Meer James Rose, first double above-knee amputee to climb Kilimanjaro

A British Army Veteran James Rose, who lost his legs in an accident in Afghanistan, became the first double above-knee amputee to make it to the summit of Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Rose was deployed in the Helmand Province and was on a tour with the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment in 2009, when he accidentally stepped on a pressure plate of an improvised explosive device (IED) and lost both his legs to a blast that followed. The tragedy also broke his pelvis and tail bone.

An effort to get back up in life

After losing his legs and ability to walk, James started gaining weight, suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, but his family helped him through his hard times. In order to lead a normal life, Rose decided to lose weight and started to train. Rose regained his fitness and became a para-athlete. He also took part in the Invictus Games in 2018.

He also competed in Wheelchair Basketball and Sitting Volleyball events. His sheer determination to get back up in life led him to win silver and bronze medals at the respective events. However, his friendship with a fellow para-athlete, Darren Young, proved to be a silver lining for him. 

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The pair decided to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro. John said that the thought of climbing the mountain came to him while he was watching a television program, Extreme Everest after he came back from 2018 Invictus Games.

A silver lining for the British veteran

John said that when he posted on social media about his desire to climb Mount Everest despite having no legs, Darren contacted him and suggested to climb Kilimanjaro instead. He added that no matter how hard one trains and tries to achieve something in life that has never been done before, it was going to be a difficult task. It was the hardest thing he had done both mentally and physically, admitted John. 

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The veteran said that he stopped twice on the day they were supposed to climb the summit and told himself that he will not go further anymore. However, when he remembered all the difficulties he went through to achieve his target, he got up and got moving. It took him a little more than 14 hours to climb the summit. John said that when he reached the summit, he sat down and started crying with joy. Though the journey was taxing, it was an amazing experience for him, he said.

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(With inputs from agencies)