Chris Waddell Completes First Paraplegic Summit of Kilimanjaro
By Rocky Thompson on October 1st, 2009
You know how they say, “Getting to the summit means you’re only halfway there?” I suspect that isn’t the case this time around. Chris Waddell became the first paraplegic to summit Mount Kilimanjaro yesterday. He had support from a team called One Revolution, but did all the climbing on his own while a camera crew filmed it. Now he gets to turn around and ride the brakes on the way down. I like this guy’s style. A movie awaits and then as many inspirational speaking gigs as schools and corporations can throw at him. Aaron Ralston will have some competition on that circuit.
Update: Interesting e-mail I just received.
Rocky,
This is Chris Waddell’s publicist. I just wanted to contact you on the Waddell story on your blog so that a few changes could be made. “Unassisted” is actually not true, and should be removed.
Good to know. I was wondering what all those people in the picture were doing that looked like they were pushing him.
[...] This crazy mountain goat who had the fortitude to attempt and complete the first ever unassisted PARAPLEGIC summit of the Mighty Kilimanjaro! *name [...]
How do we define unassisted?
On his blog/site I see guys putting down planks in front of vehicles, and a guy pulling a rope tie to the vehicles, maybe so he and the vehicle would not fall back….
Pff assisted, unassisted, most people have two good legs and will never do anything anywhere near as adventurous as this. I don’t care if sherpas (is that a general term or specific to certain areas?) carried him over their heads up the mountain–he’s still out there. If he was hand-pedaling up parts of the mountain his granny gear must have been out of control! Just spinning away at those hands while the cart creeps up slowly. Interesting you mention riding the brakes on the way down–in the picture I would have assumed there’d be some huge disc brakes on those wheels but I’m not seeing any.
Chris Waddell rocks!… and rolls