WMUR reports that three people were hurt last night in an avalanche on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire, including retired Marine Sgt. Keith Zeier, an amputee:
Zeier, 26, of Brooklyn, who lost his leg and suffered a severe brain injury in Iraq in 2006, was climbing Mount Washington’s most difficult route to raise funds and awareness for families of Special Operations forces killed and wounded in action.
According to Zeier’s family, he suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was recovering at Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin on Thursday night.
The Conway Daily Sun covered Zeier’s incredible story earlier this week:
Zeier’s story begins when his best friend’s father, a New York City firefighter, was killed during the Sept. 11 attacks. At the tender age of 17, he turned down a professional soccer offer to enlist in the Marines. Zeier quickly rose through the ranks and was accepted into the Marine Special Operations Battalion — an elite, highly-trained unit tasked with some of the most important, and often highest-risk missions.
Then, in 2006, Zeier’s life was forever changed. An IED explosion hit his humvee, leaving him with numerous injuries and permanent nerve and muscle damage in his left leg. The four other men in the humvee were killed. The incident ended Zeier’s military career, but in doing so, it provided the catalyst for his next great challenge: to raise awareness of wounded veterans and the issues they face.
A true American hero.
Here’s a photo of him recovering in the hospital with a special visitor after his injury in Iraq:
Some tweets that preceded Zeier’s ascent:
Today's the day! A team of climbers including Keith Zeier has begun their ascent of Mt. Washington in New… http://t.co/9WAuVfAn
— Special Operations Warrior Foundation (@SOFWarriorFnd) January 17, 2013
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rt @wmur9 Blog: Marine with one leg climbing Mt. Washington: Paula Tracy is providing updates of Keith Zeier's j… http://t.co/hK4mDXrJ
— SeacoastNHTweets (@SeacoastTweets) January 17, 2013
Keith @AscentsofHonor is 15 hours away from the top of Mt. Washington! An incredible feat in itself..but considering the journey…damn.
— Alexandra Farrington (@WTFarrington) January 16, 2013
Packed up and ready for the mountain. Huge thank you to everyone who helped make this possible! http://t.co/z2XOihEG
— Ascents of Honor (@AscentsofHonor) January 16, 2013
Zeier was climbing Mt. Washington to raise funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Show your support by donating here.
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