5 Wounded Warriors Attempt Mount McKinley Summit

Five men severely wounded in wars stretching from Vietnam to Afghanistan are participating in 1 of the most daunting challenges of their lives.

They are attempting to summit North America’s tallest mountain.

While Alaska’s Mount McKinley is a formidable foe for anyone, it’s even more so for these climbers.

4 of them lost legs while serving in the military and 2 of them are double amputees. The other suffered permanent leg and back damage.

Stephen Martin, from Phoenix, is one of the double amputees. He is a retired member of the army and the National Guard.

He was hit by an IED in Afghanistan while working as a state department contractor.

He’s an avid runner, swimmer, bike rider and golfer, and also competes in triathlons.

Their intent in the Disabled Sports USA-sponsored climb is to show others gravely wounded in battle that they can again lead full and productive lives.

If they are successful, they plan to summit the 20,320-foot mountain on June 28. On Thursday, nine days into the climb, they were resting at 14,200 feet.-[source]