Bonded by Brotherhood; Saved by Serendipity: A Lock Haven Alumnus’ Inspiring Journey of Healing, Purpose and Paying it Forward 

Dr. Chris Amato, a 1991 Lock Haven University alumnus, has carved out a remarkable career as a chiropractor, and is set to take on the role of president of the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board in June. 

When Amato chose to enroll at Lock Haven in 1987, there were two things he was sure of – he would dedicate his life’s work to a career of helping others and he believed Lock Haven was the perfect place to help him make that dream come true. 

Just two years after earning his degree from Lock Haven, a loved one’s terminal cancer diagnosis placed the Amato family in dire need of healing of their own. His Kappa Delta Rho (KDR) brotherhood forged in Lock Haven ended up playing a serendipitous role in making his seemingly impossible miracle become a reality.

In the fall of 1993, Amato received devastating news that his sister, Lee, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and given a bleak 30% chance of survival over the next five years. Distraught, in shock and not knowing what to do, he called his KDR fraternity house, praying that someone would answer. That call was picked up by 1993 LHU alumnus, William Frehse.

“I don’t know if there’s a word to describe the sadness, anger, anxiety and despair of finding out that your seemingly healthy, 20-year-old athletic sister is terminally sick,” Amato said. “I was lost. So, I just picked up the phone and called my brothers. To tell you the truth, I was looking for someone else.”

Miraculously, within hours of receiving Amato’s call, Frehse’s father — then a vice president with The Hearst Foundation in New York City — arranged for Lee to begin receiving care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, including flying out one of the top cancer surgeons in the country to assist with her treatment. 

Once in their care, Lee’s medical team employed an experimental protocol, including the use of a groundbreaking drug called Cisplatin, which, at the time, had never been used before and would only become mainstream a decade later. Following two major surgeries, Lee’s life was saved and today, she is alive and well.

Despite his busy career, Amato has remained closely connected with his KDR brothers and the university, returning to Lock Haven more than a dozen times over the past decade, and nearly 30 times since graduating.

Amato’s deep sense of purpose and gratitude drive his commitment to serve others through his chiropractic practice. He is eager to provide students mentorship, internship opportunities and other professional development assistance. His extraordinary journey, marked by the support he received from his own Lock Haven connections when it mattered most, fuels his desire to continue making a difference.

Amato’s achievements in chiropractic medicine are outstanding. He specializes in rehabilitation and compares his work to that of a physical therapist. His passion for service and dedication to patient care are evident through numerous accolades he has received, including being awarded the Rehab Chiropractor of the Year by the American Chiropractic Association Rehab Council in 2016.

Looking ahead, Amato envisions a future in which he continues to serve. He is currently the vice chair of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, and serves as team doctor for the Central Penn Hitmen, a semi-pro football team based in Harrisburg. In June, he will become president of the American Chiropractic Rehab Board. He jokes that upon retiring and stepping away from his practice, he’s considering becoming a park ranger. Veterans Affairs and improving Lehigh Valley’s air quality are two additional focuses that he also aims to leave his mark on in the future. 

Regardless of what’s on the horizon for Chris’s professional endeavors, his care for humanity — inspired by his great grandmother, the Native-American (Lenape) healing woman of Manayunk from 1873 to 1913, and nurtured through his KDR brotherhood and time in Lock Haven — will keep him committed to aiding Lock Haven students whose professional aspirations resemble the professional goals he once held for himself as a young Bald Eagle at The Haven.

“I was born this way — to help others,” he said. “But the love of humanity that I learned through my fraternity and my time at Lock Haven is what really allowed me to grow unencumbered, and to develop into the person I was always destined to be.

“When I was a student, alumni from the 50s, 60s and 70s came back and took an interest in our success. It’s my turn,” he added.