Climbing for a Cause
Ten-year-old Luke Mortimer climbed a mountain to raise money for children with disabilities.
Courtesy of Adam Mortimer
Luke Mortimer during his climb up a peak called Embsay Crag, on November 4, 2023.
When he was 7 years old, Luke Mortimer lost his arms and legs after an infection. Three years later, he climbed a mountain near his home to help other children with disabilities.
Luke, who lives in the United Kingdom, set his sights on the 656-foot (200-meter) peak called Embsay Crag in 2019, when his family moved into a home nearby.
“When we moved here, we were going down the road to Embsay, and I just saw the crag, and I said, ‘Mum, dad, one day can we climb it?’” Luke said before his 2023 climb. “It’s been a few years now, but I feel very determined about getting to the top and back down. I think the worst thing that can happen is probably rain.”
The climb wasn’t just a personal challenge. Luke set it up as a fundraiser—a way to help others after so many people helped him. The Mortimer family had received many donations to pay for Luke’s prosthetics, or artificial limbs, as well as for changes to the Mortimer home that help Luke get around more easily. So, Luke thought, why not use the climb to raise money for other kids with disabilities?
Courtesy of Adam Mortimer
Many people joined Luke when he climbed Embsay Crag.
The Mortimer family announced that anyone could join them on their climb. Forty people traveled from across the U.K. to take part. And while Luke had hoped to raise 500 British pounds (about 613 U.S. dollars), he ended up raising more than 12,000 pounds (nearly 15,000 U.S. dollars)!
“It was tiring and tough, but when I got to the top I was very proud of myself. Everybody was really kind for coming out to support me,” Luke told Metro.
