The Tom Whittaker Story: One Step at a Time

Originally produced for the Discovery Health Channel, this program tells the story of the first disabled person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, the highest point on Earth. Tom Whittaker was an experienced climber who was severely injured in a 1979 car accident, losing both his right foot and kneecap. Determined not only to recover but to climb Everest (no mean feat since an amputee with a prosthesis expends 30% more energy than a non-amputee), Whittaker is seen here struggling with his third attempt on the mountain. Not only inspiring, Whittaker's story is also gripping, as the climber undergoes the painstaking acclimatization process, suffers the effects of severe dehydration and extreme body temperature fluctuations, and fights the ever-present dangers of the mountain itself. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Fisher)