On a cold, foggy, windy day at Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, Amber Rangel was at practice for barefoot water skiing. With eight years of experience, Amber was hitting her jumps on the ramp each time. Going 43 mph, Amber’s right foot broke through the water. She tucked her chin in and hit her head on the ramp. Floating in the water, Amber couldn’t move. She knew she was paralyzed.
When Amber was eight, she was exposed to water skiing and began to fall in love with the sport.
She worked hard for several years. By the time she was 19, she was ranked 22nd for female barefoot water skiers in nationals and first in the nation for women’s water skiing. One year later, on July 27, 2014, at 12:45 pm, while training for the National Barefoot Water Ski competition, Amber had an accident so bad it permanently damaged her spinal cord.
When Amber hit the ramp, she broke her neck and arm. Now floating on her belly, Amber couldn’t move. She started to drown; however, a Navy veteran on the boat jumped in and saved her life.
A volunteer firefighter was sent to Amber; however, he wasn’t able to get her out of the water. A firefighter crew then showed up and managed to get Amber to safety.
However, while walking up the stairs of the dock, the firefighters dropped her.
Amber said, “There were so many bad things that happened before the rescue and throughout the rescue that make me bitter, but they saved my life.”
Rushing Amber by helicopter, she was sent to UW Madison.
When Amber’s mom, Tracy Rangel, arrived at the hospital, she thought Amber had only broken a limb. She didn’t realize it was a spinal cord injury. Tracy entered the hospital room. Amber was lying on her stomach with her face down. She told her mom she was paralyzed.
The doctor came in and told them Amber was C4 and C5 quadriplegic. C4 and C5 are the nerves that provide movement in the muscles of the shoulders and arms. Amber was at UW Madison for four days while her neck and arm were stabilized.
“Amber’s accident made me more grateful,” Tracy said. “It has given me a much more positive outlook. It made me realize how many people are truly in my life for a very specific reason and why things happen the way they happen.”
Amber has maintained a positive attitude from day one. Tracy said Amber would always come out of her hospital room. A boy with a similar injury never left his room. Amber kept insisting that he should.
“We didn’t see him leave his bed for six to eight weeks. He just sat in his room and cried. Amber would go and visit him every day and beg him to come out of his room, and he wouldn’t, and one day he did, and I don’t think he ever would have if Amber hadn’t been there,” said Tracy.
Amber lights up a room with her contagious smile and sarcastic jokes. She is a hardworking person who makes the most out of her life and continues to make a positive impact on everyone she encounters.
Kendra Nesemeier, Amber’s friend, said, “Amber is hilarious, strong-willed, secure in herself; something you don’t see in a lot of people. She’s overcome a lot, and she is always moving forward in life. I admire her a lot.”
The hardest mountains that Amber has had to climb as a quadriplegic are being able to communicate with others, having patience, and her body image; however, through traveling, Amber found happiness. Traveling has improved her communication skills, patience, and comfort in her own body. Her favorite places she has visited are Utila, Honduras, Bali, Indonesia, and Isla de Mujeres.
In 2015, Amber began scuba diving with Diveheart, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans, children, and adults with disabilities and teaches them how to scuba dive and be confident. Diveheart completely changed Amber’s life. Amber is a certified adaptive diver and is continuing to improve each day. Diveheart has only made Amber more confident.
“I have to put trust in other people, so it gives me confidence in the people I’m working with,” said Amber. “Being weightless out of the wheelchair under the water feels so good. Scuba diving is like this unexplainable relaxing moment of euphoria. Time just pauses, and you can take a deep breath.”
Jim Elliott, Diveheart’s founder, and president, said, “She has directly affected people’s lives. Her story is tragic, but what she’s done with it is amazing.”
Jim said Amber has encouraged others to dive who weren’t interested before. Her outgoing attitude has encouraged others to do things that they never dreamt they could do.
Amber has impacted several people’s lives and continues to inspire individuals every day. Her goal is to leave a great impression on everyone she encounters. Amber encourages people to remember that they can speak up and seek change on their own.
“Amber inspires me to be fearless and to be unapologetic to my true self,” Kendra said. “She inspires me to not be scared about what others think and to live to the fullest. She travels to foreign countries with no fear, just adventure in her soul.”
Amber seeks to spread more awareness about people with disabilities. In the future, she hopes that there will be more education on disabilities, easier access to travel assistance, and more options for handicap accessibilities.
“Some people don’t know how to act when a person in a wheelchair goes in front of them. They stumble on their words and get nervous holding the door. It doesn’t have to be that big of a deal guys. I’m not an alien. I’m a human just like you. My speech might be different. My body might look different, but I’m present in the moment. It doesn’t need to be such a taboo thing,” Amber said.
Kendra said, “I have always noticed how inconsiderate people are. There have been many times I’ve been out with Amber. People will see her but won’t help her in any way possible, or they make rude comments. The disabled community should be treated a lot better by us abled body people.”
“I hope I have impacted people in a positive way,” Amber said. “I hope that I have created some type of advocacy or voice within them so that they have more confidence to ask for their needs. I want people to feel like they can speak up and remember that they have a voice.”
