The first person with a double above-the-knee amputation to summit Mount Everest did it on Tuesday, and upon his return, he vowed to spend the rest of his life advocating for those who are disabled.
Former Gurkha soldier Hari Budha Magar, who now resides in Britain, summited the world’s highest mountain last week.
On his return to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, Magar declared, “Working to bring awareness about disability will be my main aim for the rest of my life.”
When Magar stepped on an improvised explosive device by mistake in Afghanistan in 2010, he was a Gurkha soldier in the British army and lost both of his legs.
At the airport in Kathmandu, hundreds of admirers and representatives greeted him and presented him with garlands, including the tourism minister of Nepal.
He was driven from the airport in an open truck that was flower-decorated and waved to onlookers.
“We all have our own weaknesses and disabilities, but instead of focusing on the weaknesses we should be focused on our strength, and only then we can all lead a better and meaningful life,” he stated.
He claimed that the 29,032-foot (8,849-meter) mountain was difficult to climb and that he considered giving up multiple times out of concern for his family.
He added, “I had promised that I would have to come back for the sake of my son.
He ran out of oxygen in the tank he was carrying on the way to the summit.
“This was the first time I knew what it felt like to be without oxygen. I was gasping for air, my hands and feet were numb, and I felt the tingling sensation.
He was able to acquire more oxygen from his climbing companions, but he subsequently had to contend with poor weather as he got closer to the summit, which, due to his slow progress, he achieved in the late afternoon.
Because circumstances deteriorate later in the day, most climbers attempt to reach the summit in the morning.
He claimed to have observed rescuers dragging the remains of two deceased climbers.
After completing the climb, Magar said in a video provided by his press office, “I hugged all the Sherpas and cried like a baby, I was so happy.” “My lifelong objective is to alter how people view disabilities. In the blink of an eye, my life was changed. However, you can still lead a fulfilling life no matter what.
“If a double above-knee amputee can climb Everest, you can climb whatever mountain you face, as long as you are disciplined, work hard, and put everything into it,” he added.
Magar was raised in a secluded Nepalese mountain village before being enlisted in the British army as a Gurkha. He presently resides in Canterbury, England, with his family.
Every year, thousands of young people from Nepal are selected to serve as Gurkha troops, who are renowned for their valour and fighting prowess.
Due to Nepal’s government’s restriction on disabled individuals climbing steep slopes, Magar had to contend with legal concerns in addition to his own limitations. Magar was able to carry out his plan to climb Everest after a lawsuit was brought before the Supreme Court, which resulted in the prohibition being lifted.
Magar’s proposal was further hampered by the government’s decision to ban mountaineering during the coronavirus outbreak.
