When Johnny Strange climbed the 29,035 feet of Mt. Everest, he not only reached the highest point in the world, he scaled the tallest peak on his sixth continent.After a quick jaunt to Australia, and a relatively easy 7,310-foot hike, Strange became a member of the exclusive "Seven Summits" club. The unusual part? He' s 17 years old.
"Nothing is impossible," Strange wrote in an email to family and friends after becoming the youngest person to accomplish this intercontinental feat of extreme mountaineering.
When Strange reached Everest's crest, he unfurled a sign which read "stop genocide." While his ambitious demand probably won't be met, the venue from which it was issued certainly projects more gravitas than outside a protest or from the stage at Lollapalooza.
From the Web:
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Wednesday 24 June
By Lisa
What an accomplishment! Your are right, there's nothing you can't do When you put your mind to it!!
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Wednesday 24 June
By scarltbear
My question is, who is paying for it?
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Wednesday 24 June
By dave
Right, who is?
Wednesday 24 June
By Pete
Wow! Quite amazing to do so much at such an early age. It must be quite expensive though, to travel to six continents, & climb mountains. He must have an extrememly well paying part-time job, generous parents, or financial sponsors.
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Wednesday 24 June
By Ho Hum
True, nothing is impossible when you have unlimited financial resources at your disposal.
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Wednesday 24 June
By liz
If you have money, and lots of it, you can 'accomplish anything'.
A poor kid from inner city chicago would never be able to afford this, and im willing to bet this kids family spends all the money in the world on getting this guy up mountains.
Im not undermining this kids accomplishment, i just think that its not really far to praise this kid up and down when he probably doesnt realize how lucky he is.
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Wednesday 24 June
By JOhn
Having money doesnt make the world come to you. For all we know, this young man could have gotten sponsors, did fundraisers, etc. I dont know what he did, but dont assume his mommy and daddy paid for it all!!! show some respect
Wednesday 24 June
By Anonymous
No, the thing is, he probably DOES know how lucky he is. Just because you have had personal experiences that lead you to believe people do not appreciate their wealth or are "spoiled" by mommy and daddy and their trust funds doesn't always mean that they do not have values, for lack of better words. He's ambitious. Anyone can climb the proverbial "mountain" and make it to the top (attain success) if they work hard enough. Learn to overcome YOUR IGNORANCE and you'll learn to see the world through the eyes of REALITY, accepting both, the good and the bad, along with your shortcomings. CONGRATS TO THIS 17-YEAR OLD!! WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT!! =)
Wednesday 24 June
By Dylan
Well funded or not? he chose to do the difficult things in Life. (I climb I know) Alot of people have died on Everest. The kids climbing mountains not sitting on a resort in the shade give en a break!
Wednesday 24 June
By winthropo muchacho
to all of you that think all it takes is a little money to accomplish what this kid did i say get a fucking life! i doubt if any of you could climb an 8ft ladder to the top without getting short of breath or scared of the height.
the attitude of you folks is an indicia of why this country is going to shit- go back to watching Jerry Springer and listening to Rush and getting off on cruelty and inhumanity- and to genius Joel it's "people" not "peoples"
Sunday 28 June
By adam
he doesnt deserve any of it
Wednesday 24 June
By joel
I ALLWAYS LOVE TO HEAR PEOPLES SAY NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE , AT 17 WHERE DID HE GET THE MONEY TO FUND ALL THESE PROJECTS , CERTAINLY NOT BY DELIVERING NEWSPAPER.....THAT STORY IS ANOTHER TYPICAL HOG WASH AOL STORY , GIVE US REAL STORY NOT SOME SPOILED BRAT ADVENTURE.
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Wednesday 24 June
By michaelr2c
No one here seems to know anything about anything. Everyone jumps to the conclusion that this kid comes from a rich family. Why don't you pathetic idiots actually do a little research...or did you never learn how to do that when you were in school so you put down other people who actually KNOW how to do research, too.
Most mountain climbing teams like these are sponsored by companies--most actual mountain climbers are not wealthy at all. They do anything they can to get on the next climbing team. Companies that make outdoor clothing, like Northface, Eddie Bauer, Eastern Mountain Sports, and scientific organizations like Geological groups, research study groups...even environmental groups opposed to global warming, sponsor these events for these teams--THAT's where the money comes from.
And, for the person who said their 7 year old could do it--tell that to the over 60 bodies of climbers that never came down from Everest--most of whom were professional climbers. Don't tell me your kid could do it--you're just showing how stupid you are!
Wednesday 24 June
By gd
Joel: what had you done at 17 besides pick your nose?
Wednesday 24 June
By rufus
oooouuuu, a new reality climber. BIG F'N DEAL!
usually when someone does something like this, they are not, (key word being not), alone.
show us pictures of the team of professional climbers his parents paid to get him up there. anybody, even my 7 year old daughter could do it if i had unlimeted funds. get a freaken life.
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Wednesday 24 June
By Lance
I dont think so
Wednesday 24 June
By Taylor
You are an idiot! Your seven year old daughter couldn't climb Mount Everest even if you had as much money as Bill Gates. Maybe his gear cost money, and he was up there with other people, but how do we know that those people didn't pay for themselves? How do we know that this kid didn't raise the money himself by getting sponsors and stuff? We don't know how much money he has, and it shouldn't detract from his accomplishment. He's obviously a very driven and hardworking person.
Wednesday 24 June
By wayne
Sure! your 7 year old daughter could do it,climb close to 30,000. That i would pay to see.
Wednesday 24 June
By sandi
OMG! can't you people just be happy for the kid who cares who payed for it! it didn't come out of your pockets. gee I really hope you guy's don't have kids your not doing real good in the encouragement department, I am glad that I didn't listen to people like you who said I'd be on welfare the rest of my life yeah thats right poor family minority never finished high school went back to school single parent 1 job became a Nurse now own home and M-benz and yes I paid for it MYSELF you guys really need to lighten up. Anything worth having is worth fighting for.
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Wednesday 24 June
By edcantarella
Another rich kid, getting to think he is a winner, despite having a major head start. His parents are encoureging him in the best way possible, but somehow, it just ain't news down here on the ground. It is actually a much easier feat for a 17 yr. old, then it is for an older adult - he is in the prime of life, lungs are at maximum efficiency,etc.
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