congrats

Zhang Hong Becomes the First Blind Asian Man to Climb Everest

Hong reached the summit last week.

Chinese climber Zhang Hong became the first blind Asian man to summit Mount Everest last week, the AP reports. Hong, who is 44, is the third blind man to climb Everest, after Erik Weihenmayer and Andy Holzer. He spent five years training for the moment. Hong told the AP that he hopes to continue to climb the “grand slam” of the seven highest summits on all continents, plus the North and South Pole.

“Today I sit here and think about Eric Weihenmayer, who inspired me to have such a dream and work all the way, and eventually I achieved it,” Hong told the AP. “So, I would think there are so many other visually impaired people around the world and also in Asia, and I hope what I did can be an inspiration for them.”