Page 72 - Real English 2024 Book 8

REAL ENGLISH 8

In 2006, another New Zealander named Mark Inglis performed
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an absolutely incredible feat. He became the first double amputee
to reach the summit of Mt Everest. After 40 tough days of climbing
in April–May 2006, the 47-year-old Inglis made his final push for
the top from Camp 4 – 450 metres from the summit – in perfect
weather on 15 May. An astounding deed indeed! He was standing on
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his artificial legs on top of the world, literally.

There stood the legless mountaineer, happy beyond words,
enjoying his triumph, gazing on all below him, thereby sending out
a great achievement an inspiring message to others with disabilities that their ambitions
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impossible to believe
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a person who has had an should never be limited.
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arm or a leg cut off in a During the punishing climb his prosthetic legs had not caused
medical operation any problems. When one artificial leg had broken earlier during
greatly surprising the climb, Inglis described it as ‘a minor hiccup’. He was carrying
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something that you want to a spare set of legs as well as equipment to make necessary repairs
achieve very much in case anything went wrong. In 1982, he and fellow climber Phil
used as an artificial body Doole were trapped in an ice cave for fourteen days on Mt Cook,
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part New Zealand’s highest peak. Inglis managed to keep his head and
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(here) a small problem did not panic but both of them suffered frostbite and they had to
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remain calm
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injury to body tissues, the have both legs amputated below the knee.
nose, fingers or toes due to Since 2006, Inglis has taken on a number of challenging roles
exposure to extreme cold and succeeded – ranging from legless ski guide to research scientist,

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