Conquering Dreams

"We should no longer be seen as being poor, miserable and living off benefits. We can be successful and live a happy and meaningful life. But changing that perception will be a bigger battle than climbing Everest." Hari Budha Magar is a father-of-three, husband and veteran. In 2010, he lost both legs to an IED in Afghanistan. Determined to change perceptions of what is possible for people with disability, Hari victoriously stood atop the world's highest peak at 8,849m on 19th May 2023. But Hari wasn't stopping there. Having already climbed Mt.Blanc and Mt.Kilimanjaro in preparation, Mt.Everest was the third of the world's Seven Summits - the highest peaks on each continent - to be conquered. He went on to take his message of determination and resilience around the world where he once again broke new boundaries in mountaineering as the first double amputee to complete the seven summits - a recognised feat only 500 people in history have ever achieved. Hari's goal is to raise awareness for disability and change perceptions around the world of how people with disability are perceived but also how they perceive themselves. Climbing the Seven Summits, he set out to show people what the human spirit can achieve, push limits and inspire others "to climb their own mountains whatever that might be". Outside of his monumental achievement of summiting the world's highest peak at 8,849m, Hari seizes the opportunity to blaze trails for people with disabilities. He has set numerous records for people with disabilities on other mountains around the world, has kayaked around the Isle of Wight, completed multiple skydives, paraglided, bungee jumped and competed internationally as a para-skier and golfer.