While scaling Mt Cook in New Zealand, he was trapped in a snow cave for fourteen days. Upon being rescued, he was barely alive and consequently lost both his legs to frost bite. They had to be amputated from the knees downwards, so he is what they call a double amputee.
Most people would have been very grateful just to survive the ordeal, complain about life’s cruel and unfair hand, quit their ambitions, and make a career out of begging for alms. After all, how could a double amputee climb a flight of stairs, let alone scale Mt Everest? This,however, was not the case with Michael. From the ashes of despair, he decided to resurrect his dream and live it to the fullest. He was not content with nursing his excuses and pitying himself. In 2007 Mike, undaunted by his disadvantages, defied the odds and became the first double amputee to climb to the top of Mt Everest. An amazing feat, isn’t it? That is a small part of the story: On his ascent, he actually broke one of his artificial limbs. How cruel can fate be? Undaunted by this set back, fired by fierce determination and spurred by an indomitable never-say-die commitment to his ambition, he soldiered on until he stood triumphantly at the top of Mt Everest. He made it in spite of the odds.
