On May 1998, Tom Whittaker became the first disabled person to ever summit Everest. His journey began about twenty years ago. When a drunk driver smashed into him head-on. Tom lost his kneecap and his right foot. His dreams for becoming a world class mountaineer had been postponed.

Tom returned to Everest in 1995 with Greg Child and replaced his altitude reaching record of 27,000 ft. But he missed the chance to stand on Everest's summit. Tom and Greg became the first climbing team to offer on line access to an Everest Expedition and their effort was reported on CBS for the 150th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution.

In 1998 Tom returned to Everest with an entire expedition built around the goal of the first disabled ascent. A satellite communications station and state of the art communications will help them broadcast sound, images and a daily update from Everest.