Courage, sacrifice, toughness and determination are some of the many words that come to mind when trying to describe Kirstie Ennis and her attempted summit of Everest. However, those words fail to truly personify her and the awe-inspiring task she accomplished. Although the elements at the top of the world prevented Kirstie from reaching the summit, she went beyond accomplishing her goal of inspiring men and women throughout the world. She proved that despite physical limitations, anything is possible if you are dedicated, give more than you get, realize that there are no boundaries and show the world that we control our own circumstances.
When I originally heard of Kirstie’s desire to climb Mt. Everest, I was in awe. Everest (and all alpine climbing) is at the absolute pinnacle of endurance athletics and human performance. To attempt this as an amputee and a war hero is the definition of pure inspiration. To even contemplate or consider the adventure is hard to fathom, but to accomplish what Kirstie did is something that should inspire all of us to push beyond what is easy and attempt the “impossible.”
Heatsheets is proud to have been a part of Kirstie’s journey and to have provided the critical protection against the elements that she needed in her quest to scale the famous peak. Heatsheets are extremely lightweight and compact which is essential when every pound and square inch matters. I am very excited to speak with Kirstie when she returns home to let her know how much she inspires us, hear what it is like to see the world from almost 29,000 feet, and most importantly, see if she plans to return!
Sincerely,
Chris Falk
President, Heatsheets
