Erik Weihenmayer

Everyone has something special about themselves. Our personality is who we are and we can’t change it. A hero should possess very special traits. I think a hero should be courageous, determined, inspiring, and helpful. That is why I chose Erik Weihenmayer as my hero. He has these traits and more.

Erik Weihenmayer was born on September 23, 1968 in Hightstown, New Jersey with retinoscheses, a disease that makes you slowly go blind. Erik went blind at 13 but he would not let this stop him. In 1987 he graduated from Weston High School in Connecticut as the school’s wrestling captain. In 1991 he graduated from Boston College, and then two years later received a Masters Degree in Middle School education from Lesley College. After becoming a middle school teacher he set out for his goal of reaching the Seven Summits of the world. In 1995 he reached the summit of Mount McKinley in North America, 1997 the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, 1999 the summit of Aconcagua in South America, 2000 the summit of Mount Vinson Massif in Antarctica, 2001 the summit of Mount Everest in Asia, 2002 both the summit of Mount Elbrus in Europe and the summit of Mount Koscuizsko in Australia, and finally in 2008 the summit of the Carstensz Pyramid in Oceania. In 1997 he married Ellen on Mount Kilimanjaro at 13,000 feet. Erik has won many awards including the ARETE award and the Helen Keller Lifetime Achievement award and has had the honor of carrying the Olympic Torch through Arizona in 1996.

Erik is courageous and determined and you can tell because of his actions. He is courageous because he does not give up when learning new things. He wants to enjoy life like someone who has a perfect body and go beyond the limits and you must have courage to do so. Erik is also determined to reach his goal of reaching all eight summits of the tallest mountains in the world. When he was a teenager he was determined to get through high school and college. When he got older he had the dream of seven summits but also to do different sports like paragliding, marathon running, skydiving, skiing, and biking.

Some other traits to describe Erik are inspiring and helpful. Erik is very inspiring because he has shown the world that anything is possible. He has completed so many things that would be ten times easier with sight. Erik also goes around the USA and gives inspirational speeches. He can also be helpful. When he and his friend Sam were climbing a mountain in Colorado, Erik could not set up a tent with his gloves and they had to turn back. He was so discouraged by this that that week he went in his front yard and started to put it up and take it down with the gloves on. After many many times he felt satisfied that he could do it on a trip. Also on Mount McKinley he learned how to build snow walls and then was able to help the next time. He does not want his loss of sight to harm the group.

Erik Weihenmayer has shown me what a hero is because he has done amazing things. If I ever have a problem I can just think ‘He didn’t give up’, or ‘Erik has accomplished so much so am I going to let this stop me?’ I want to live up to his standards because he has been successful in a lot and that is my goal too. I want to be successful in school and life just like he is. Erik got inspiration from a poem which led him to a great life, and his experiences and personality have planted itself in my head as inspiration to do something great.