A Nepalese mercenary who lost both legs in the war in Afghanistan climbed the summit of Everest, the world’s highest peak, with prosthetic legs.
According to the British BBC and the Himalayan Times on the 20th (local time), Hari Buda Magar (43), a Nepalese man from the Gurkha tribe, succeeded in stepping on the summit of Everest (8848.86m above sea level), the highest peak in the Himalayas the previous day. Hari succeeded in climbing the previous day around 3:10 pm and is now known to have descended to Camp 2, his outpost.
According to local media, Hari is the first person to reach the summit of Everest with both legs amputated above the knee and relying on prosthetic legs. Hari climbed the mountain with four Sherpas, but it was not an easy challenge as he climbed three times slower than non-disabled mountaineers because he was wearing a prosthetic leg.
Despite many difficulties, he was able to rise to the top by not giving up until the end without being frustrated by the limitations of being disabled.
In an interview with the media after climbing, Hari said, “I wanted to show the world the courage and fighting spirit of people with disabilities and become a role model that resonates with people.”
Hari was born into a poor family in northeastern Nepal and applied to the Gurkha Mercenary, one of the world’s strongest mercenary groups, to earn money. Gurkha mercenaries were also deployed as British military mercenaries during the two world wars. He most recently also branched out into Afghanistan as a private security agent in 2001 following the US invasion of Afghanistan.
According to reports, he spent gloomy days after losing both his legs in April 2010 in a homemade bomb while fighting alongside Britain’s Prince Harry in Afghanistan. He suffered from alcoholism and tried extreme options.
However, he stood up again for his three children and wife who stood by his side until the end, and began to challenge his physical limits. He went to find his passion for life through skydiving and skiing while wearing a prosthetic leg, and showed his indomitable will by climbing the famous Mont Blanc and Mara Peak in Nepal.
Finally, after several challenges, Hari climbed Everest, the world’s highest mountain, and is now taking a break. In addition, he is raising money with a goal of 1.65 million dollars (about 2.2 billion won) to donate to charity.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.