you're like, yeah.

Throw her to the wolves.

Yeah, just join us for this breathwork thing. And I mean, I've done some breathwork before, but this was like, oh gosh, what have I gotten myself into? But there was something, yes, how it transformed the way that I felt. But I think the gift that you give so many is community.

Yeah, yeah.

And in that room here, I was with these people for the first time, and they made me feel loved and supported and accepted. And that's what you provide here. It's not It's not just a gym. It's not just a place to come work out. It's community. And you can feel that from— I've been— I got here early.

Yeah.

And been looking, just watching.

Yep. And I'm glad you did.

People that I've met in the girls' bathroom versus the locker room versus in the breathwork class out on the floor, how everybody— there's this camaraderie, like this support. And I think that that is what we need.

That's it. That's the core. Yeah. I mean, again, it's like, I mean, a human baby, if it's not held, it'll die. Like we're built for interpersonal relationship and connection. And for me, I built this because I needed it. I mean, we'll probably go into my story more, but the Cliff Notes, like, Football was my god. It was, you know, I always went to church growing up and had faith, but I said I had a savior, but football was the lord of my life. And when that came crashing down from a devastating shoulder injury, I started coping with first prescriptions, and then I was out buying, right? And I was trying to hide it and doing it. I went through a terrible detox, lost 34 pounds, multiple seizures. It was a true bottom, right? And then when I My whole question to God as I cried out in this dark moment was, where do my gifts that he's given me benefit other people? 'Cause before it was just whether or not it moved the needle for football. And it wasn't that I was an asshole or a bad person to people, but it was like just clear blinders that if it didn't positively impact my football career, it wasn't for me. And lots of times those weren't the healthiest decisions.

Yeah.

And so as I got out of that, the gym was always this ecosystem where I could get out what I didn't know how to say. It was like therapy. And so to use that same type of arena like the gym, uh, but build it out for people that kind of were marginalized, left on the sideline, you know, the medical process ceases and, you know, the doctors say you're never going to lift more than a 10-pound weight again.

Yeah.

And, you know, that's why you hear the bell out here every time that they do something that the doctors said they would never. They meet a goal, they go over and ring the bell and the whole place goes nuts. And again, think about that. Like, how many places in your life do you have The camaraderie and the— I mean, come on. Like, we planted them. Come on.

It's magical. Like, I am dying. I want to know who ranked them.

I know, right? And what they did and what it means. And it's just—

I'm dying right now.

Loyal.

Who ranked them?

We'll run out and find out. I promise. We'll see what the roster said at the end of the day. But that's really it. It's like I needed a locker room again. I needed the weight room to be a place where I could bring people that were kind of underdogs like I was in football, you know, people that, that, you know, were told and that they'd only get as good as this. And I'm like, yeah, but who says, you know? And that's a cool environment to be in.

Yeah. Oh, that's, that's beautiful.

Yeah. Um, I'm glad you felt that energy and, and, and could tell that. I mean, there's just a lot of people that love each other. It's a chosen family. It's a tribe.

Yeah. Oh no, I've been so emotional. I've been so emotional since walking in here. It's just, you can feel the love and the camaraderie here from the minute you walk in the door. And I do think that that is needed to have that connection and that community, because I know when I was going through a hard time, I started isolating.

It's very easy to isolate.

Yeah, yeah. So I want to go back to your, like, How must that have been for you when your whole life you had prepared for being in the NFL? Like, your dreams came true, you were playing in the NFL, and what a slippery slope that was for that to just, yeah, go away.

Well, it's crazy I say this now, and, you know, the audience hopefully can feel the authenticity in it. But it's not in spite of that identity crisis and that rock bottom. It's because of it that God was equipping me to be able to— again, many of those, especially the servicemen and women out here, they were abused as a kid. That's something in my past. And I think that, you know, you stuff it down, you look to achieve outwardly where people will compliment you for those things so they don't ask you what heck is really going on, you know?

Yeah.

And for me, that— I can tell you, it's weird to say that I'm grateful for, but I'm so grateful for where I could find common ground. Again, had I not had that opiate addiction, I wouldn't be able to relate to many of these that are handed a tennis ball sleeve full of Vicodin or whatever, right?

Yeah.

And then told to go to the— go, go lay on the couch, you know? Thank you for your service, but, you know, they just need an opportunity to belong somewhere and have an opportunity to lead again. 'Cause that's what I needed as well. You know, you can take those destructive habits and you can start to put constructive ones in. But the big shift for me was realizing like, oh, God was using me, right?

Yeah.

That thing that was super painful, you preach from that. You know, that's the message. That's where it comes. And that's all I've done is said, man, I'm gonna use what worked for me from church, from 12-step, from football, from Boy Scouts, from, you know, throw it all in there and let's decide what works for these guys.

Yeah, I mean, and I think that I— and look, I wish that everybody could do a 12-step program because I think the world would be a better place.

It's a spiritual program, right? At the end of the day, that's, you know, in this organization, I think that's the, that's the secret sauce, is the athletes that have gone through this coming back as trainers is amazing. But the, the nature of when people find this higher power and they can come to grips with with maybe not why it happened, but seeing the purpose in the pain.

Yeah.

That when that shift happens, I mean, again, you look at our social media and everyone's like, I want to work there. It's a— and it's an amazing place. But like Dan, 7 years, right, to get to the prosthetics in place. There's countless hours of work that went in for him to have that breakthrough and many breakdowns along the way. And I think people, at the first sign of a breakdown, if you are isolated, if you are Alone, you're going to recognize that you don't have people to lean into. And this place is full of people that get it.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think about when you and I first met. So we played at the Celebrity Softball Tournament. Yeah, I think— was that in 2021? I think it was 2021.

Yeah.

Yeah. And anyway, I was asked to play in that tournament and I said yes. And I told my husband, hey, I'm playing in the celebrity softball tournament. He was like, what? He was like, you don't know how to play softball. And I was like, I know, but I'm going to learn.

That's awesome.

And I was like, I am going to learn. I'm going to figure this out. And I went and bought a bat and a baseball glove and a— and my husband was like, you are going to break your nose the minute that ball comes at you. And lo and behold, the first time my daughter threw the ball, it came right into my nose and I got a bloody nose.

Yep, that'll sting.

And I was like, oh yeah, okay. But it was incredible fun. But out of that tournament, I think the biggest blessing in that for me was meeting you.

Aw.

That's sweet.

And like getting to meet you and we, I don't know, there was just something about you. I was like, I don't know why I need to know this man, but I need to know this man. And after getting to be here at your place and interview on your podcast, I was like, oh, let's run it back.

Yeah, let's do it again.

Yeah, yeah. You are my brother from another mother. Like I was like, I know now, like, Getting to talk to you, why I was like, yeah, why it clicked.

Yeah.

Um, when you were in— because I know there are a lot of people out there that might even be living a double life. They, on the outside, it looks like everything is okay, but they're living—

In hell.

In hell with a dirty secret. When you were at your lowest point and you realized, oh crap, this opioid addiction has got me.

Yeah.

How am I this— like, I don't know, for, for me, like, because I'm, I'm recovering, um, a recovering alcoholic, I remember thinking, I have overcome so much. I have, I have the mindset of an athlete. How can I not Drink. Drink.

Yeah.

Yeah. Why does this have me licked?

Got its claws in you.

Yeah. Was there a moment where you felt that way? Okay, this is big, y'all.

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Yeah, definitely. I think, uh, well, I'll tell you the moment when I knew that I, I had no choice but to ask for help. Right? Because you're right. You hide it. You think you're hiding it. You're probably not hiding it as good as you think you are, right?

Yeah.

But those closest to you, like my wife of 13 years now, but we were dating at the time. I was playing for the Seahawks. I was on injured reserve because of the shoulder injury. I woke up one morning with my— just in a drugged-out stupor with my face smushed into the couch cushion, and I was desperately thirsty. I opened my eyes and I saw a yellow Gatorade bottle sitting on the coffee table in front of me. I grabbed it and I was 2 swigs in before I realized that I was drinking my own urine. I was so high the night before that I'd peed in that bottle, capped it and set it down, and I didn't remember. So disgusted with myself and ashamed, I began the long walk from our 3-story townhouse up to the main level. And as I walked onto the main level, my girlfriend Sarah was there, now wife. But, uh, I looked at her and she said, Merry Christmas. I forgot it was Christmas. I was so high and so drugged out, I did not remember it was Christmas morning. And I tried to play it off. Oh yeah, Merry Christmas. You know, hey, I'm gonna hop in the shower real quick because I realized I didn't get her a Christmas present.

Oh.

So I went out, turned on the shower, I got on my computer, booked a flight to Hawaii, booked a hotel in Hawaii, right? I'm gonna way, way overdo it. I'm gonna way, way show her like, oh no, I had this planned the whole time, this present. I did. It was a few days later, season ended. We were not going to the playoffs. We got on the plane to go to Hawaii. And as we took off, I turned and looked at her and I said, when we get home, you have to take me straight to the hospital. I'm severely addicted to these pills and I need help.

Right.

And it's funny because, like, like, like I would, it'd be as we're taking off where she can't get off the plane. There's no, you know, she was trapped. She would not have left anyway. But When we got to Hawaii, like an addict would, I used more than I had planned. So I ran out. So I went into drug withdrawal. And it was—

What does that even look like?

It looks like tremors, like seizures where you're sweating and it feels like bugs are crawling on you and you're throwing up. And it just, again, every cell in your body only wants the drug. That's all it seeks. And you'd be willing to do just about anything to get it. Right? It's a scary place when you now are truly powerless at that level, right? Well, it was mid that part during that trip. We were at the 27th floor of this hotel and I was going through withdrawal so bad. I climbed out on the balcony in the night and was ready to jump off, ready to let go, I should say, because I was holding the bars of the floor above me. And all of a sudden I felt her arms wrap around me and she pulled me down. And we took a red-eye out and I went straight into a drug detox facility. Like I said, it was a very gnarly wake-up call, but one that was a really— I talk about it like the catapult being pulled back. It wasn't the bottom, but I wasn't meant to stay there. It was guiding me to new levels of growth so that that catapult could be sprung forward.

Yeah.

Right? In such a better way, in a way that was, again, God, how can you use me? Right? I think that alone is just the question. It's like, I'll tell you this, I believe wholeheartedly that, that the scars from all of that experience are what have increased my capacity to love. And when you look at it like that, you can actually find gratitude. And when you find gratitude for the difficulties, it's amazing how quickly those difficulties shift and you don't stay in that place as long.

Oh. She is an angel.

She's a special one. Yep. When, uh, when I, uh, yeah, I mean, I can't tell you what I put that poor woman through, man, and the things that she's stood by my side and loved me through. And it's just a perfect picture of why, why it takes an amazing partner.

Yeah. And I love the teamwork that you have here too. Like, when I first met you here, you're like, yeah, this You gave her so much credit. I love that, that you were like, yeah, this is— I get to do these fun things, but it's really my wife who—

What's the analogy of the swan? You know, the, like, up top person looks all calm and collected, and down below it's paddling its ass off, you know?

Yeah.

I'm the one up here like, hey, everybody, you know? And then she's just making it happen, man.

Yeah, I love that.

And mom of 3, like, I don't know how she does it.

How old are your kids?

12, 10, and 5. So 2 little girls, and then we had a surprise and got a little man on the 3rd try.

Aw.

Which is her best friend and best buddy, right?

Yeah.

But he's my little mini-me. He literally looks exactly like I did as a kid.

Really?

All the same mannerisms. It's scary. Do you ever see that in your kids where you're like, whoa, that was me?

Yeah.

Yeah.

What scares me is that my youngest daughter is a little— a mini me.

And how old is she?

She's 17.

I was gonna say, yeah, she's right in teenage years, huh?

Yeah, she's a— she's a good girl though. She's a good girl. Um, and I think it's so funny because she was born and raised in LA, but that Texas blood runs Yeah, thick because we moved out here and she drives her F-150, has a big lift kit.

Yeah, love it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, so what is next for you and what you're doing with your center here?

Yeah, so you know, this has been an official 501 nonprofit since 2014, so 11 years. Um, actually October. This is, we're right at the 11-year mark. And, you know, I—

Has it been 11 years?

Yeah, it's crazy. I don't know if I've done anything for more than a few years of my life. Like, you know, to think about, wow, this, this has really been sort of my life's work. And, and we, we live it. You know, there's a vet out there right now that when one of our mutual friends who also came through this program, when he took his own life, January 3rd, 2018, the first call I had to make was to his, his, his other service member. They were in the same Humvee when they were blown up. And Derek is this guy's name. He drove straight to my house from San Antonio, and he lived with us for 9 months with no questions asked. Just changed the theater into a bedroom, and I watched my kids and my dog just love him back to full. And I got to marry him and one of our athletes on my birthday a few years ago, which is amazing. I mean, that's the real cool piece is the amount of weddings I've been in or been able to, you know, to officiate for our community. We've hosted funeral services here in this space. We just had a baptism 2 weeks ago right here in the middle of the turf in a horse trough. So to me, this ministry or this mission is beyond these walls. This is a container that we've been able to host people and develop a community otherwise. But even if this building wasn't the place, this movement would continue. And that's why I'm really excited. We're building a $20 million campus about 30 minutes west of here in Argyle, Texas. I've raised just about, about $9.5 million, almost $10 million toward that. So the goal is to break ground in early next year. That'll probably be a 2-year construction project. So new campus. And then I'm a storyteller, you know, at heart, right?

Yeah.

I think the quickest way between 2 people's a story. That's why so good to have you on my podcast, the Life After Podcast. So good to have this conversation too. To me, that's the, again, back to connecting with people. There's more similarities than differences. It doesn't matter what your bank account says, what your skin color is, what your beliefs are. Life will happen, you know. And when that happens, like, I— my hope is that the message that I stand for is believing in people until they can believe in themselves. And I try to do that no matter what I'm doing, where I'm living, you know, challenging anybody that I can to just, you know, find the best version of themselves.

Oh my gosh, you are just doing amazing work. And you are such a blessing in this world and leaving such living a legacy for sure. How can people help? Totally help you with this groundbreaking, like your new campus? Yeah. How can people— because I find that people, it makes people feel good to be able to help out. So how can people get on board and be support for a good cause?

Yeah. I mean, the first thing is I'd say follow Adaptive Training Foundation online, on social network, you know, on Instagram or whatever. Even buying a t-shirt off the website, all that goes into general fundraising for the support to keep all this cost-free. What's our bell again? Maybe right on. We're going to have to go out there.

I know.

I'm like— I'd say this. The invitation into the story is if you feel on your heart that you want to give in whatever way that that is, online or by check or otherwise, I mean, this new campus, you can sponsor a foundation brick for $500. And, you can put it in memory of somebody or you can put your family's name or you can leave it anonymous. But, that's another great way where we want as many of our supporters to be reflected in this project and have their names on things and naming rights to each of the main parts of the center.

Yeah.

So yeah, if you're inspired by this gym, this message, I'd say follow us and an invitation to give if it so calls to your heart. But, Just watching the social media is going to change your day. There's a young lady, I'll tell a last story here, Michaela Noble, who's the Prosper World Champion cheerleader, who 4 years ago before a homecoming game in a backyard cheer accident, she flipped and didn't make it around, landed directly on her neck, broke her neck, became a quadriplegic. There's a video on our social media at the top. I think it's pinned, but her goal was to crawl the length of the turf. To the bell to ring it.

I saw that. And I—

you want to talk about the, you know, Texas dust kicking up in here? It took her more than 25 minutes, and it was one of the grittiest feats. I mean, her elbows were bloody and just— again, it's like if I, you know, I doubt that the analogy I use is if I tied, you know, 2 cinder blocks off your legs and only let you army crawl, you know, how far could you make it? Because she was dragging her body behind her that can't move. And she did the whole thing and ring the bell. And again, the whole tribe around her going nuts. That community is just, it's wild. So that's a cool thing that we get to do that constantly in here. And if people can get a little dose of inspiration and convert it into aspiration by watching those videos, then that's awesome.

Oh, it's beautiful. So tell people the best place for them to connect with you and find out more about how they can follow your mission and be be of support?

Yeah, I mean, you can go to the website adaptivetrainingfoundation.org. Maybe you know somebody that has had a tragic injury or some type of a trauma and share our information to them. You can find me, Dave Vobora, on Instagram, on Facebook, on all the Twitter, X, I guess, right these days, as they call it. But yeah, if this message has touched you or you got any questions or anything like that, give me a shout. Try to get to as much messages as I can. It's hard sometimes, but I'm guessing you're one as well that takes great pride in getting back and connecting with people.

I do. It might take me longer sometimes, but it's me checking those messages.

Yes. Yeah, it's really me. I mean, my wife does a great job helping with the podcast stuff, but it's pretty much just me.

Yeah. Well, you're amazing. And you know what? We will have all these links in the show notes. So if you're listening or whatever, don't worry. The links are in the show notes. Perfect. Thank you so much for being on the show. Oh my goodness. Thank you for having us. Thank you for the breathwork class beforehand. And I, I was saying to out there to some of your friends, I was like, I don't want to leave. I just want to stay.

Yeah.

And they're like, I know, right?

You're welcome anytime. And if there is anybody watching that's in the Dallas-Fort Worth community and ever wants to come for a visit and see this place live firing, it is spiritual. It's next level.

It is. It's next level. I can't, I can't say it.

Let's go out there and see what them bells ringing for.

Yeah, I want to see that. Thank you for tuning in.

Big shot. Beautiful.