Boy with Down's Syndrome 'sets Everest record'
NEPAL: A 15-year-old American has become the first teenager with
Down's Syndrome to reach Everest Base Camp, according to his father, in
an attempt to inspire different attitudes towards disabilities.
Eli Reimer, from Oregon, reached the 5,364-metres (17,500 foot) high
camp in Nepal's Himalayan mountains in mid-March after 10 days of
trekking.
"Part of the focus of this trek was on having at least one disabled
trekker go with us and, through their attempt, point to the abilities of
the 'dis'-abled," his father Justin, who was part of the expedition
team, told AFP.
The trek was also a fund-raiser for the Elisha Foundation, founded by
Eli's parents, which works with disabled people and their families.
While Eli is thought to be the first teen to reach the base camp, a
35-year-old man with Down's Syndrome from Britain had previously made
the same trip.
Down's Syndrome, a condition in which the person has an extra
chromosome, can cause cognitive delays, but advances in medicine,
education, and social inclusion have meant that many live independently
as adults.
"He's sort of a superstar at school now," his father said, explaining
that Eli is in his second year of high school and attends a combination
of "life skills" and mainstream courses.
AFP
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