Continue reading Overcoming Injury Don Duger had dreamed of scaling Kilimanjaro for as long as he could remember, but shortly after he finally began planning his dream trip with his family, he got some bad news: he needed two major back surgeries. But Don wouldn’t let that stop him from his dream. Just over six months after his second surgery, he was standing atop Uhuru Peak! Read on for Don’s inspiring story, as told by his daughter, who accompanied him on the trek: “This trip was planned by my dad, who has wanted to summit Kilimanjaro and go on safari for as long as he can remember. He painstakingly arranged every detail so it would be a trip of a lifetime for everyone. However, life threw him a curveball when he found out he needed back surgery. With the trip already planned and our group committed, he scheduled the surgery for February 2013, giving himself enough time to recover before the climb. Six and a half months before the trip, he had major back surgery—twice, but that’s another story! He went through months of recovery, rehab, and physical therapy, all while keeping his goal of summiting front and center. With lots of family support and his own determination, he was up and walking again, eventually exercising and training for the trek.” “My fiancé, Dan, and I had already been in Africa for about a month and a half before the rest of the Duger group arrived in Tanzania. We were so excited to meet up with family and friends! Setting out for the trek was both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Not knowing what to expect was scary, but we had nine other family members and friends to keep us motivated. There were times on the trek when we all felt fatigued, tired, injured, or sick. We questioned our choice and wondered if we would make it—the list goes on. But our group was incredible. We worked hard, kept positive, encouraged each other, and hiked for five days until we reached Kilimanjaro’s base camp. From there, we set out at midnight to make our final push to the summit.” “We hiked for about six hours straight in the darkness, guided only by our headlamps, the bright moon, and millions of stars. Our guides encouraged us to keep moving to stay warm. Our head guide William’s mantra of ‘internal push’ kept playing in my head as we gained 4,000 feet overnight. As we reached Stella Point, the sun was rising, giving us the extra strength we needed. The beautiful silence as the sun rose around us was one of those rare moments when you realize you are part of something much bigger than yourself. At that point, I knew we would all make it to the top—a goal most of us had set more than two years ago. For my dad, this was a dream he’d waited decades to fulfill.” “Standing on the rim of a volcanic crater hundreds of thousands of years old, the view was surreal. We were above the clouds, looking down on all of Africa. But there was still one last push—about an hour more—to reach Uhuru Peak, the highest point on the rim.” “After all the planning, effort, and everything my dad had been through, it felt fitting that we followed him as he led us to the top. The emotions we all felt at that moment are impossible to describe. Exhausted, we savored our accomplishment. It was absolutely the most physically and mentally challenging thing I have ever done.” “We owe a huge thanks to our incredible guides and crew. Without them, the experience would not have been the same. They shared their knowledge and expertise and showed us what true toughness means—helping us reach the summit. I can’t stress enough how wonderful our guides—Renautus, Jackson, Charles, and William—were. Each of us formed a special bond with these great men, and we are forever grateful for their patience, kindness, and encouragement.” “Now that it’s been more than six months since we returned, I can say this was hands-down the most rewarding and challenging experience of my life. I will always cherish the memories I made with this group. I’m so grateful to my fellow trekkers who encouraged and supported me and kept me laughing the entire journey. Words cannot express how lucky I feel to have shared such a special bonding experience and to have witnessed the amazing scenery and flora that make Kilimanjaro so beautiful and alluring to tens of thousands of hikers.”