Higher Purpose The Heroic Story of the First Man to Conquer Everest by Tom Whittaker Lifeline Press; ISBN: 0895261995 Hardcover - 339 pages (October, 2001) As Tom Whittaker struggled to keep conscious the night of November 27, 1979, his thoughts focused on a singular plea: Please, don’t let them take my legs. Earlier that evening, a drunk driver struck Tom’s VW van on an isolated, snow-covered road in Idaho and shattered his legs-and his dreams. When he awoke from emergency surgery, the 31-year-old mountaineer’s right leg had been amputated at mid-shin and his right kneecap removed. Devastated, he pondered suicide. Finally it occurred to him: you don’t need your lower leg to kayak. Seven months after the accident, Tom hobbled down to the south fork of the Payette River, and began paddling. In the years since then, Tom has not only taken his life back, he’s taken his family, his fellow sportsmen, and hundreds of thousands of disabled and able-bodied people to the top of the world. In May 1998, Tom became the first amputee to summit Mt. Everest. The climb and his inspirational story, as well as his work on behalf of disabled people around the world, have earned him the recognition as one of America’s most courageous heroes. Click here to order from Amazon: