In the documentary Augie, Augie lived life in the fast lane. He was in impeccable shape. He was tough, bullheaded, and devilishly handsome. Augie Nieto was known as the Steve Jobs of the fitness industry–the first person to popularize the LifeCycle in gyms across the country. At the age of 47, Augie and his wife Lynne–his high school sweetheart–seemed to have it all. But then their lives were turned upside down. Augie was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, in 2005.
Augie, is the story of a powerful man challenged by a devastating disease, which for the first time in his life, took every bit of control from him. ALS patients experience paralysis of all their voluntary muscles, and the disease usually proves fatal in 2-3 years. And yet, ALS is what saved Augie’s life. This is the inspirational journey of a man who learned how to transform himself to find true peace and happiness. Before ALS, Augie was arrogant and single-minded in his pursuit of financial gain. He was incredibly successful, but his personal life suffered. His marriage was on the rocks. When he was diagnosed, his life fell apart completely. But then Augie and Lynne picked up the pieces and formed a stronger bond than they’ve ever had.
Augie has learned to channel his will to live and his drive for success into doing everything he can to find a cure for ALS. All his friends and business colleagues rallied around him, and to date he and Lynne have raised over $55 million that directly funds scientific research for ALS. Augie and Lynne have found the joy and laughter in life again. Their bravery encourages ALS patients and their families to never give up, and to dive deep into the riches that life can bring.”You’ve got to laugh every day,” says Augie, as he continues to fight for a cure.
Check out photos from Augie:
