2024-03-18 03:24:34
The American appeared in Santiago before more than 500 people to deliver a message full of energy and improvement. During his visit he also held a climbing clinic for youth in Parque Los Reyes.
In May 2001, Erik Weihenmayer made history by ascending to the summit of Mount Everest, becoming the first blind person to perform that feat.
The milestone was recorded in the documentary “Farther than the eye can see” and also on the cover of the prominent Time magazine.
To share, what led you to embark on such a complex challenge? And how did you manage to overcome his limits? Weihenmayer dictated the No Barriers talk before more than 500 people at the Metropolitan Santiago.
The athlete said that his presentation “It is a human message that everyone can connect with: the idea of the absence of barriers and what it means to try to live a life without them.”
Erik began his career in the world of climbing at the age of 16. Since then, his exploits have surprised the world: he was the first blind athlete to climb the highest mountains on each continent, known as the Seven Summits, and sailed the 455 kilometers of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.
In addition, he practices skydiving, mountain biking and rafting, among other sports.
Visita de Weihenmayer en Chile
The climber has given this talk in more than 20 countries and now he presented it in Chile, at an event organized by CMPC, attended by the Minister of Sports, Jaime Pizarro; the governor of Santiago, Claudio Orrego; the president of CMPC, Luis Felipe Gazitúa and the company’s general manager, Francisco Ruiz Tagle; as well as representatives of different foundations and prominent national Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
For more than 2 hours, the athlete addressed his epic ascent to the highest peak in the world, in addition to talking about different experiences in his life with which he transmitted a message of hope, motivation and improvement.
The exhibition included a conversation with Rodrigo Jordán, president of Fundación Vertical and national mountaineer, where Erik reflected on his experiences stating that “There are many who allow darkness to paralyze them, I did not take that option.”
“I think the message I can give to the little ones is just to go out, live and be happy. And say yes; not to bad things, but to good things. If an organization says “go out and try rock climbing,” or “go out and try skateboarding,” or cycling, or learn about computing. Say yes,” Weihenmayer encouraged.
He also reflected that “when I went blind, I knew that I did not want to be in that prison that, in part, I had created myself. So I knew that, to get out of it, I wanted say yes to all those opportunities and I’m very glad I did.”
For Francisco Ruiz-Tagle, general manager of CMPC, the climber’s talk was a great inspiration for all the people who attended.
“This event went beyond sports, it has to do with daily life and how we decide to live it, to overcome our problems and difficulties. To understand that in life you can fail many times, but that there will always be opportunities to take advantage”, he reflected.
During his stay in Chile, the athlete led a youth climbing clinic who practice that discipline in Parque Los Reyes.
Regarding the activity, Weihenmayer said that “something very nice happened: a little girl came up and started talking to me. Then his mother told me in English: Thank you for teaching my daughter that anything is possible.. I was about to cry because I thought I could help others see their own future and your own possibilities It is something very beautiful”.
Weihenmayer had previously visited our country, at the beginning of 2023, when he became the first blind climber to reach the top of the North Tower and the Shark’s Fin in Torres del Paine.