Meet Adaptive Athlete: Ben Iammartino

Ben was borned and raised in Oak Park, Illinois where he devoted himself to baseball the majority of his youth. He played a few other sports when he was younger but baseball was his primary passion and focus. He graduated highschool in 2023 and looks to attend the University of Oregon starting in 2024. 

 

On June 5th, 2021 Ben was out at the beach with some friends where he swam out to some rocks he was familiar with and had spent time on before. While on the rock, Ben dove into the water and struck his head on a sandbar under the water, breaking his C5 vertebrae. 

 

Being a very active young man before his accident, Ben’s recovery has been tough on him physically, after losing a lot of independence. He has struggled mentally as all of his peers were in school and maintaining “normal” life however he is eager to take on new challenges and reinvent himself during this program. 

 

Ben wants to really push himself while at ATF, mentally and physically. He knows that challenge and adversity is where you find real growth and he is determined and willing to attack it head on.