If you want to see the change, be the change. A white cop put his knee on another man’s neck — a black man’s neck — for nearly nine minutes until he died and it was horrific. It made my heart sick. There is righteous rage in the world right now and we as a […]
“I realized how little I needed to feel happy, human, and whole and immediately I felt the urgent gratitude of simply being alive.” In February, my friend Timmy O’Neill suffered a terrible stroke while on a climbing trip in Patagonia. He described it as a “thunderclap” in his head. An hour later he was in […]
19 years ago today my team and I reached the summit of Mount Everest. When we returned safely to base camp, our team leader Pasquale “PV” Scaturro pulled me aside and said, “Don’t make Everest the greatest thing you ever do.” After nearly 20 years, I understand more than ever what PV meant. That expedition […]
A few months ago, I was interviewed for the PBS show, To Dine For, which is now streaming online for free. The best part of the show is that they do the interview at your favorite restaurant. Maybe it’s an acquired taste after many trips to the Himalayas, but I love Nepali food, and the Sherpa […]
Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of Terry Fox’s “Marathon of Hope.” Terry was a young Canadian who lost a leg to cancer. Instead of shrinking under this tragedy, he set out to run across Canada, determined to give a voice to those suffering, especially the kids he saw beside him in the hospital after his […]
I recently enjoyed two special nights in the Bay Area, each focused on boosting awareness for the 2020 No Barriers Summit happening in San Francisco on September 18th. The SF community is committed to the innovative No Barriers mindset and this setting is a perfect fit for our annual Summit. First, Fenwick & West, and […]
November 12, 2019 — We stood huddling beside each other at 22,349 feet (6812m). I felt exhilarated and humbled, and equally tired and depleted. My rope team and I had just reached the top of a stunning peak in Nepal, and my mind was a swirl of emotion. Climbers say Ama Dablam is one of […]
Isaac McBurney, a 15-year-old legally blind disability advocate from Kansas City, MO, calls me his hero, but secretly he’s mine. Born a triplet with severe vision impairment caused by retinopathy of prematurity, Isaac arrived 14 weeks early, weighing only 1lb 15oz. He has since undergone a dozen surgeries, but he doesn’t let his circumstance control […]
I’m going back. Back to the Himalayas. Back to Ama Dablam. Back to try again. Ama Dablam’s a mountain in Nepal’s northeastern Himalayan range. It’s astoundingly steep and known for its soaring summit at 22,349 feet. Translated, Ama Dablam means “mother’s necklace” — defined by its symmetrical lower ridges that look like the arms of […]
Megan Kalalau was awarded a Reach Scholarship to attend the No Barriers Summit this past June after we received her application and listened to her sing on Youtube. Her voice is simply beautiful. At the risk of sounding a little cheesy, I believe every person can tap into a hidden reserve of strength, beauty, and […]
