Current:Home > MyChainkeen|Deaf couple who made history scaling Everest aims to inspire others -WealthX
Chainkeen|Deaf couple who made history scaling Everest aims to inspire others
Chainkeen Exchange View
Date:2025-04-10 22:45:49
A deaf Maryland couple made history earlier this year by making it to the planet's highest point,Chainkeen and now they are setting their sights on other peaks.
And they want to make sure that others in the Deaf community follow in their footsteps to any peak.
Shayna Unger and Scott Lehmann told ABC News Live that when they reached the top of Everest earlier this year, becoming the first deaf American climbers to do so, they felt a great sense of pride.
"You know, our community was on top, too. So in that moment, really, I really got goosebumps," Lehmann said.
MORE: Hero doctor dedicated to empowering others with disabilities receives $1 million surprise
Lehmann said he and Unger, who became the first deaf woman to scale to the top of the Himalayan mountain, spent two months with Sherpas to ensure that everyone communicated effectively.
"We were able to gesture and communicate to the point where other people were looking at us and saying, 'How do you understand each other?'" Unger said.
The couple said that Everest was part of a "higher plan," and they plan on climbing to the highest mountain in all seven continents. They need to climb three more mountains to achieve that dream.
"The whole thing is about making a change on the global perspective of deaf individuals," Unger said.
When they're not preparing to ascend to the top, the couple has been on the ground visiting schools and talking with deaf students about their exploits.
MORE: Deaf student creates more than 100 new signs for scientific terms
"I remember when we first did our…first presentation at a school…a girl said, 'Wow, you're deaf. You're just like me. I'm deaf. You climb that mountain, that means I can do that,' Unger said. "And that just really changed our trajectory."
Lehmann noted that their presentations have given deaf students more confidence to pursue any dream they can imagine.
"They want to be a doctor, an astronaut, a lawyer," he said. "And it's possible for them. It starts with the children. It starts with the kids. So putting that belief inside of them and that the possibilities are endless."
veryGood! (269)
Related
- A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
- iPhone users can now edit and unsend text messages (but only to other iPhone users)
- Mary L. Gray: The invisible ghost workforce powering our day-to-day lives
- Tesla cashes out $936 million in Bitcoin, after a year of crypto turbulence
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Vanderpump Rules Reveals First Footage of Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix's Post-Affair Fight
- He got an unexplained $250,000 payment from Google. The company says it was a mistake
- Get Amazon's Cute & Affordable Swimsuit Cover-Ups Just in Time for Summer
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Holly Herndon: How AI can transform your voice
Ranking
- Questlove charts 50 years of SNL musical hits (and misses)
- Brokeback Mountain Coming to London Stage With Stars Lucas Hedges and Mike Faist
- The MixtapE! Presents Taylor Swift, Delilah Belle Hamlin, Matchbox Twenty and More New Music Musts
- 2023 Coachella & Stagecoach Packing Guide: 10 Swimsuits to Help You Cool Down in Style
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- Twitter reports a revenue drop, citing uncertainty over Musk deal and the economy
- U.S. ambassador visits Paul Whelan, American imprisoned in Russia
- Families of detained Americans plead for meeting with Biden
Recommendation
'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
Why Biden's plan to boost semiconductor chip manufacturing in the U.S. is so critical
A hacker bought a voting machine on eBay. Michigan officials are now investigating
Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes Run NYC Half Marathon Together After GMA3 Exit
Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
The Fate of Bel-Air Revealed
How to protect your privacy when using mental health care apps
Why Lindsey Vonn Is Living Her Best Life After Retirement