Amber Anne DeLuca is an American professional female bodybuilder, actress, and motivational speaker. [1]She was born on 26 July 1967 in Peninsula, Ohio, near the Cuyahoga River, the granddaughter of Levi Levering, a leader of the Omaha people during the early 20th Century. Of Omaha and Shoshone heritage on her biological mother's side, she is recognized by the Omaha Nation as "Ponca-sa," and belongs to the Tapa, or Deer, Clan, one of seven within the Nation. She is also of Ojibway, Sioux, German, and French heritage on her father's side; she was, however, adopted when she was six months old and had a "very nice childhood."
DeLuca has always excelled athletically. She earned an athletic scholarship in volleyball at Gannon University, Erie, Pennsylvania, and helped lead the team to their first national appearance. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications/English in 1990.
She appeared as "Apache" early on in the competition reality series American Gladiators.
By her own description, she grew up as a tomboy and began weight training when she was thirteen years old in order to better herself for her high school sports. Her first figure competition came in 2001. She went on to win the Ms. Figure America show and competed in Europe at the Ms. Universe. It was not until after that show that she decided she wanted to be increase upon her size and try bodybuilding. Her first show was the Mid-USA in 2003, in which she won the heavyweight class.
DeLuca is also a member of the Native American Sports Council (which is an affiliated organization of the United States Olympic Committee.
