Veteran overcomes devastating illness to reach athletic goals decades later
When Amos Murray enlisted in the U.S. Army as a teenager, he never imagined he’d be medically discharged just two years later for sudden kidney failure. Before his devastating medical crisis, this airborne infantryman was extremely active and an avid rock climber.
After Murray became ill, doctors diagnosed him with lupus. He underwent several months of chemotherapy, followed by dialysis when his kidneys failed. Ultimately, he was added to the kidney transplant list.
Murray received a kidney from a living donor (his mom) in 2003, but said recovery was no cakewalk. Getting back to a place of normalcy—feeling strong and energetic—has taken nearly two decades. However, Murray, 42, is climbing again and has fought his way back to a competitive level.
MAINTAINING STRENGTH
Despite physical challenges, Murray is motivated and hopes to make the U.S. Ice Climbing Team and compete in the World Cup in 2024. “I’m very new at this,” he said. My first competition was the Ouray Ice Fest in January 2023. I placed 15th out of 30, 40 people. That was a goal. I started setting goals for myself in my 40s. I’d always wished I’d been fit enough to do that, but I hadn’t been.”
Hailing from Grand Junction, Murray is a native Coloradan who receives renal care at Rocky Mountain Regional VA. He credits RMR for helping him stay healthy and free from a resurgence of lupus.
“VA is checking my bloodwork every six months to ensure it doesn’t come back," Murray said. "I am super fortunate to have their help in my life right now. There’s definitely been hardships, but without the backing of the VA, I don’t know how I would do it. I’m very fortunate."
PURPOSEFUL SELF-CARE
Murray is also mindful about medicine and diet. “I’m on two anti-rejection medications,” he said. “I make sure, with competing, I don’t have too much salt. My kidney function is a little lower because it’s a foreign body and we’re watching for rejection. Basically, I try not to get sick.”
Murray expressed his love for the problem-solving aspect of climbing. “It’s like a fun, technical puzzle to figure out how to make your body move in different positions to make it up,” he said “I like that it has a bit of risk. To put yourself in a position with fear and be able to face that and try to make your body and mind surpass it—I do it for the challenge.”
As for being more than 40 years old and a competitive ice climber, Murray said, “There are kids in their teens and 20s who could climb laps around me. They do all these hard things and look like they’re not exerting much energy. But then, they’ll make mistakes, or the mental game is another aspect of it. Being older helps in that regard. Being out there to have fun and just being alive, with support from my family, I’m more established. Little things like that help a lot. My workout routine is drastically different than someone much younger. I’m putting in a lot less mileage, but I’m more strategic about what I do. I’m studying what’s the best nutrition, supplements and sleep schedule to maximize my workouts. I feel like young climbers don’t even think about that.”
Murray admitted there is life after a kidney transplant.
“I almost died and fought my way back to health in my 40s. If I could do anything to inspire others, that’s one of the biggest motivators, so someone else can say that’s possible for them.”
- - - - -
April Love is a Writer-Editor on the VISN 19 Creative Task Force. She began working for VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System in 2016 and lives in Aurora, Colorado.