A visually impaired veteran who refused to ignore his disability successfully climbed Mount Everest with the help of an organization working to inspire and serve disabled veterans.
Former Navy Petty Officer Ronnie Bedwell lost his sight in a hunting accident in 1997. Yet Bedwell continued to challenge himself and “eventually became a well-known extreme sports his athlete.” according to his biography. Since the accident, Bedwell has kayaked across the Grand Canyon, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, and was eventually led to Everest, his greatest challenge to date.
Working with Sightless Summits, an organization that helps veterans with disabilities, Bedwell conquered a massive 29,000-foot mountain in 45 days. WVLT announced that this is twice as long as the normal feat. report. With himself out of sight, Bedwell relied on the eyes of Sightless Summits founder Bryan Hill to climb to the top and then back down again.
Brian Hill (’08) led blind US Navy veteran Ronnie Bedwell of the Sightless Summits team to the summit of Everest last Monday.
We are in awe of this wonderful achievement. Way to go Brian 🍊You can learn more about: https://t.co/yzjF6yCUK3 pic.twitter.com/1aq1UzwwqQ
— UT Knoxville Alumni (@tennalum) May 24, 2023
“Together we’ve done what blind people couldn’t do alone,” Bedwell told the magazine.
Bedwell held on to Hill’s backpack for the entire trek and was guided more than 120 kilometers up the snow and ice-covered mountainside, listening carefully to Hill’s directions to navigate safely. “Take your leg another foot up, a little bit to the right, and a little bit more forward, because it’s imperative to take the right steps,” Hill told the outlet of the instructions. (Related article: Everest’s infamous hazard leaves 3 climbers missing.)
The journey was especially dangerous for Bedwell, but he told the media that his decision to conquer Everest was rooted in a desire not to be hindered by the loss of his sight. Considering the risks, this trek required trust from everyone involved, but for Bedwell it certainly paid off.
“We all want at some point in our lives to have someone believe in us and give us a chance to show what we are really capable of,” Bedwell told the outlet.
