Growing up in the shadow of the University of Oregon, David Vobora knew that football was going to be a part of his life. A quarterback by trade, when it came time to decide where to continue his playing career, it became apparent that to chase his dream, he had to make a change. It would turn out to be one of the best decisions he could make.

“I think I came out of the womb with a football in my hands,” he said. “My dad played at Oregon. It was just in my blood. When it came down to Signing Day though, I only had one Division I scholarship offer and that was to the University of Idaho and they converted me to linebacker. I had some success as a freshman and broke out my junior year and never looked back.”

Playing for the Vandals, Vobora was twice named to the first team of the All-Western Athletic Conference. He also earned All-American honorable mention honors in 2007 and was later invited to play at the East-West Shrine Game. Despite the lack of team success that Idaho had while Vobora starred there, the NFL took notice of his abilities and came calling in 2008.

“I was slotted by scouts as a mid-round pick, but I ended up being picked #252 by the St. Louis Rams,” he said. “With that, I became 'Mr. Irrelevant,' something I didn't even know existed at the time. But, I did accomplish one of my dreams, to be drafted into the NFL and you can call me Mr. anything you want as long as I get to play.”

The physical aspect of football captivated Vobora from a young age, and it was his physicality that helped him excel at the highest level.

Vobora started for the Rams his rookie season, becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to start in his first season in over 14 seasons. He would go on to earn the starting job full time in 2009, but it was at this point that fate began to intervene. Injuries took their toll on Vobora and he stepped away from the game before the 2011 season.

“I took a year off from the game to heal my mind and my body and when I returned, I signed in the offseason with the [Seattle] Seahawks,” he said. “I felt this discernment when I returned, call it something from God or my gut or my heart telling me that it was time to turn the page. I had no plan, I didn't know what was in store for me. It felt weird, but I knew I was done playing football.”

What was in store for Vobora was something that would impact the lives of people on a level that he could never have comprehended. In 2012, he opened Performance Vault, Inc. in Dallas, a sports performance training center. The physical nature of his new role allowed him to still tap into the drive that football gave him. It also gave him the opportunity to give back.

“I was training these elite athletes and then I started meeting these wounded veterans along the way and that uncovered this new, deep purpose for my life,” Vobora said. “A lot of these guys have been ostracized on some level after they get home.”

At a party, Vobora met Staff Sgt. Travis Mills of the U.S. Army. He was a quadruple amputee, one of the few living who sustained his injuries during military service. Vobora was drawn to Mills and struck up a conversation with him that would change both of their lives.           

“I asked him when the last time he worked out was and he kind of looked at me and at his prosthetics and basically said ‘You know I don't have any arms and legs,’” Vobora said. “I told him, ‘Yeah I get it, but you're healed.’ I thought why can't we find a way to get you back into it and in touch with your own physicality. A lot of groups take these guys out to fly fish or give them a home or a job and all those things are important. What we do now is remind them what made them extraordinary to begin with.”

This prompted Vobora to found the Adaptive Training Foundation (ATF) in 2014.

The ATF provides free, personalized physical training programs for injured veterans and people living with disabilities. The goal of the foundation is to “restore hope through movement, and redefine the limits of individuals with disabilities.”

Ten adaptive athletes, a mix of veterans and civilians, participate in each nine-week session. In two years, the ATF has served nearly 100 people.

Vobora is honored to do the work that he does.

“Now, I can't regrow a leg or an arm back, but what I can do is help them reclaim a part of their lives that has been lost. These people have had hard lives, but that doesn't stop them and that's something we can all learn from. I think I have the greatest job in the world right now,” he said.

Eric Moreno is a freelance writer based in San Antonio, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Texas-San Antonio and a lifetime season ticket holder for UTSA Roadrunner football. In his free time, when not attending games, is an avid reader and traveler. Follow him on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477.