My name is Rob from New Jersey, and after serving for 12 years in the United States Army Reserve and National Guard, I sustained a serious back injury while on active duty in December 2009. I've endured three surgeries, the latter two causing further damage to my spine and nerves. Currently, I suffer from pain in my lower back radiating down to my feet all day, every day. Additionally I have parti
al paralysis in both of my legs, causing the sensation of my feet burning as though I'm walking on hot coals at all times. This will never go away, and further degeneration is a very real possibility. Nonetheless, I'm a survivor and fighter. I've been told by my doctors that lifting anything greater than 5 lbs, or walking further than 500 feet is "unlikely". I've even been approved for handicap tags on my car...a strange thing for an otherwise healthy 30-something year old. I've come a long way from there. It's now been a few years and an uphill battle-literally. Now a Wounded Warrior, I've been unable to return to my job as a full-time EMT with the Fire Department, and turned to the far less demanding field of photography, while furthering my education. My friends and family have been incredibly supportive of this, and their encouragement is quite realized. I decided on a challenge that would help me to surpass my personal and mental barriers and took on climbing up Middle Teton, making it up to 11,000 feet above the beautiful state of Wyoming. It was a task I took on alone, and was nothing short of life changing! I continue to tackle challenges both literally and figuratively.
2014: Middle Teton, WY
2015: Mount Minsi, PA & Mount Tammany, NJ
2016: Mount Washington, NH
2017: Mount Mitchell, NC
2018: TBD
GO ARMY!!
-Rob