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Bestselling author, entrepreneur, and first quadruple amputee to summit Mount Kilimanjaro
Kyle Maynard is the bestselling author of “No Excuses,” entrepreneur and first quadruple congenital amputee to summit Mount Kilimanjaro without the aid of prosthetics. Kyle thrives on physical challenges and beating the odds, serving as an individual who truly leads by example.
Despite being born with a rare condition known as congenital amputation, that has left him with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees, he learned early on with the support of his family, to live life independently and without prosthetics. Kyle has become a champion wrestler, CrossFit Certified Instructor and gym owner, competitive MMA/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, world record-setting weightlifter, and skilled mountaineer.
In 2012, Kyle became the first quadruple amputee to climb – actually bearcrawl – the 19,340 feet to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro without the aid of prosthetics. His 10-day ascent was widely covered by the press, followed on social media, and raised money and awareness for wounded veterans as well as Tanzanian schoolchildren. Upon his return, Kyle won his second ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) award for Best Male Athlete with a Disability. Four years later, he reached the summit of Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua – the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.
