What if the thing you feared most actually became your greatest strength?
That’s the story of Erik Weihenmayer — the first blind man to reach the top of Mount Everest.
Born with a rare eye disease, Erik could still see the world as a boy — barely. But by the time he was 13, darkness had fully taken over. No more faces. No more light. No more sight. Most people would give up on adventure. Erik doubled down.
He joined the wrestling team, refusing to let anyone go easy on him. He got slammed, thrown, pinned — and then he got stronger. He started climbing rocks. Real ones. Big ones. And eventually, entire mountains.
In 2001, Erik shocked the world by standing on top of it — the first blind person to summit Mount Everest. He couldn’t see the peak, but he could feel the wind, the triumph, and the sheer power of proving people wrong. His teammates described him as relentless, calm, and focused. He described himself simply: “I just didn’t want blindness to be the thing that held me back.”
But that wasn’t the end. Erik went on to complete the Seven Summits — the highest mountain on every continent. He’s also solo kayaked the Grand Canyon, using sound and touch to navigate 277 miles of roaring river.
He lives by one powerful belief: What’s within us is stronger than what’s in our way.
But here’s what makes Erik part of the Binkie&Co family:
He’s an underdog, through and through.
The world told him “no” — no sight, no mountains, no chances. And he didn’t just say “yes” — he screamed it from the top of Everest.
He belongs here — with us — because he’s proof that courage isn’t about winning easily.
It’s about showing up when it’s hardest, finding new ways to move forward, and rewriting the rules of what’s possible.
He turns barriers into bridges.
Through his nonprofit No Barriers, Erik helps veterans, youth, and people with disabilities discover their own mountains — and climb them.
Erik didn’t just climb mountains. He reshaped what’s possible, and reminded us all that your vision doesn’t come from your eyes — it comes from your heart.
Welcome to the club, Erik. You’re everything the underdog spirit stands for.