Sydney father becomes first paraplegic to reach Mount Everest Base Camp without a wheelchair

A father-of-two from Sydney’s Northern Beaches was told he would never walk again after being paralysed in a helicopter crash, but last month, he became the first paraplegic to walk to Mount Everest Base Camp without a wheelchair.

Jay Stevens joined Sky News host Erin Molan to discuss his incredible achievement.

“I’ve always just had a pretty big physical drive to go out and do some pretty big things,” Mr Stevens said.

“To have a spinal cord injury, to have all that taken away just as you’ve just gotten married, you’ve become a young father – to have all that immediately ripped away wasn’t something I was able to accept.

“To be able to build myself back up to walking after six years, and the seed got planted when I was in hospital – I was sitting there, getting told I wasn’t going to walk again and watching some documentaries on climbers and people getting to Base Camp, and the seed was planted there.

Sydney father becomes first paraplegic to reach Mount Everest Base Camp without a wheelchair

“When I first took my first few steps, I just couldn’t get it out of my head, so that was always the goal as soon as I got up and, luckily, here we are six years later, and I was able to get to Base Camp in December of last year.”