An eventful and interesting life brought Adam Ciperski to triathlon. Like many young men, he grew up in school playing football, and then he went off to college towards a career in Psychology, earning a BA in Psychology, MSEd in Counseling, and a MBA. He presently works as a Customer Success Executive and gives back to the triathlon community as a brand ambassador for Integrity Multisport and Mack Cycles.
Mr. Ciperski has lived in numerous places during his lifetime, from coast to coast, such as New York and California, and settled in Miami, Florida, around 2002 with his supportive wife, Carla, daughter, Sofia, who is also a triathlete, and son, Theo, who is in college for acting.
Shortly after Adam’s brother Zachary started college something went very wrong. He had kidney blood test markers that were being monitored in high school, but shortly after beginning college, his kidneys were failing. He needed a transplant. Adam was the best match and did not think twice about giving his younger brother one of his kidneys.
This was the beginning of an arduous journey for both brothers, especially for Adam. On October 5th, 2000, these two young men were wheeled into surgery and would wake up very different men. The surgeries went as expected, and Zachary’s new kidney worked great! They left his poorly functioning kidneys in and added the third to be the least invasive possible. He was walking around feeling fantastic and was released from the hospital the next day. On the other hand, Adam had a much longer recovery because his surgery was more invasive. The surgeons had to cut out two ribs to get to the kidney behind them, leaving him with two fewer ribs and a large indentation and scar, which looked like a giant shark bite. Oh, the stories he could tell since he is now a triathlete who lives near the ocean (LOL). He spent several days in the hospital feeling like a truck (or shark) hit him, then several more months on short-term disability before returning to normal. During this time and after, he gained a lot of weight.
Since Adam’s body was now working on one kidney, he knew he needed to pay better attention to his health, so he sought professional nutritional assistance and did a lot of research of his own. He did not just count calories but also metrics such as the different food groups and percentages of each group, such as proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. He then shifted to a plant-based diet. And THEN… he started biking, then cross-training with swimming, and finally running. A triathlon course went right past his house each year, so then, for him, triathlon was born. He has completed numerous triathlons since beginning the multisport 15 years ago at the young age of 40 and has completed all triathlon distances. He is now a hard-core triathlete, hooked for life. He is an avid proponent of Miami Man and other Integrity Multisport races because of their compassion, kindness, and humility. He is registered to race Miami Man November 12th, 2023, with his family cheering him on.
Zachary went on to live life to the fullest, finishing three college degrees, getting married, and traveling the world. He knew his anti-rejection medication would create challenges down the road. Zachary died 13 years after his surgery, knowing he had limited time, soaking up all the opportunities given to him, and appreciating his amazing family, especially his big brother. Adam Ciperski gave the ultimate gift, and he continues to give to others every day of his life, knowing full well how very special the gift of life is!
Written by Shannon Small
All rights reserved, 10-14-23