The World’s First Blind Person to Summit Everest
For even seasoned mountaineers, summiting the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, is an immense challenge—but for a blind person, climbing Everest seems nearly impossible. Yet according to a December 10 report by the quirky American website “odditycentral.com,” an American blind man has indeed conquered Everest, creating a miracle in mountaineering history. His name is Erik Weihenmayer, the world’s first blind person to stand atop Everest.
It is reported that Erik was born with retinoschisis and lost his sight completely at the age of 13. Rather than dimming his resolve, life’s hardships only made him more determined. Unable to see, he endured several embarrassing falls before turning to wrestling. He showed remarkable talent and even competed in the U.S. National Junior Wrestling Championships. In 1993, after graduating from college, Erik became a wrestling teacher. At the same time, he began challenging himself in broader athletic arenas. Mountain climbing, cycling, skiing, skydiving, kayaking—Erik sought his own form of “light” through sports.
Among all sports, mountain climbing became Erik’s greatest passion. He has conquered the highest peaks of North America (Mount McKinley) and Africa (Mount Kilimanjaro). In 2001, Erik successfully summited Everest and continued on to tackle the other highest peaks across the seven continents.
Erik’s most recent challenge was navigating Class V rapids in the Colorado Grand Canyon—a 226-mile (approximately 361 km) whitewater journey. Even after four years of preparation and training, recalling that harrowing rafting experience still leaves Erik shaken. “The rapids roared beneath my raft, and the river slammed against me, trying to flip my small boat. I paddled with all my might, gasping for air while struggling to keep the raft balanced and narrowly avoiding the surging currents. But who knows if I’ll be that lucky next time? Once caught in a whirlpool, with no sight to orient myself, it really is a matter of life and death.”
Beyond sports, Erik is also a person of great charisma. He joined Braille Without Borders, teaching mountain climbing and rock-climbing skills to children at a school for the blind in Tibet. He has given speeches at schools and universities across the United States, hoping to inspire others with his story. He has appeared on TV shows such as “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Good Morning America,” and graced the cover of TIME magazine… Erik’s story is reaching more and more people. His autobiography, Touch the Top of the World, which he wrote himself, has been translated into six languages and published in ten countries.