In her own words: How a Marine veteran amputee conquered Mount Kilimanjaro for charity

[rangerrebew]

In her own words: How a Marine veteran amputee conquered Mount Kilimanjaro for charity
By: Kirstie Ennis, April 4, 2017
Editor's note: Retired Marine Sgt. Kirstie Ennis climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in March as part of a fundraising effort for Waterboys.org, a nonprofit founded by NFL defensive end Chris Long that provides well water to African communities. Ennis became the first above-the-knee female amputee to make the climb, according to the group. Her journey, in her words:

My dream growing up was to join the Marine Corps. In 2008, at age 17, that dream became a reality.

In 2012, on my second deployment to Afghanistan, a helicopter crash turned that reality into my worst nightmare. 

http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/in-her-own-words-how-a-marine-veteran-amputee-conquered-mount-kilimanjaro-for-charity

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Good for her.  That's a very easy climb technically -- no gear or climbing skills at all required.  But the air still gets really thin up there.

Curious as to whether being an amputee might actually have helped her oxygen/wise.  The actual climbing/walking would have been much more difficult, but she may have had a lower chance of getting altitude sickness.  I made it up to 18,500, sat down for a second, and then got the altitude issue.  Some big dude had to carry me down to the third hut at 15,500.

How humiliating.