Helen Hayes employee from New Jersey aims to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in specialized wheelchair
Peter Gagliardo, the adapted sports coordinator at Helen Hayes Hospital, is preparing to climb Africa’s tallest mountain nearly 20 years after a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed.
Peter Gagliardo is preparing to accomplish something only a few dozen others in a wheelchair have done before - reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain.
The 41-year-old from Tenafly, New Jersey, and adapted sports coordinator at Helen Hayes Hospital has spent months training both mentally and physically for the more than 19,000-foot trek.
"We can say, 'We did that. It's possible. You have the opportunity to do that. And there's nothing you can't do,'" Gagliardo said.
He says this will be his message to other adaptive athletes after he finishes this feat and returns to America.
To prepare for the climb, Gagliardo has focused on building strength and endurance through hours of hand cycling and wheelchair training.
"Getting these guns ready to conquer the mountain. That's a lot of hand cycling. A lot of pushing in the wheelchair," he said. "A lot of endurance in the hot weather, get your breathing up. Have that difficulty to breathe and that's going to help train your lungs for the altitude."
The journey comes nearly 20 years after a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed. The ascent will also honor the memory of his wife, who died last year.
"We're going to bring her to the top and celebrate her and just celebrate life. For us that are still here. For our community. We're going to show that sense of adventure doesn't have to be lost," Gagliardo said.
Gagliardo is scheduled to leave for Africa on Sunday and begin his climb several days later in Tanzania using a specialized wheelchair.
He will be joined by Matthew Castelluccio, a former Helen Hayes employee who is also paralyzed, along with a group of Connecticut high school students who will support the team during the expedition.
While he knows the climb will be challenging, Gagliardo is already thinking about what it will feel like to reach the summit.
"That sunset is just going to reset life," he said.
We're told people can follow the journey through AccessibilityAccelerator, Paratrek and VuduMonkey25 on Instagram.
