Erik Weihenmayer
Erik Weihenmayer is a consummate adventurer: He has stood atop of Mt. Everest, climbed the Seven Summits and kayaked the entire 277-mile length of the Grand Canyon. And he has done it all blind — Weihenmayer lost his sight as a teenager in Connecticut after being struck by retinoschisis. From the beginning though, he resisted the notion that blindness would sideline him. Weihenmayer wrestled as a high school student, began rock climbing and soon got into alpinism, a hobby that took him to the highest points in the world. His accomplishments in the outdoor realm have followed a deep belief in shattering barriers that also led him to found an organization and movement called No Barriers. The mission is to help people with challenges turn into the storm of life, face barriers head on, embrace a pioneering and innovative spirit and team up with great people to live rich in meaning and purpose. Today Weihenmayer is a sought-after public speaker and the author of three books including No Barriers, which came out this spring.