Angie
Englewood, Florida
No Barriers USA Success Stories
Meet Erik Weihenmayer
Most people don’t recognize my name, but rather know me as the “blind guy who climbed Mt. Everest.” Despite losing my vision when I was thirteen to a rare eye disease called retinoscheses, I have had the incredible opportunity to climb and adventure all over the world. I recently completed my twelve-year quest to climb each continent’s highest peak, called the Seven Summits. I have learned to paraglide and skydive, skied the famous Haute Route, climbed 2000-foot frozen waterfalls and run adventure races.
I have met some very inspirational people along my journey, like Mark Wellman and Hugh Herr. In 1999, we decided to team up, Mark, a paraplegic and Hugh, a double leg amputee to climb the iconic Fisher Tower, near Moab, Utah. The 800-foot sandstone monolith was a challenge, but in the end became the impetus of the vision behind No Barriers USA.
As I slowly became blind, I fought not to get swept to the sidelines of life. I had work hard to continually show myself and other what is truly possible for a blind person to accomplish. Very often, when we reach out into things that make us uneasy or uncomfortable, to the limit of what we consider possible, it certainly takes courage, but also innovation.
Many of people will introduce technology in a bubble, but we at No Barriers believe there is no way to separate technology from challenges. The whole idea is that it is important to give people an active challenge so they know these technologies and ideas will work and that they can apply them to live more active and adventurous lives, no matter their challenge.
My story is one of many that make up the pioneering and visionary spirit of No Barriers USA.
