He Lost Use of His Legs at 17 – A Decade Later, He's the First Paraplegic to Reach Everest Base Camp
Australian Scott Doolan simply became the first paraplegic in history to reach Everest Base Camp with minimal assistance. And he
Australian Scott Doolan simply became the get-go paraplegic in history to reach Everest Base Camp with minimal help. And he did it all to raise awareness for mental wellness problems, a struggle he is all likewise familiar with.
Photo Credit: Scott Doolan/Instagram
Reaching the foot of Mount Everest after a 65-kilometer trek, Doolan was welcomed past a crowd of xx people cheering him on.
My outset thought was no style, incommunicable, I can't do that. Even so, subsequently thinking well-nigh it […] I thought why not, what better manner to challenge myself and influence others than to climb the biggest mountain in the world?
— Scott Doolan
Climbing in a wheelchair
Trekking with a specially-designed wheelchair and often climbing on his easily in a wheelbarrow position while his traveling partners held his legs, Doolan received heartwarming words of encouragement from several climbers he encountered during his rise.
On a few occasions, when the climb was too steep, he resorted to piggyback rides. Completing the journey took all the force Doolan had, both physical and mental. At 1 point, his wheelchair broke and a quick fix had to be improvised. By the time he reached base military camp, Doolan had as well suffered a stress fracture in his tailbone, but not even that slowed him downwardly.
Uncovering his strength
An active teen in honey with sports, Doolan lost use of his legs at 17 later a serious motorcycle accident damaged his spinal cord. He became depressed during the years later on his blow, but discovering fettle in his twenties brought him a renewed joy and appreciation for life.
Concluding twelvemonth, Doolan partnered upwardly with a lifestyle company for the biggest challenge of his life: reaching the foot of the earth's highest mount with minimal assistance.
He spent viii months training for the adventure, climbing mountains and doing daily cardiovascular and forcefulness-training with oxygen-restricting masks to ready for his high-altitude expedition.
Reaching Everest Base Camp
On March xiv, Doolan and his team of a dozen people set up out to climb to Everest Base Campsite, completing the grueling journey in only x days. Keep in mind well-nigh climbers make the journey in 9 to 12 days.
VIDEO: A wheelchair-bound Australian who reached Everest base camp nether his own ability says he was "humbled" to be the first paraplegic to make the gruelling journey mostly unaided pic.twitter.com/5ddk2qcwuO
— AFP news agency (@AFP) March 27, 2018
No thing how difficult his training was, Doolan found the climb far more challenging than he ever imagined or expected. Just the climb and his history-making achievement were not the only things he took abroad from the journey.
He showed himself and the earth the power of tackling adversity head on and coming out victorious. His trip to Nepal also made him more grateful for the life he has in Australia.
Despite his momentous achievements, Doolan is far from taking a step back and enjoying the fruits of his labor. In fact, the 28-year-old is already searching for his next take a chance, according to France 24.
One of those adventures might very well be swimming for Commonwealth of australia during the 2022 Tokyo Paralympics. Here'due south to never giving upward!
Source: https://www.goalcast.com/scott-doolan-first-paraplegic-climb-everest-base-camp/