From Evasham Journal: Eruption of joy after conquering volcano
A DAREDEVIL succeeded in his mission to climb an active volcano in aid of a charity which helps people with the same condition as his late mum.
Jonathan Small, of Upper Street, Defford, near Pershore, fought back tears as he completed his trek, called the Avenue of the Volcanoes, last month.
The 42-year-old’s challenge ended in an exhausting but exhilarating ice-climb up Cotopaxi in Ecuador in which he clawed his way to the summit using crampons and ice axes, scaled glaciers and traversed deep crevasses.
Because of the altitude, he was often short of breath and much of his trek took place by torchlight and without him having much sleep.
The challenge involved three years of fundraising, bringing the total to £4,000 in aid of the Raynaud’s and Scleroder-ma Association.
His mother, Pat Small, suffered from these painful and debilitating conditions for many years, resulting in a decade of kidney dialysis up to her death in 1995, aged 55.
The adventurer had planned a charity trek across Lapland last year to mark the 15th anniversary of her death, but had to cancel.
He suffered an abscess just two weeks before last year’s planned trek and then the whole thing had to be cancelled because of the volcanic ash cloud.
Then he required surgery for torn knee cartilage which took place in May, threatening to scupper his second adventure.
He said: “The expedition is rated as one of the most challenging charity treks, far more difficult than Kilimanjaro or Everest Base Camp, according to those who are seasoned trekkers.
“It was the most difficult, exhausting challenge I have ever faced. I pushed on knowing my mother had suffered more every day through her illness than I endured on the mountain.”
At times he said he was “fighting back tears” as he climbed Illinazas before he even began the final climb to Cotopaxi. After a seven-hour climb, he reached Cotopaxi’s summit, 19,347 feet high. To make a donation, visit justgiving.com/FootmanJ
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