I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro on my hands

I was born with a rare genetic disease called sacral agenesis, which meant my legs didn’t work. When I was five, I had surgery to amputate them, and doctors told my parents I might never sit up, let alone be a functioning member of society. I learned to navigate the world by walking on my hands, using a wheelchair or a skateboard around our neighbourhood in Wyoming.

I went to university in Utah, graduating with a communication degree into a terrible job market in 2003, and worked in client operations while craving a deeper sense of purpose. In 2008 a friend invited me on a volunteer trip to Kenya with a nonprofit organisation.

Seeing international development work in a different part of the world, and meeting schoolkids who were interested in my story, helped me find my passion and I began working for the organisation as a motivational speaker.

Kenya

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