2024 Don Wildman Dedication to Excellence Award Winner

On the earth of health, few names resonate as profoundly as Don Wildman’s. A trailblazing visionary who revolutionized the trade, Wildman reimagined the idea of well being golf equipment, making health accessible and mainstream in lots of inspiring methods.

Recognized for his legendary high-intensity exercises and as an Ironman age group winner, Don is credited with introducing music to group health courses, a pivotal change that considerably enhanced the welcoming ambiance of gyms, significantly for girls. He additionally pioneered circuit coaching and was the primary in our trade to leverage the ability of celebrities to propel America towards a more healthy, fitter life-style. Finally, he constructed the primary well being membership chain to exceed a billion {dollars} in income yearly, with over 4 million members. Past his improvements, Don cherished health for its energy to construct self-confidence and rework lives.

In tribute to Don’s groundbreaking work, Nationwide Academy of Sports activities Drugs (NASM) established the Don Wildman Dedication to Excellence Award in 2021. This prestigious award honors people in our neighborhood who’ve made progressive and impactful contributions to health and wellness.

With a deep sense of delight and accountability, NASM is thrilled to announce that the 2024 Don Wildman Dedication to Excellence Award is posthumously awarded to Augie Nieto.

The Legacy of Augie Nieto

Subsequent time you are feeling like giving up and quitting your private health journey, you may need to keep in mind Augie’s story, which is as a lot about braveness and resilience as it’s about health.

Like Don Wildman, Augie was an innovator and pioneer within the discipline. As one of many co-founders of Life Health and one of many world leaders within the health trade, Augie developed and invented a lot of the know-how and train gear you see in gyms at the moment. His imaginative and prescient and relentless work remodeled your entire trade. Usually working alongside Don and others, Augie discovered a manner to assist advance the health trade from its early days of free weights by introducing selectorized energy coaching machines with a managed vary of movement, which have been biomechanically superior, plus much less threatening and empowering. 

For those who referred to as Augie Nieto the Steve Jobs of health, nobody would argue. They’d merely smile, figuring out it was true. Strolling into any gymnasium at the moment, you see the results of the imaginative and prescient and transformative know-how that Augie launched a few years in the past.

For all those that have been fortunate sufficient to know Augie, it was clear that his life was about extra than simply progressive machines and developments in know-how; it was about how these instruments might empower others to construct the perfect model of themselves by means of train, enhance self-confidence, and luxuriate in a extra love-filled life. His legacy is one in every of serving to others obtain their objectives and notice their potential as they pursue their desires.

Turning Problem into Change: Augie’s ALS Combat

On the apex of his profession and within the technique of reshaping the health trade, Augie’s life took a dramatic and surprising flip when he was identified with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative illness. 

Initially shocked and devastated by the tragic information, true to his boundless spirit and resilient nature, Augie vowed to train so long as he might, inspiring others to confront their very own challenges. He remodeled his analysis right into a campaign for a treatment by establishing the nonprofit “Augie’s Quest to Treatment ALS ” together with his spouse, Lynne. This initiative has raised over $95 million for analysis, highlighting Augie’s dedication to creating a major distinction within the lives of these affected by ALS in addition to different life-threatening disabilities.

Turning his sickness right into a catalyst for change, Augie discovered a renewed objective in life. He devoted himself to giving hope, defying limitations, and passionately looking for a treatment for this devastating illness. His inspiring work is sustained at the moment by his spouse, Lynne, who tirelessly advances the efforts of “Augie’s Quest to Treatment ALS.”

“Augie’s story will proceed to encourage others inside and outdoors of the ALS neighborhood, and it’s a privilege to current his household with this award,” stated Colleen Morris, VP of Strategic Advertising at NASM. “His legacy is a testomony to what it means to be a relentless chief in combating for a treatment, whereas making our health and wellness trade higher for all within the course of.”

We’re particularly honored to announce this award throughout ALS Consciousness Month, a time when Augie’s spirit and tireless efforts resonate much more deeply. Augie would have been overjoyed to know that his mission lives on, inspiring extra folks to affix the struggle and uphold the inspiration’s perception that ‘incurable is unacceptable.’

NASM extends profound gratitude to Augie and his household for exemplifying the true energy of merging love with objective. They’ve proven us all what it means to rework private challenges into alternatives that profoundly impression the lives of others. Augie Nieto’s legacy just isn’t solely in how he lived but in addition within the enduring hope he instills in all of us.

Wish to study extra about Augie’s unimaginable journey or how one can help ALS analysis? Go to “Augie’s Quest to Treatment ALS” for extra info.