Double-Amputee Gurkha Conquers Final Peak, Makes Mountaineering History

A retired Gurkha soldier has become the world's first above-knee double amputee to climb the highest mountain on every continent. Hari Budha Magar, 44, reached the summit of Antarctica's Mount Vinson on Tuesday. It was the last peak in his quest to complete the "Seven Summits" challenge. He faced fierce winds, vertical slopes, and freezing ice fields to climb the 4.8-kilometer mountain. Magar lost both legs above the knee in an explosion while serving in Afghanistan in 2010. The former corporal used specialized prosthetic legs for his climbs. His achievement redefines the limits of human endurance and adaptive athletics. The Seven Summits are the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents. Completing them is a major goal in international mountaineering.