Denver man finds renewal in adaptive golf

Denver man thrives with adaptive golf after two major medical events

By Jim Bebbington

Eric Weischselbaumer of Denver gives a whole new definition to look at every situation as having a silver lining.

Weischselbaumer, a 39-year-old father of two, was an athletic and active person growing up, playing soccer and golf primarily. He developed a bleeding disorder early on and left contact sports behind. Golf was his thing, and he became very good at it.

He enjoyed competing in U.S. Open regional qualifiers and high-level amateur tournaments but rarely finished high enough to satisfy his high expectations.

“Nothing amounted to any of that, then this injury happened and now I have all these adaptive opportunities,” he said in a recent interview.

“This injury” was a flare-up of his blood disorder that caused a blood clot which led to him sustaining significant kidney damage and forcing the amputation of his left leg.

But in an amazing example of persistence – through a kidney transplant and the rehab necessary to come back from a leg amputation – Weischselbaumer says he has found more enjoyment on the golf course than ever.

He began competing in the U.S. adaptive national championships after his amputation and found that if his skills were not sufficient at the non-adaptive level, he was suddenly highly competitive.

Having already endured the loss of his leg, the kidney transplant in June was the procedure fraught with the most unknown, he said.

He got on a long national list of people needing transplants. Many of his family and friends volunteered to be screened as potential donors, he said. None were a match.

This spring his wife Amanda donated one of her kidneys at AdventHealth Porter hospital in Denver, even though it couldn’t be used for Eric.

“That bumped me to the top of the list,” he said.

He still remembers the day in May when he had to pull over on the highway to take a call. A donor kidney had been obtained and he needed to prepare for surgery.

“It is up there with one of the most memorable days of life,” he said.  “I was just complaining – I’m so sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.”

Amanda had come through her surgery without complications. Five weeks later he was in surgery at AdventHealth Porter, received his transplant, and spent four weeks in recovery.

“The energy and the return is great and I’m looking forward to moving ahead with the adaptive golf world,” he said.

Weischelsbaumer works as the head of retail banking for Central Bank in Denver and is preparing for an active 2025 adaptive golf campaign.

“Anything is possible,” he said.

For more information about organ donation, go to adventhealth.com/Institute/transplant