Disabled Veteran Conquers the Matterhorn
Neil Heritage lost both his legs in a suicide bomb attack in Iraq in 2004, but that didn’t come close to stopping him. Heritage went on to complete triathlons, learn to ski, and join a team that rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. Now 39, he recently became the first above-the-knee double amputee to scale the Matterhorn. The British ex-corporal, who raised about $8,000 for veterans’ charity via sponsors of his climb, says he is “over the moon—it’s been a dream for a long time.” It was his third attempt to reach the peak.
Fellow climber Mark Hooks said it was “just so special, managing to achieve something we’ve worked so hard on over the years.” Heritage is already planning his next challenge: kayaking the Amazon River.