[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 56 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S4548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          DISABLED HIKERS FROM IDAHO ATTEMPT MT. EVEREST CLIMB

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I would like to take a few minutes 
to share a story about an extraordinary group of Idahoans.
  As I drove into work this morning, my thoughts were with this group 
of my constituents in Nepal, very far away from home and even farther 
away from Washington, D.C. These Idahoans are attempting to climb Mt. 
Everest. Only a handful of people have climbed the mountain over the 
years and succeeded. Others have failed in their attempt, but very few 
people have ever tried to climb the mountain at all. It is a challenge 
that could mean death at every turn. For this group of Idahoans, 
however, the climb means life around every corner.
  The climbers are all physically disabled. These disabled trekkers are 
affiliated with the Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Group at 
Idaho State University, affectionately known as HOGs. This group's 
philosophy is, ``Hey, just because you're disabled, it doesn't mean 
that your life is over.'' And they are proving exactly that. The 
group's journey is being documented on the internet, so that updates on 
their progress can be found frequently. On their website they write, 
``Disabled people are ignored, not really discriminated against, but 
ignored. I've seen families where a relative is newly disabled and they 
didn't let him do anything. This at first is a well-meaning attitude, 
but later it effectively takes a disabled person's power away to make 
choices. We're making a choice with this Everest Trek. It's going to be 
really hard, but we are going to give it our best.''
  Disability comes in different forms for the participants. Kyle 
Packer, an Idaho State University student of the year, has Cerebral 
Palsy. Isaac Gayfield set many Idaho State University track records. He 
now has Degenerative Bone Disease. Tom McCurdy is an Idaho State 
University student who happens to be a paraplegic. Steve DeRoche is a 
weight lifting coach and a double amputee. Sheila Brashears lost a leg 
to cancer. Carla Yustak, who has Cerebral Palsy, is an Olympic trainee 
for cycling when she isn't climbing mountains.
  And then there is Tom Whittaker. The founder of the CW-HOG 
organization, Tom lost his foot in an automobile accident in 1979, 
shortly after finishing his Masters degree at Idaho State University. 
An avid outdoor adventurer, Tom felt as if his life had come to an 
end--but he overcame his disability, and then some. Now a professor of 
adventure education at Prescott College in Arizona, Tom is poised to 
become the first amputee to stand on the summit of Everest. While the 
rest of the team plans to end its journey upon reaching the base camp 
of the summit, Tom will travel the final stage to the peak as the sole 
disabled participant.
  I want to personally congratulate this group for their efforts so 
far. They are expected to reach the base camp today and Tom is set to 
reach the summit later this month. It is indeed a defining moment for 
disabled people in America and around the world.
  Mr. President, let me share what was written about Tom Whittaker in 
his online profile: ``* * * [he] reminds us, when setbacks occur in our 
personal and professional lives, it is not the falling down, but the 
getting back up that matters. The essence, in the heart of the American 
Dream, is not money, status or power, but the freedom to dream and the 
courage to embrace those dreams--for all people. As a people, we love 
to compete and we love to win. But more than anything, Americans 
applaud the grit and spirit it takes to get back up and finish the 
race.''
  In closing, I want to recognize their spirit today. It is my hope 
that everyone who hears their message might be inspired to face and 
conquer their own challenges, and by so doing, become not only better 
persons but better Americans.

                          ____________________