|
|
|
|
polarwid
Sep 24, 2002, 2:46 PM
Post #1 of 8
(2245 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 22, 2001
Posts: 3608
|
ACCIDENT: Ed Hommer lost his legs in McKinley plane crash.
The Associated Press
(Published: September 24, 2002)
Ashford, Wash. -- The man who became the first double amputee to reach the summit of Mount McKinley was struck and killed by a falling rock on Mount Rainier early Monday, a spokeswoman for Mount Rainier National Park said.
Ed Hommer, 46, of Duluth, Minn., was killed instantly when he was struck by a basketball-sized rock, spokeswoman Maria Gillett said. Hommer was training for a climb on Mount Everest.
Hommer had lost his legs in an airplane crash on Mount McKinley in 1981. He used carbon-fiber and titanium prostheses to become the first double amputee to reach the summit of Mount McKinley in 1999.
Gillett said rangers received a cell phone call just before dawn Monday from team leader Jim Wickwire of Seattle. He said one member of a four-member party on Disappointment Cleaver, at the 11,700-foot level of the 14,411-foot mountain, had been struck and killed by a rock.
Disappointment Cleaver is the most dangerous part of the climb, especially at this time of year when melting snow and ice have exposed more of the rock.
Park spokeswoman Lee Taylor said Hommer's body was removed by helicopter at about noon Monday. The other members of the party hiked down to Camp Muir, where they were met by a helicopter and taken off the mountain.
Hommer attempted to scale Mount Everest last October, but was hampered by bad weather and had to turn back 3,000 feet short of the summit.
Besides Wickwire, the other members of Hommer's Mount Rainier climbing team were Tim Herlehy and Scott Rose, both of San Diego.
[ This Message was edited by: polarwid on 2002-09-24 09:33 ]
|
|
|
|
|
climbchick
Sep 24, 2002, 3:09 PM
Post #2 of 8
(2245 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 29, 2001
Posts: 808
|
That sucks, to put it mildly. He must have had a great deal of willpower, courage, and determination. And I bet he would probably have preferred to be called a climber instead of a double amputee.
|
|
|
|
|
polarwid
Sep 24, 2002, 4:32 PM
Post #3 of 8
(2245 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 22, 2001
Posts: 3608
|
I just cut and pasted the headline into the thread title. Out of respect for the CLIMBER, I will edit it. Thanks YVETTE...
[ This Message was edited by: polarwid on 2002-09-24 09:32 ]
|
|
|
|
|
pumpkin_man
Sep 24, 2002, 7:23 PM
Post #4 of 8
(2245 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 24, 2002
Posts: 185
|
This is a really sad accident!
I'm so sorry to hear that...
|
|
|
|
|
mitchal
Sep 24, 2002, 7:40 PM
Post #5 of 8
(2245 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2002
Posts: 672
|
There is no greater way of dieing,than in the pursuit of ones personal goals.
My condolences to his family and freinds.
Climb On Ed.
Mitch
|
|
|
|
|
daisuke
Sep 24, 2002, 7:40 PM
Post #6 of 8
(2245 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 28, 2001
Posts: 904
|
that really sucks, I saw that guy on the discovery channel, I wish he could have realized his dream of climbing mount everest
|
|
|
|
|
bwnco
Oct 10, 2002, 5:35 PM
Post #7 of 8
(2245 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 19, 2002
Posts: 59
|
Its only sad for the people left behind. He didnt know what hit him and what a way to go out, doing the thing he loved.
He was a climber but he was a "double amputee" not calling him as such takes away from his accomplishments and also the inspiration of other amputees who can relize from what he did that they to can achieve what they would like regardless of "yes a handicap". If some dude sitting there with both legs gone read about yet another guy climbing something and didnt know he was an amputee, its not going to inspire him to do nothing. We need to call things what they are or were taking away there accomplishments.
|
|
|
|
|
rocks4jules
Oct 10, 2002, 5:56 PM
Post #8 of 8
(2245 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 27, 2002
Posts: 287
|
I saw this in the newspaper ealier, and yes it is very sad!!! However, this man has been such an inspiration to so many, and he never stopped doing what he loved. What a great mentor!!!
JULES
|
|
|
|
|
|
