Local News

Disabled man scales Mount Kilimanjaro using arms

AN inspirational 31-year-old climber who lost his legs at age five made history in Tanzania on Tuesday when he reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Spencer West, from Toronto, Canada, climbed the tallest mountain in Africa using just his hands to raise over 500,000 US dollars for Free the Children, an African charity.

Spencer and his crew climbed 19,341-foot Mt Kilimanjaro over the course of seven gruelling days. West trained for an entire year and climbed 80 per cent of the mountain using only his hands.

(The rest of the hike he spent in a wheelchair.) He even posted blog updates and video recaps of each day and it’s worth reading through every word. In one of his updates, West reflected on the journey atop the summit saying “Today I reached the top of the tallest free-standing mountain in Africa by, for the most part, walking on my hands. “And I did it with my best friends.

I will live in this moment again and again for the rest of my life. And if I ever second-guess what’s possible, that doubt will be obliterated. “What is possible for me has now been redefined. That is my hope for all of us.”