Erik Weihenmayer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erik Weihenmayer
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Weihenmayer on Mount Sherman, Colorado, a 14,000 ft. peak
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| Born | September 23, 1968 Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Weston High School |
| Occupation | Adventurer, motivational speaker, author |
| Known for | High Ground |
Erik Weihenmayer (born September 23, 1968) is an amazing American athlete, adventurer, author, and speaker. He made history as the first blind person to reach the top of Mount Everest on May 25, 2001. This incredible achievement even put him on the cover of Time magazine!
He didn't stop there. Erik also climbed the Seven Summits by September 2002. These are the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. He was one of only 150 climbers to do this at the time, and the only one who was blind. Later, he added the Carstensz Pyramid to his list, completing the Eight Summits. Erik has also climbed tough spots like the Nose of El Capitan in Yosemite and a huge ice face called Losar in the Himalayas.
In 2005, Erik helped start No Barriers, a group that helps people face challenges. They learn to solve problems, work in teams, and help others. In 2014, Erik and Lonnie Bedwell, a blind Navy veteran, kayaked all 277 miles of the Grand Canyon. This is one of the toughest whitewater places in the world! Today, Erik still goes on adventures and inspires people around the globe to live a "No Barriers Life."
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Erik Weihenmayer was born in Princeton, New Jersey, on September 23, 1968. When he was just 15 months old, doctors found he had a condition called juvenile retinoschisis. This meant he would likely become blind by age 13.
His family moved a few times, living in Florida and even Hong Kong. As he started losing his sight, Erik didn't want to use a cane or learn Braille. He wanted to keep living like everyone else. When his family returned to America, they settled in Connecticut. Erik went to Weston High School. He found a passion for wrestling and became very good at it. He even led his team and competed in a national championship.
At age 16, Erik started using a guide dog. He also tried rock climbing and discovered he was a natural. He could use his hands and feet to feel for holds on the rock. He later went to Boston College and studied English and communications. After college, he became a middle-school teacher and wrestling coach.
Amazing Adventures
Climbing the Seven Summits
Erik's first big mountain climb was Denali in 1995. In 2004, he went back to Everest, but this time with a special group. He climbed with Jeff Evans, Sabriye Tenberken, and six blind Tibetan teenagers. They reached 21,500 feet, which was higher than any group of blind people had ever climbed before.
On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer made history. He became the first blind person to reach the very top of Mount Everest. This amazing feat earned him a cover story in Time Magazine. Time magazine said that what Erik did was unique and truly pushed the limits of what people can do.
By September 2002, Erik had climbed all the Seven Summits. He was one of only 150 climbers to do this, and the only one who was blind. In 2008, he also climbed Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia. This completed the Eight Summits, which is an even bigger achievement.
Rock and Ice Climbing
Erik has climbed many difficult rock and ice faces around the world. He was the first blind person to climb the 3,000-foot Nose of El Capitan in Yosemite. He also made a tough climb of Alpamayo in Peru and a rarely climbed frozen waterfall in Nepal.
Kayaking the Grand Canyon
In September 2014, Erik and Lonnie Bedwell, a blind Navy veteran, kayaked the entire 277 miles of the Grand Canyon. This is known as one of the most challenging whitewater rivers in the world.
Other Exciting Challenges
In 2006, Erik created the Adventure Team Challenge. This is a special race where teams with disabled and non-disabled athletes compete together. His team won five years in a row! In 2010, he finished the Leadville 100 mountain bike race. This race goes over 10,000 feet high, and Erik did it on a tandem bike. He was the first blind person to complete such a tough race. In 2011, Erik's Team No Limits raced across Morocco for a month. They finished second on the TV show Expedition Impossible.
He has also completed the Primal Quest, a huge adventure race that covers over 460 miles and involves climbing more than 60,000 feet.
Inspiring Books
Besides being an adventurer and speaker, Erik Weihenmayer is also a talented author.
His first book is called Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther Than the Eye can See. This book has been shared in twelve countries and nine languages. Publishers Weekly said Erik's story was "moving and adventure packed." They also said he tells his story with humor and honesty, and his strength is very inspiring. This book was even made into a movie.
Erik's second book is The Adversity Advantage: Turning Everyday Struggles Into Everyday Greatness. In this book, he shares lessons and tips on how to use challenges to grow and come up with new ideas. Stephen Covey, who wrote The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, said this book helped him see how life's challenges can help him achieve his goals.
His newest book, No Barriers: A Blind Man's Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon, came out in 2017. This book tells the story of his Grand Canyon kayaking trip. It encourages anyone who has faced obstacles to keep going after their dreams. Kirkus Reviews called it an "exhilarating adventure story" and a "wonderful tribute to the greatness of the human spirit."
Media and Film Appearances
Erik Weihenmayer's amazing adventures have earned him many awards and TV appearances. He has received the ESPY award, Nike's Casey Martin award, and the Helen Keller Lifetime Achievement award. He has been on popular TV shows like NBC's Today Show, Oprah, Good Morning America, Nightline, and the Tonight Show. He has also been featured on the covers of Time, Outside, and Climbing magazines. Erik has even carried the torch for both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Farther Than the Eye Can See, a documentary about his Everest climb, is considered one of the top 20 adventure films ever by Men's Journal. This film won first prize at 21 international film festivals and was nominated for two Emmy awards. In 2004, Erik and his Everest team helped train a group of blind Tibetan students. They then led them to 22,000 feet on the north side of Everest. The documentary about this climb, Blindsight, won People's Choice Awards at film festivals in Los Angeles, London, and Berlin.
Erik was also in the 2012 film, High Ground. This movie shows a team of injured veterans, led by Erik and his Everest team, on a climbing trip in the Himalayas. They work to heal from their war injuries.
In 2017, Men's Journal named Erik Weihenmayer one of "The 25 Most Adventurous Men of the Past 25 Years." In 2023, Erik was featured in the movie "Life is Climbing," which is about another blind climber named Koichiro Kobayashi.
See also
- List of Mount Everest records
