"I knew I could do it, it was just getting there," said Breckheimer. "Climbing is so physically tough for me that it attracts me to it even more. Now that I have reached the top of Everest, I feel like I can summit any mountain."
Benjamin Breckheimer is a surgical technician, but before that he served in the Army. On a morning patrol in 2009, Breckheimer was hit by an IED and nearly lost his right leg.
"September 13 started off as any other day," said Breckheimer. "I hit a pressure plate, which set off an IED underneath me. It crushed my legs and I was diagnosed with a concussion."
An emergency team evacuated Breckheimer to military hospitals in Afghanistan and Germany, where medical experts performed emergency surgeries. However, he'd need special limb salvage surgery to save his leg.
"Really, an amputation would have been a reasonable alternative to re-constructing his leg because it was so severely damaged," said Dr. Joseph Hsu, an Orthopedic Surgeon that specialized in limb lengthening and deformity correction trauma at Carolinas.
After years of rehab, Breckheimer is now climbing the tallest mountains in the world.
"After this happened my life did a complete 180. I thought, what a better way to show appreciation for the people that have helped me than by taking my two legs to the top," said Breckheimer.
Benjamin Breckheimer has already climbed Mounts Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, Everest, Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid and Vinson Massif. He will climb his last mountain of 7 Summits on next summer to the mountain of his own country, Denali.
"My plan is to do the seven summits, but there are few others I want to do after that."
(edited from: http://www.wbtv.com/story/36808085/veteran-overcomes-combat-injury-to-climb-worlds-tallest-mountains/)
We are in Imosa feel honored to be part of his expedition to Carstensz Pyramid. And wish his success not only to finish his 7 Summit list, but also to inspire people all around the world as he has inspired us here.
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